Posted on April 7, 2015 by admin
Having an e-Commerce vehicle that drives customers to your business is essential for sales growth. According to research conducted by Invesp, conversions are growing nearly 20% every year and US sales drew in an estimated $260 billion. These sales numbers are impressive and any business small, medium, or large can achieve significant profit margins if they create and deploy their e-Commerce site correctly.
Maybe you’re thinking of establishing a standalone online store or perhaps you’ve decided to build upon an existing brick and mortar establishment by having an e-Commerce platform. Knowing where to start with such a project can be difficult.
Here are 4 things to do when starting an online store that can set you in the right direction for launching a successful online business:
1.Choose Products
Decide which products/services you are going to offer. The beauty of the Internet is that you can essentially sell almost anything ranging in size or price. However, some things lend themselves to online selling better than others and will likely sell better, so it is worth doing some research on sales volumes. Something that an online shop can provide over a physical store is the ability to sell “soft” goods, such as software, that can be downloaded straight to a consumer’s computer or mobile device.
2.Choose A Domain Name
Before you can establish an e-Commerce site you will need to select a suitable domain name. A domain name is essentially your virtual business address so customers can locate you. Typically, domain names resemble or entirely include the business name along with an extension ending in .net, .com or .ca.If your domain name is the same as, or similar to, your business name, it more easily becomes part of your branding.
3.Choose A Web Hosting Company
A web hosting company essentially stores all of your website files on their server and uploads pertinent files to your website can be exposed to online consumers. There are a number of available web hosts available online and all range in price and services offered.
4.Choose A Suitable E-Commerce Software Platform
Selecting appropriate e-Commerce software that meets your business needs and those of your potential customers is key to your business success. There are a few factors to consider when selecting an e-Commerce solution such as web hosting, user friendly website design, security and SEO integration. There are a number of shopping cart solutions available online such as Shopify, Cart66 and Volusion, as well as ecommerce plug-ins for custom platforms such as WordPress and Drupal.