How to Start an Ecommerce Business: Step-by-step Guide
Is it time to start your own ecommerce store? If so, you’re not alone. In fact, many people are considering opening up their own online business because of the growing popularity of shopping online and the opportunities for success that come with an ecommerce startup. You might be wondering how to get started and what’s involved in starting an ecommerce business. That’s where this article comes in! This is a step-by-step guide on how to launch your first successful online store.
What is an ecommerce business?
An ecommerce business is a company that sells goods and services online. The term “e-commerce” was first used in late 1990s and early 2000s to describe the selling of physical goods through electronic networks such as the internet, but has now expanded to include all types of digital products or items.
Ecommerce businesses are typically set up as a business entity to take advantage of legal benefits such as tax exemptions and incorporation.
A successful ecommerce business can be a great way to supplement your income, start a side hustle or even create full-time career.
An ecommerce store is much more than an online storefront; it’s the backbone of your entire business and needs to be planned out accordingly.
Why is it important to have an online store?
The number of shoppers who prefer shopping from home has grown by 50% over the last decade alone. In addition, this will be one of many ways that consumers will continue to buy goods and services in the future. In order to be a success, an ecommerce business needs to have strong web security protocols as well as customer service staff who are available 24 hours a day for assistance with shopping concerns or complaints
What are the benefits of having an online store?
The biggest benefit is being available 24 hours for purchases and products. Customers don’t have to worry about schedules or finding parking – they just shop when they want, from their computers at home. The accessibility also makes it easier for customers to browse the store and make purchases.
What is an ecommerce website?
An ecommerce website is a web-based business that sells products or goods to customers for eventual delivery. If you’re wondering how to create an ecommerce website, you need to find a platform that can handle ecommerce transactions.
What is an ecommerce platform?
An ecommerce platform is a software package that assists in the design, development and integration of an online retail presence.
The most popular platforms are Shopify, Magento Enterprise Edition and WordPress WooCommerce plugin.
However, there are many more options out there to choose from depending on your needs or budget.
Ecommerce platforms vary in complexity, features and price. For a successful ecommerce business you need to choose the right platform for your needs.
What should you do before launching an ecommerce store?
The following stages outline what you should do before launching:
The first step is to create a website. The easiest way to do this, if you don’t have any technical knowledge, is through e-commerce platforms like Shopify or Squarespace. These platforms are designed for creating an online store and come with many features such as pre-made templates that are easy on the eyes and allow you.
The next step is to start getting traffic. You can do this by using social media, ads or SEO. The key here is not to invest too much at first but instead spend a little bit of money on different channels and see what works best for you. For example, if your audience likes Facebook posts then create some paid advertising campaigns there. If you want to increase your SEO ranking then focus on creating quality content.
Then you need to find a good supplier with the right products and prices for what you are selling. It’s important that they have an established reputation because mistakes can be costly in ecommerce as customers expect great customer service, quick shipping times and excellent product quality.
Find a good domain name for your online store. It’s the most important thing you’ll do because this is what people and search engines will use to find you. You want it to be short, memorable and easy-to-type so there are no spelling errors in typing it over time.
After that, create a website using WordPress or a similar platform. This is the home base for your online store and you want it to be professional, easy-to-navigate and optimized for search engines.
Before launching your ecommerce story, you also need to:
- Create your store’s design and layout.
- After adding products to your site, start adding reviews for each one as you go along.
- Keep up with social media, blogging, email marketing campaigns and other forms of digital advertising to get the word out about your business.
This process might seem like it will take forever but once you’ve created a system for yourself, you will be able to start seeing progress.
How do you choose an ecommerce platform?
Make sure you do your research before choosing an ecommerce platform.
- Evaluate your needs and what you want to accomplish with the site.
- Then do a comparison of different software solutions out there, such as Shopify vs BigCommerce or WooCommerce vs Magento Commerce, for example.
- If appropriate, talk to other people that have experience on these platforms.
- Finally, pick the solution that best fits your needs.
Strategies for finding your first profitable product
When you’re researching your first profitable product, try to find a product that satisfies at least one of these three criteria:
- It’s good.
- It has high demand and low competition.
- There are already affiliate programs available for the product.
How to make your first sale
Following are some steps to making your first sale:
- Set up a simple and clean website.
- Create an attractive logo for your product or company, which is easily recognizable to customers.
- Use social media to promote your new venture by posting about it on Facebook groups you belong to or create a Twitter account just for the business.
- Add pictures of products so customers can see what they are purchasing.
- Create a catchy slogan to add more interest, such as “we offer discounts everyday.
- Include all your contact information on the website so customers will know how and where to reach you.
How much does it cost to start an ecommerce business?
The cost of starting an ecommerce business varies depending on the type and size, but it is important to remember that you can start off small. It all depends on what your goals are as a company and how much time you want to dedicate to running the store. The good thing about starting with something small is being able to see if it is something you are willing to take on.
Tips for making an ecommerce store successful
Here are some of our best tips from starting an ecommerce business that will help you get started and ensure your success as a small online retailer:
- Focus on quality products.
- Keep the store updated with new arrivals.
- Offer a variety of payment methods.
- Track orders to make sure they arrive on time. When you ship an order, include tracking information so customers know when it will show up at their doorsteps.
- Offer shipping promotions to incentivize customers to buy more. For every purchase over $100, for example, offer free shipping or discounts on other products in the store.
- Have a strong understanding of your customer.
- Market with SEO and social media marketing, for instance Facebook Ads Keep the store updated with new arrivals to provide customers something fresh to buy. If you don’t update your inventory often enough, people will not want to return because they won’t find anything new.
- Offer customer service. Customer happiness and satisfaction is key to starting an ecommerce store’s success, so make sure people can contact you if they need something or have a question about your products.
Future of ecommerce
The future of ecommerce is bright. As more people become comfortable shopping online, the number of ecommerce stores will skyrocket. Many new entrepreneurs are thinking about starting their own ecommerce store because they see that there’s opportunity for success with hard work and patience.
Because of the growing interest in ecommerce businesses, a variety of online training programs have become available to help people learn how to start an online store. These programs provide different levels of information, so find one that works for your budget and schedule.
One way to sift through the multitude of online courses is to check out I Buy I Review. It provides reviews of online training programs on the market so you can find one that fits what you need.
One of the programs recently reviewed is offered by Adrian Morrison’s eCom Success Academy. Check out our review here.
I buy and review courses so you don’t have to. Sometimes, I even find courses that are legitimate and worthwhile; and that’s how I accidentally came across one that led me to building a 6-figure business in a little under 5 years. Now, I still review courses because it’s my favorite hobby. 🙂 Learn more about me here.
