If you’re considering how to begin an e-commerce business with zero experience or better yet how to begin an online store, you’re not alone! In today’s digital world, having an online store is one of the best businesses you can do. This beginner’s e-commerce handbook will assist you with every step needed to create an e-commerce business and grow it as a beginner.
1. Select the Right Product and Target Market
The first step to opening your online store is to choose what to sell and who to sell it to.
Tips when selecting your niche:
• Research what is trending and what products are high demand.
• Research competitors and calculate your potential profits.
• Also, think about the logistics of wrapping and delivering it.
You want to help resolve an issue or fulfill a need for a niche of customers. This will allow you to build a specific following around your e-commerce company.
2. Develop an Effective E-commerce Business Plan
An effective e-commerce business plan is meant to outline your goals, marketing strategy, financial set up, and essentially, your business.
What to include:
• Target market and product positioning
• Revenue model
• Logistics and inventory flow
• Initial budget and anticipated ROI
This plan will provide a roadmap for the expansion of your online selling journey.
3. Complete Your Legal & Financial Set Up
It is vital that you set up your e-commerce site legally. You will need to do the following:
• Prepare to register your business (sole proprietorship, LLP or Private Limited)
• Apply for your GST (if you’re in India) and other licenses
• Setup your business bank account
• Choose a reliable payment gateway to sell your goods online
If you have your legal documentation in place, it will create confidence with your customers and partners.
4. Decide on the Best E-commerce Platform
One of the first technical decisions will be choosing the best e-commerce platform for officially launching your e-commerce platform.
Some of the more popular choices are:
• Shopify – Best for beginners and quick deployment
• WooCommerce – Best for WordPress users who want more customization
• Wix – Drag-and-drop site builder with e-commerce capabilities
Choose your preferred option based on your budget and future growth options.
5. Build a user experience oriented e-commerce website
A properly set-up e-commerce site will allow for a better shopping experience and increase the chances of converting your visitors into customers.
Pay attention to:
• Clear navigation, categories
• Attractive pictures and product descriptions
• Responsive (mobile) design
• Fast load speed and secure check-out process
For best results consider using professional e-commerce website app developers such as Taperoid.com.
6. Develop marketing strategies for your business
Your store is ready now let everyone know about it! Developing a proper marketing strategy is a key component to bringing visitors and converting visitors into customers.
Some tactics you could try include:
• Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) – You could optimise your Shopify pages for keywords like ”how to start an e-commerce business”
• Social Media Marketing – You could showcase products through Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest .
• Email Marketing – You could share informative updates with your products, special offers and tips.
• Paid Advertising – You could sponsor ads of your products through Google Paid ads or other paid ad platforms such as Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram).
These strategies will help spread the word about your e-commerce business for beginners and help grow your audience and sales.
7. Organize Shipping & Customer Service
Shipping is vital in online shopping.
Make sure to:
• Work with reputable delivery providers
• State what your shipping times are and what your returns policy is
• Make sure you state you provide real-time tracking and excellent customer service
When you are selling products online, the foundation of good customer service builds trust for your customer and keeps them coming back.
8. Monitor, Improve & Scale
Once your online store is live, you will always want to monitor it utilizing tools like Google Analytics or Facebook Pixel, to name a few.
You can improve your store by:
• Taking customer feedback and acting accordingly
• Understanding your products that sell-best
• Running studies to A/B test pages to gain a higher conversion rate
• Be sure to keep up with the latest trends in the industry, and the behavior of buyers.
Conclusion
Learning how to start an e-commerce business is the beginning of your journey. With proper planning, execution and the right employees in place, you can run a successful online store and be profitable.Taperoid.com can assist new entrepreneurs and small businesses in the development of complete e-commerce websites, branding, and digital marketing hacks.
Are you ready to start your own e-commerce store?
Get in touch with Taperoid.com now, and let’s give the world the chance to tell your successful story.