How to Host Online Courses & Sell Merchandise Using One Platform

Being online is evolving, and stats say that online learning users are expected to increase to 57 million by 2027.

If you see today (let alone the rest, only in students), there are 63% of them in the US who engage in online learning activities daily.

Now, think about the world, how the number can grow!

And for the money talk, the online learning (US) market was worth $100 billion in 2022, which makes it the largest in the world, and research estimates that (based on the 2022 rate), it will grow to $686.9 billion by the year 2030.

See how hosting online courses can make a business move!

But yes, with these appealing stats and user base, you can avail an opportunity to earn extra too.

How?
- By selling products. 

You will see that the typical ways to host online courses and sell products can be done with multiple platforms. But today, you can make this possible by just using a single platform.

That's why we are on this tutorial, where you know how to host online courses and sell merchandise using just one platform/ tool.

Let's jump forward to know more!

Now the Question is: Why should you Host Online Courses & Sell Merchandise on the Same Platform?

As we mentioned in the introduction, the pro is that you will have extra income, but there are more that you can't resist. 

Here are the details:

First, It Give Your Customer a Better Experience

In which shop do you go often for shopping?
-In places where you can buy multiple things under one roof, right?

That's the real work. 

If a business owner enrolls in one of your courses and has to click over to a completely different website/platform to sell a digital product, this means you're indirectly asking him to jump through hoops.

Remember, in marketing, every extra click is a chance to lose the sale. 

So, when you host online courses and sell merchandise in one place, it simplifies the customers' process. They log in once, see everything you offer, and check out in a single, familiar flow.

Second, Helps You to Make Revenue per Customer

When a person who loves your course can see related digital products right inside your course dashboard for sale, he/she may be interested in buying that.

If this happens, then you will get extra money by doing nothing, like setting up another website.

But how can you do this?

You can bundle a course with exclusive merch, offer limited-edition products to enrolled students, or upsell branded items during checkout- all without sending customers to another site.

Finally, Let Compress Your Business Work

A business has too many tasks to complete- maintaining multiple websites, integrations, paying several subscriptions, chasing down support from different companies, and more. 

All of them feel like overhead, and let you slow down on growing your business.

That's why hosting online courses and selling merchandise on the same platform can be a perfect solution. 

You will streamline the tech, cut down on maintenance, and free up your brain to focus on what actually moves the needle in your business.

So, What are the Best Places to Host Your Online Course & Sell Products?

In both niches, online courses and product selling, you will get numerous platforms in the market (we have told you this before), but the real challenge is choosing one. 

Here, we can give you a name, but giving one platform consideration at first makes you feel biased. That's why in the section, we are listing several. 

Here are the best places to host your online courses, along with the selling merchandise option.

How to Choose the Best Platform to Host Online Courses for Selling Products

Well, among those 7 platforms, the question is- which one will you use?

To satisfy this question, we have just included the key metrics to choose the best platform for hosting online courses and selling merchandise here.

• Course creation and customization: The platform should allow you to easily create and customize your course content, including videos, presentations, quizzes, and other interactive materials.

• Content hosting flexibility: It should support reliable hosting and delivery of your course content, ensuring that your students can access it easily and without interruption. 

• Student management: The platform should provide tools for managing your students, including enrollment, progress tracking, and communication.

• Marketing and promotion tools: It should also provide tools for marketing and promoting your course, including email campaigns, social media integration, and affiliate programs. 

• Unified or at least smooth checkout: Look for one checkout that can handle both course enrollments and product purchases, or a very tight integration where they barely notice the switch.

• Payment, tax, and shipping readiness: The platform (or its integrations) should support mainstream payment gateways (like Stripe and PayPal), basic sales tax settings, and shipping options. 

• Zero transaction fees: The platform you choose shouldn't take a cut of your hard-earned merch sales. Look for 0% transaction fees so you can actually reinvest in your brand.

• Mobile app compatibility: In 2026, most people are on their phones. Ensure your platform offers a white-labeled app where they can learn and shop without ever seeing another brand's logo.

A. How to Host Online Courses via EzyCourse

If you see the 7 platforms and the factors we have mentioned, all of the features remain in only one platform, named EzyCourse.

That's why we are using it here for the further steps:

Step 1: Set up Your EzyCourse Account

The first step to signing up on EzyCourse is choosing your plan. EzyCourse offers flexible pricing plans to suit the needs of a diverse audience. 

If you haven't selected a plan yet, you can either book a meeting with the team of experts to understand which plan will be the best choice for you.

Step 2: Design the Initial Course

Once you are in EzyCourse, you will see a dashboard here.

Then, to create your course, simply follow these steps:

1. Go to Courses> All courses> Add Course button on the top right corner.

2. Select the single or bundle course you want to create. (We are going to take a single here.)

3. Then, give a course name, and add the respective description that all the fields need, like "Short Description", "Description", and "Category."

4. After that, you can attach a relevant image/video, which will be shown in your course as a preview.

5. Finally, select the course preview type, accessibility status, enrollment, pop-up, and publish/ draft options according to your needs. 

If you have finished your course creation, please save it. 

And to check, you can go back to the "All Courses"(eyes over the dashboard) to see the course you have just created.

Step 3: Upload the Online Course Contents

Your course skeleton is ready in step 2, but you have to fill it with the contents, like chapters and lessons.

We will first create a new chapter

Creating a new chapter for your course is fairly easy. 

1. On the 'Curriculum 'tab, simply click the 'Create New Chapter' button.

2. After clicking the button, you just have to name the chapter and add a description. That's it.

Also, there's an option to add a motivational pop-up, which will be shown to students once they complete the chapter.

Now, for the lesson creation

You have to click the "Generate New Lessons" button to create a lesson.

You will find 12+ lessons here by default. Plus, to decorate, you can add video, PDF, and text lessons, and more.

EzyCourse supports the SCORM system, allowing you to create interactive lessons and even track every student's progress.

Moreover, if you don't have any recorded courses to add, you can start with a live stream in EzyCourse. Just integrate the Ezylive (a Zoom alternative) to take live classes with those live lesson types. 

Step 4: Configure the Payments

Once your course and products are ready, the next step is making sure you can actually collect money.

And with EzyCourse, you have the luxury of setting up several payment gateways to accept payments from your users, like Stripe, PayPal, FastSpring, RazorPay, and more.

Simply go to your EzyCourse dashboard  → Site Settings → General Settings. From there, go to the Payment tab.

Here you will see all the payment options.

However, the biggest plus is that you can have the manual payment option too.

How can you do that?

Simply, scroll a bit down to find the Manual Payment Methods section> enable the toggle button>  write your manual payment instructions in the white box, and click the Update button.

That's it.

Step 5: Connect with the Essential Integrations (if needed)

EzyCourse already gives you a strong built-in ecosystem- email marketing, funnels, automation, and community features, so that you don’t have to pay extra.

But depending on how you run your business, you might want to connect a few external tools to make everything work seamlessly.

Start by asking yourself what you actually need.

• Do you want to sync leads to your CRM?

• Connect analytics tools?

• Automate webinar registrations?

• Or integrate third-party apps your team already uses?

Instead of stacking random tools, focus only on integrations that reduce manual work. 

For example, 

• Linking analytics tools helps you track conversions and customer behavior. 

• Integrating payment or marketing apps can streamline campaigns without switching between platforms.

The key here isn't to integrate everything- it's to integrate intentionally.

If EzyCourse already covers your needs natively, keep it simple. 

But if your business has a specific workflow, connecting the right tools now will save hours later and make your course + merchandise system run like a well-structured machine.

To make a move, here are some of the best tools you can use further in your business improvement.

B. Sell Products Using EzyCourse

Before you start selling, you need to make sure that your product actually exists on the platform.

That's why you have to create a product that you want to sell from your EzyCourse dashboard.

What can you create?
You can create several products like courses, a Community, digital/physical products, or any other type. 

If you want, reading this blog will let you know more types of products you can sell through EzyCourse. 

So, now let's know how to add the product.

1. Simply, go to Products & Services-> Digital products. Here, you'll see all the products you've created or will create.

2. Click the Add Product button in the top right corner of your screen.

3. Now, give a title, descriptions, choose a category, set access, product status, and product images. In addition, you have to upload the digital product, which is going to be downloadable to the customers. 

4. Once you're done, click the Create button to add the product to your platform.

Showcase Product on the Website

The next step is to put your product on the website, where it will be accessible to the visitors and your users. 

EzyCourse makes it easy and effortless to showcase your products on the website. 

There is already a default page called "All Products" in the EzyCourse dashboard, and every product you create will show on this page.

However, the products that usually show on the All products default page include - 

• Courses 

• Communities

• Events 

• Group chat 

• Digital products 

• Physical products 

• Live Streams

• Private Chat 

• Coin Packages 

• Coaching Programs

Marketing Strategies to Sell Your Products [Bonus] 

Creating courses and listing on the website is just the beginning. 

You have to maintain the sales to run your business. Because if products are visible, people can see them, understand their value, and trust the person behind them.

Here are some marketing strategies you will see:

X. Market Your Courses over Social Media & Communities

Creating your course is only half the job. If people don't know it exists, it won't sell- no matter how good it is.

Social media and online communities are where attention lives. And if people use them correctly, it turns into trust and eventually sales.

So, how to do that?

• Start by identifying where your audience already spends time. That could be LinkedIn for professionals, Instagram for creators, Facebook Groups for niche communities, or even private communities you manage inside EzyCourse. 

• Instead of constantly "selling," focus on sharing value first. Break your course into small, useful insights. Share quick tips, short video clips, behind-the-scenes creation moments, or mini case studies. Give people a reason to pay attention.

• Communities work especially well because they build conversation, not just visibility. If you have a built-in community inside EzyCourse, use it to nurture interest before launching. 

• Ask questions. Share polls. Offer early access. When people feel involved, they're more likely to buy.

• Also, don't underestimate consistency. One post won't move the needle. A steady rhythm of educational and story-driven content builds authority over time.

Y. Apply Pricing & Discount Strategies

The way you price your course and merchandise sends a message about value. 

Pricing too low may lead people to question the quality, and too high may make conversions drop. The goal is to align your pricing with the transformation you're offering.

• You can start by choosing a pricing model that fits your offer. With EzyCourse, you can set up one-time payments, subscriptions, bundles, or even tiered pricing (basic, premium, VIP). 

• If you're selling merchandise alongside your course, consider bundle offers because bundles increase perceived value without dramatically lowering your price.

For example, "Enroll in the course and get the workbook + exclusive merch at a special rate."

• On the other hand, discounts should be strategic, not random. Use early-bird pricing before launch, limited-time coupons during promotions, or exclusive discounts for community members. Scarcity and deadlines work but only when they're genuine.

You should test different price points. Sometimes a small increase can improve perceived value and overall revenue. Watch your conversion rate, refund rate, and average order value to see what works.

The key isn't to be the cheapest option. It's to create an offer that feels worth every dollar and to use pricing strategically to guide buying decisions, not pressure them.

Z. Launch Popular Campaigns

Even the best course won't sell consistently without a proper launch strategy. Campaigns create momentum. They give your audience a reason to act now instead of later.

• Start with a simple launch structure. Build anticipation before opening enrollment. 

• Share behind-the-scenes content, student testimonials, sneak peeks of modules, or limited merchandise previews. 

• Warm up your audience through email sequences and social posts so that when launch day arrives, people are already expecting it.

Inside EzyCourse, you can combine landing pages, email automation, coupons, and community announcements to run coordinated campaigns. 

For example, you might launch with:

• An early-bird offer for the first 50 students

• A limited-time bundle (course + merchandise)

• A bonus module available only during launch week

You can also run evergreen campaigns. These are automated funnels that continuously bring in sales using lead magnets, webinars, or free mini-courses to nurture prospects over time.

A focused launch window builds urgency, increases conversions, and makes your course feel like an event, not just another product sitting online.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When You Host Online Courses & Sell Them

Hosting an online course and selling it from the same platform sounds simple, and it can be, but a few common mistakes can quietly hurt your results.

1. Focusing on the platform before the offer
Many creators spend weeks setting up features, pages, and tools before validating their course idea. The platform supports your product, but it doesn't replace a strong, clear transformation.

2. Overcomplicating the setup
You don't need ten funnels, five upsells, and multiple price tiers on day one. Start simple. One clear offer. One checkout path. One focused message.

3. Ignoring the customer journey
Think beyond the sale. 

• What happens after someone enrolls? 

• Is onboarding smooth? Do they receive confirmation emails? 

• If you're selling merchandise too, is shipping clear and transparent? 

A broken post-purchase experience kills repeat sales.

4. Poor pricing strategy
Underpricing to "attract more buyers" often backfires. So, if you're bundling courses with merchandise, make sure the pricing clearly communicates added value.

5. Launching without marketing preparation
Uploading a course and waiting for sales rarely works. You need a warm audience, consistent content, and a launch plan. Build anticipation before you open enrollment.

6. Not tracking performance
If you're not monitoring conversions, traffic sources, and customer behaviour, you're guessing. Use analytics to refine your pricing, campaigns, and messaging over time.

The good news? 

Most of these mistakes are avoidable. When you focus on clarity, simplicity, and strategy, hosting your course and selling products on one platform becomes far more scalable and far less stressful.

So, Are You Willing to Host Online Courses & Sell Them?

Throughout this guide, we've walked through the entire process: choosing the right platform, setting up your course, configuring payments and shipping, connecting essential integrations, applying smart pricing strategies, and launching focused campaigns. 

When everything lives in one ecosystem, you eliminate tech headaches, reduce manual work, and create a smoother experience for your customers.

More importantly, you create momentum.

So, whether you're hosting online courses, physical merchandise, or bundled packages, the goal is the same: make the buying journey simple and the learning experience memorable.

Now the only question left is: when are you launching yours?