Building Your Own eCommerce Store
If you haven’t done it before, you’ll be happy to learn that building your own eCommerce store isn’t as hard as you might think!
So, you have a product, or products, to sell and want to open your own eCommerce store but don’t know where to start. That’s ok; everyone has to start somewhere! Read on to find some basic tips and tricks to building a successful and effective eCommerce store that will only help boost your bottom line and increase your sales.
For many retailers, the idea of building an eCommerce store can be frustrating, overwhelming, and scary. This is especially true if you have never made an eCommerce store before. But what you probably didn’t know is that it isn’t that difficult to actually build an eCommerce store – almost anyone can do it, even with very little or no experience. So, if you want to build an eCommerce store, keep these steps in mind.
Building an eCommerce Store Starts with Research
Building an eCommerce store will always start with research. If you already have a line of products or digital goods that you want to sell, great. If not, the first step in building an eCommerce store is to research the different items you’ll want to sell. Do a basic Internet search to get an idea of how many other eCommerce stores already exist that sell the products you are considering. Now is a good time to also research the different keywords that consumers would use to find your product online.
Choosing a Name for Your eCommerce Store
Every eCommerce store needs a name, otherwise how will people be able to find it? The name you choose should be relevant to the products you sell and services you offer on your eCommerce store. Once you’ve figured out what you want your eCommerce store to be called, go ahead and register the domain. A short, easy-to-remember name is always a good idea.
Registering the domain is only part of the process in setting up a website for your eCommerce store. You will also need web hosting – a place (or server) where your website can “live” is absolutely necessary. Without web hosting, your eCommerce store won’t be accessible to anyone. There are a number of hosting companies out there, but only a few of them specialize in hosting sites featuring eCommerce stores. Many of those hosts that specialize in eCommerce store solutions will offer website building, integrated shopping carts, and security features.
Using an eCommerce Store Builder
Chances are, if you are reading this article on how to get started building your own eCommerce store, you probably aren’t a website designer or computer programmer. That’s alright – you don’t need to be technically savvy in order to build and design an eCommerce store. There are many different eCommerce store builders out there that can help you create the pages for your website quickly and easily. Or, you could always hire a professional to actually design and build your eCommerce store. The key to your eCommerce store’s success will ultimately be its overall design, organization, and functionality.
A good rule of thumb is that anyone running an eCommerce store should know just a little HTML. So, take some time to learn this very basic programming language – it will ultimately allow you to add creative changes to your eCommerce store quickly and easily. This way, even if you use a free eCommerce store template or a commonly used eCommerce store builder, your site won’t look generic and plain.
Delivering Products from Your eCommerce Store
Once you’ve decided on the types of products you’ll be selling in your eCommerce store, it’s time to figure out how you’ll get those products to your customers. Will you be offering physical products? If so, what will your shipping options be? If you plan on offering only digital goods, how will customers download their purchases? A good eCommerce store will offer a variety of products as well as shipping and download options for customers. You’ll want to decide on your delivery options before you launch your eCommerce store.
Marketing Your eCommerce Store
There are a number of ways you can market and advertise your eCommerce store. Engage in link exchanges and link sharing with other blogs, websites, and eCommerce stores that are relevant but not competitors. Make sure you optimize your eCommerce store website for top ranking keywords related to your product. Invest in banner ads, article writing, and blogging. Become an expert and you will see your eCommerce store thrive.
Offer a Variety of Payment Options
The more ways your customers have to pay for your products, the better. Many people prefer to use PayPal to make online purchases these days, so you definitely want to open a PayPal account. Make sure you offer PayPal as an option for payment on your eCommerce store site. If you aren’t prepared to accept any other form of payment, you might consider joining an online marketplace that allows you to offer even more options for payment and product delivery.
PayLoadz is an online digital goods marketplace and payment gateway that many retailers use in addition to their own eCommerce stores. PayLoadz allows retailers to list their digital (and physical) products in the PayLoadz Store, track their customer activity, market their goods, and even join an affiliate program to earn extra cash. To top it all off, joining PayLoadz is free!
So, what are you waiting for? You know how to build a good eCommerce store now, so why not push the envelope even further and join PayLoadz today? You’ll only see your sales grow.
Just Remember…
Before you launch your eCommerce store, be sure that you test it out thoroughly. It could be disastrous for your eCommerce store to function improperly with a real customer, so make sure you put some dummy purchases through and check that all your site’s links are live and working. Remember, if your eCommerce store doesn’t function properly, you will lose customers faster than you can find them!
