How To Create A Successful Ecommerce Business From Scratch

This is a collaborative post but all thoughts and opinions are my own

Ecommerce has rapidly become an integral part of the wider retail industry and retailers across the globe have adapted to doing business online. Research from Nielson online suggests that 85% of people around the world have purchased something online on at least one occasion, which is a clear indicator that the ecommerce sector is now an essential sales channel for virtually any business.

Although establishing an ecommerce website can appear to be a daunting task, with the right tools and services, the process can be far simpler than you might assume. It is, however, important to be mindful of a few potential pitfalls. To ensure that you are equipped with all the information you need to know, we have put together this succinct guide to ecommerce websites.

Create an Ecommerce Business Plan

If you want to succeed, you are going to need a solid plan. It doesn’t need to be especially detailed but you do need to know what your core objectives are. From determining what you will be selling through to identifying your target market, investing time in this crucial planning stage is absolutely essential to longer term success. There are plenty of things to think about, including maintaining control of your costs, ensuring that your pricing structures are pitched correctly and understanding what you’re up against with regard to your competitors.

Invest in a Domain Name

Your domain will become your primary identifier online and it is important that it reflects the ethos of your business. The best domains are memorable, succinct, catchy and easy to spell. When you have settled on your name and the time comes to buy domain registrars or hosting companies will take you through this simple process in just a few minutes.

Choose your Hosting Service

To be available online, all websites need to be housed on a server. It is important to select a hosting company with a good reputation because your hosting will play a significant role in ensuring that your website performs. Ecommerce websites should be equipped to successfully handle significant volumes of traffic and it’s a wise idea to choose a hosting company that can support the future growth of your business.

Select the Right Ecommerce Platform

There are a variety of ecommerce platforms available to choose from and it is essential that your chosen platform provides you with easy access to all the features you will need to run your business smoothly. Shopify is a particularly popular option, with extensive shopping, analytics and security features that will simplify the process of running a busy ecommerce business.

Design an Intuitive Website with an Excellent User Experience

Although it is possible to create a professional-looking website in just a few minutes, investing in a personalised website design will set you apart from your competition and communicate to your audience that you are a trustworthy business with genuine belief in your products.

Personalised website design might initially appear to be a large financial commitment but it will cost significantly less than setting up a physical storefront and will deliver a range of benefits over both the short and long term. As well as being entirely unique to your business, with the ability to showcase your products in their best light, you will find it easier to optimise a personalised website to secure more prominent ranking positions in search engine results pages (SERPs) for relevant searches. 

At a time when visibility is essential, this could be the very thing that helps you to rise above your competitors and increase your market share.

Develop a Powerful Social Media and Digital Marketing Strategy

As soon as your ecommerce website is live, you will need to begin the process of attracting potential buyers to it. In addition to setting aside a budget for a variety of advertising methods including Google AdWords and PPC, building an engaged following across your social channels will help you to forge a sense of community, which will enhance your visibility and build brand loyalty.

As with your website design, working with a professional digital marketing and SEO company will help you to secure the best results for your business. This will be particularly valuable in the early stages, ensuring that as many pairs of eyes as possible are firmly on you.

Ecommerce is big business and although marketplaces are crowded, there is a very real opportunity to succeed in this space in 2019 and beyond.