A very popular idea nowadays for starting an online business is to open an eCommerce store.
The revenue from eCommerce is projected to grow to $4.88 trillion by 2021.
With platforms such as Shopify, BigCommerce or WooCommerce, it has never been easier for you to start an online store.
Not only are they easy to set up, but it is also extremely affordable to open an eCommerce store as you will not have to worry about the high cost of running a physical store. You just have to make sure that the operation of the online store is going well; your store will gradually grow.
If you are worried about things like distribution or storage, you can use methods such as DropShipping to manage your inventory.
Take for example a WooCommerce online store; there are some common but important tips you need to know to run an eCommerce store. These tips not only apply to WooCommerce but also work on other platforms.
Important tips for starting an online business in e-commerce:
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Choose the right e-commerce platform
The right platform for your online store is important. Why? Because compared to running a blog, there are many things to consider for an eCommerce store, such as payment gateways, product configuration, add-ons, transaction fee, etc.
These are the things that will affect the operation of your store in the long run.
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Get a domain name and hosting platform
If you are going to set up a store in WooCommerce, you will need to have your own eCommerce host (such as BlueHost or you can choose others too). This will allow you to have more control over your store compared to other platforms. The next thing you need is a domain name.
While some hosting companies like BlueHost offer free domain registration if you host with them, you can easily register your favorite domain name via NameCheap or GoDaddy and connect to your e-commerce platforms.
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Download and Install the Plugins
Building an eCommerce store with WooCommerce is extremely easy.
You will need to download the plugin to your WordPress admin dashboard by adding it as a new plugin. Activate the plugin and then you should see the settings page.
And this is it! You are about to start building an eCommerce store.
While WooCommerce requires you to manually set up its platform, they are free to use. Ready-made ones like Shopify, AliDropship or BigCommerce will ask you to pay a fee to use it.
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Configure and add products
Depending on how you set up your online store, there may be a learning curve to use and familiarize yourself with each platform.
Selling simple products?
You may need to know just enough to add details such as price, SKU code, quantity, shipping method and stock availability.
Selling more complicated items may require you to set up product variants or attributes and consider things like related products for cross-selling or cross-selling or connecting payment gateways to your online store.
Thankfully, most platforms come with a free trial, so you can have a ready-made experience with them.
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Install add-ons
All eCommerce platforms come with add-ons that can help you grow your online store and improve sales.
BigCommerce has a comprehensive program that allows you to promote and sell your products smoothly in market places like Amazon, eBay, Etsy and other channels.
Shopify lets you sell on social media platforms like Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Messenger, while WooCommerce has the largest number of plugins you can use and many of them are free.
Starting an eCommerce store is the best online business idea if you have great products or are looking to expand your sales. As mentioned earlier, as global e-commerce sales are growing, you should not miss this!
7 most successful e-commerce tricks to implement in business
Every entrepreneur has a deep desire to start a business and put it on autopilot. E-commerce is the best way to run a business that works for itself. Turn your small e-commerce business into a successful one with these successful tips.
Treat your passion like a business
If your e-commerce business is born of a hobby or something you do in your spare time, take your passion to the next level. Start thinking of it as a hobby and think of it as a functioning business. The first mistake that business owners make in entrepreneurship is that they think their business is too small to be called a business. This is not the case at all. Strategically consider how you can grow your business.
It starts with the following:
- Develop a business plan for growth. When you have a plan, you can work on its implementation.
- Get funding for your new business venture. Talk to investors or visit the bank for a loan. To start your hobby in business, you will need capital.
- Create a marketing plan. Every business whether it is big or small, has a marketing plan. Start marketing your product or service today. This is the first step towards business growth.
Choose a good e-commerce platform
As a business owner, you need a thorough vision to identify any potential problems before they arise. Evaluate different types of e-commerce platforms for online business because this will be the basis for your entire operation. You need to take the time to look for the best small business website hosting to suit your needs.
When choosing software, you need to consider scalability, security issues, marketing tools, and usability. However, here are some other things to consider:
- Pricing and payment
- Integration
- SEO and mobility
- Customer Service
Determine who your customers are
The first rule of any business is to know and understand its target customers. You need to know their habits, their interests and how they spend their free time. Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of ignoring this vital step in business. As a result, it wastes a lot of time and resources in creating marketing strategies.
Consider working with coupon websites to reach your target audience. This strategy works if you identify your business motives, the target audience and you have a clear product offer.
This is the stage in which you will identify what marketing resources will lead to the best return on investment.
You can also consider the following when digging into the needs of your customers:
- Starting with existing data
- Mapping the client’s trip
- Customer interview
- Conducting customer surveys
- Analysis of your competition
Make the cash register process easier
Make sure your customers are not disappointed and abandon their strollers. If the payment process is difficult, they can instead buy from another e-commerce website.
Simplify the checkout process to make it easier for everyone to buy from your website. You can do this by removing the requirement for a user to create an account and reducing the number of pages someone must click before making a purchase.
Create a default and low-cost delivery option that automatically appears on the purchase page. Auto-fill should be used to fill out forms faster.
It is also a good idea to keep delivery, invoicing and payment information for customers.
Make sure there are several ways for customers to make payments for their orders, and include common payment options such as Amazon and PayPal.
You can even consider the following ways to improve the payment process:
- Make the cash register convenient for mobile devices
- Consider using a progress indicator
- Avoid using membership or login
- Put security features everywhere
- Ask for less but essential information
Make your customers brand ambassadors
Are you looking for a way to add some credibility to your business?
Well, you can achieve this with positive recommendations from a previous client. You should regularly share and collect feedback and recommendations, thus promoting sales from visitors to your site.
Once you get a recommendation, find a way to share it with your customers. The more they know about your business, the more likely they are to buy from you. Customers are the best asset for your business; to use them accordingly.
In addition, here are some additional things you can do:
- Take the extra mile to make a stellar impression on customers – even small personal gestures will have a pulsating effect.
- Listen to customer complaints – show them that you care about the feelings and desires of your customers.
- Offer Rewards – Reward your customers. This will make them think more about you
Take advantage of free trials
Take advantage of all the free app tests to find the best one for your needs.
As a new business owner, experimentation should be part of your process. Keep using apps that are most useful to your business, especially as the business gets busier.
Apply a rigorous marketing process
Consider different marketing methods for your business. In addition to using social media, target your products to popular magazines and other blogs. Use email newsletters to inform your subscribers about your business offers.
You will get the best exposure from search engine optimization. Make sure your WebPages are optimized for keywords to increase your organic traffic. The higher your website ranks in search engines, the easier it will be for customers to find you.
Here are some tips to improve your e-commerce marketing efforts:
- Content Marketing Strategy – Create a content strategy to build your audience and get targeted search traffic
- Build credibility – Use your e-commerce stores as an authoritative platform for customer discussions
- Focus on local branding – If you have a brick & mortar store, you can focus on local branding & marketing
- Stay up to date with industry news – Use the latest industry news as content to share with your customers.
- Lifting/cross-selling products – When used properly, sales and cross-selling techniques are effective. Hit your visitors with the appropriate product links.
Conclusion
Starting a profitable e-commerce business is possible when you use the right tools and tactics to grow your business. It only takes hard work and strategy to grow it.
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