How to Start a Successful Online Store: 9 Tested Actions to Follow

In this day and age, a lot of people are looking for ways to make some extra money. Opening an online store is a good way to do this. Opening an online store actually does not cost a lot and does not require one to have advanced technical knowledge. E-commerce platforms have made it so much easier and faster for one to create an online store.

E-commerce is making life so much easier for customers because it is very convenient.  It has been estimated that eCommerce is on the rise and that there will be 1.92 billion global digital buyers in 2019.

You can easily create an online store by following these 9 tested steps

1. Pick a suitable commerce platform

Most people do not have the technical knowledge to create a website. To help with this, you need to pick the right eCommerce solution. This is the online software that allows you to build an online store without any web design or programming skills.

There are so many eCommerce platforms to choose from online. These online store builders vary from expensive ones to cheap ones and some are even free. Some are designed to cater to the specific needs of the store owner, such as easy to use or good for analytics.

To create a successful online store you must pick an online builder that is suitable to the kind of store you want to set up.

2. Pick a niche

Everyone venturing into business is looking to find a niche to exploit and make money from. When you are thinking about how to start a successful online store, you must also think about what will bring in money – your niche.

This starts by conducting research to find the best e-commerce niche. A good thing to keep in mind when searching for a niche is to make sure it is something you have interest in and can add value to.

All most all the ideas you will come up with are already in existence. To avoid going into a saturated niche, look to add value where your competitors aren’t. Along with that, you can consider a complimentary or micro niche.

3. Pick a domain name

A domain name can determine the success of your online store. A domain name says a lot about the business and can determine is future. A good domain name must be simple, easy to remember, easy to say and must communicate effectively what you are about.

When selecting a domain name, you must determine who your target market is. This makes it easier to choose a name that they can relate to and connect to your products. Your domain name should be simple but creative.

4. Pick an eCommerce template

The template of your online store will say a lot about your business. The main goal of your online store is to be able to sell your products. When selecting a template, the first thing to look for is a template that will help you make sales.

In the case of online stores, your book is judged by its cover. The appearance of your online store suggests a lot about how you conduct your business. A messy and disorganized web page will not guarantee good service to your customers.

Usability is also important. Try to incorporate all the great features you have experienced from websites other successful online stores you have liked. Keep in mind that your customers will be using different platforms, such as mobiles, to access your online store. Make sure the template accommodates that and should offer easy social integration.

5. Add products to sell

Once the online store has been set up, the next major step is to add the products you plan to sell. The first step before adding any product to your online shop is finding the right product that people will be willing to buy.

A good entrepreneur knows that where there is a problem, there is also opportunity. Provide a product that addresses a problem. Once you provide a solution to their needs, you are guaranteed customers.

Keep in mind that it will be easier for you to sell something that you are personally passionate about. Once you have found the product to sell, you need to find an efficient way of getting it. For example, you can look into dropshipping. This is where manufacturers create, package and ship directly to the customer on your behalf.

This saves you money in unsold goods.

6. Create a secure checkout process

An efficient and easy to use checkout process is important when running an online store. The rest of the site can be well designed but if the checkout process is tedious, it may overshadow all the good things. Having a good checkout process to help finalize the purchase will encourage the customer to come back.

The customer must be able to easily review what they plan on purchasing and they should easily find shipping and payment details. It is also helpful for the customer to receive a confirmation email on their purchases.

A good checkout process should include a clear explanation of the availability of goods, the customer must be able to modify their orders easily and the online store must have readily available support

8. Create a company

It is important to set up your online store as a business. To begin with, you may need to write down a business plan. A business plan will help you bring your ideas and thoughts together. It will help see what to prioritize and how best to reach your customers.

It is also very important to choose a very good brand name that will appeal to your customers and then create a logo to go with it for easy recognition.

9. Market the online store

For any business to grow they need to have good marketing. The same applies if you want to have a successful online store. You must be able to promote your online store in different ways to attract more customers.

There are many ways in which you can market your store to potential customers. For an online shop, digital marketing is the most effective. This includes using platforms like social media and email.

Blogs are also a good way of marketing. You can easily start your own blog with links to your store in every blog post. You can also contact other bloggers about your shop and products to increase the traffic to your store.

Creating an online store is the modern way of doing business

A lot of people around the world are looking for a way to make some money on the side without using a lot of time and resources.

Opening up an online store is a good way of doing this. Most worry about how to successfully open an online store because they think it takes too much time and requires a lot of technical knowledge. The truth is that it is actually very easy to open an online store with the help of eCommerce platforms.

It has been estimated that in 2019, e-commerce sales are expected to account for 13.7% of general sales. This just goes to show that online shopping is an industry on the rise.