How to Start Selling in an Online Store

E-commerce continues to thrive in the world of online selling, gaining more popularity every day. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, small business owner, or hobbyist, starting an online store is a fantastic way to build an audience and grow your business. However, the initial stages can feel overwhelming. So, how should you get started? Today, we’ll present a few essential steps to consider when launching your own online store. 

To make it easier to organize all the information, I’ve divided the process into three parts. 

Part 1: Before Launch 

Think About the Products You Will Be Selling 

Many aspiring business owners first think about what they want to sell or what they would buy themselves. While this approach can sometimes work, thorough research is a more reliable way to ensure your business idea is viable and profitable. Instead of focusing solely on the product, think about the problems and desires people have. By understanding your customers’ needs, you can offer something that stands out from the competition. 

If you want to provide something unique and meaningful, take the time to understand your audience. You can sell what’s trendy at the moment, but companies that solve real problems and know their customers tend to succeed long-term.  

Example: During the COVID-19 lockdown, grocery delivery services gained massive popularity because they addressed a critical need. To this day, online shopping continues to thrive. 

To come up with the ideal product or service, consider using the Design Thinking method, which includes five stages: empathizing, defining, ideating, prototyping, and testing. This will help you build a strong foundation for all future activities, providing valuable insights into the industry, target audience, competitors, and more. 

Understand Fulfillment

Fulfillment involves receiving orders, picking and packing products, and shipping them to customers. There are three primary fulfillment options: 

• In-House Fulfillment: Handle the entire process yourself. Make sure your warehouse is organized and your packaging is branded and secure. 

• Dropshipping: With dropshipping, you don’t hold inventory. Instead, a supplier ships products directly to your customers. This reduces inventory costs but limits your control over shipping and product quality. 

• Third-Party Logistics (3PL): Outsource fulfillment to a 3PL provider. They store your inventory and manage shipping for you, enabling fast delivery and scalability.  

Logistics & Shipping 

Shipping plays a vital role in customer satisfaction. Choose reliable shipping carriers like UPS, FedEx or DHL. Offer multiple shipping options, such as standard and express, and use real-time shipping calculators to provide accurate rates at checkout. 

Choose the Right Platform 

Selecting the right platform for your store is crucial. It forms the foundation of your website, so ensure it meets your business needs. You can choose from: 

• Hosted Platforms: Platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, or Shopware handle the technical aspects for you, making it easier to focus on your business. 

• Self-Hosted Platforms: Platforms like WooCommerce for WordPress or Magento offer more control, but require technical expertise. 

Consider your budget, technical skills, and long-term goals when selecting the best platform for your business. 

Create Product Listings 

It’s very important to pay attention to your product listings. Sometimes, this can be the key reason customers choose your store over others. High-quality images are essential. Make sure they look professional, show the product from different angles, or depict the product in use. This helps customers imagine how the product looks in real life. 

Equally important is writing a compelling product description. Many companies either neglect this or don’t give it enough attention. A well-written description not only boosts your visibility online but also helps customers understand the benefits, features, and uses of the product, aiding their decision-making process. Additionally, set a competitive price. Research your competitors and choose a price that is attractive compared to similar products.

Payment Gateways 

Don’t forget to offer multiple payment gateways, ensuring that customers have various payment options and that the whole process is smooth and secure. Nothing frustrates customers more than payment issues when they’re ready to buy. If the payment process is difficult or unreliable, customers will likely leave your store and purchase from another seller. 

Part 2 When you launch your store 

Marketing Your Product

The best way to bring customers to your store is by focusing on marketing activities.  

Search Engine Optimization: Start with SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Optimize your product listings, store pages, and content for search engines by using relevant keywords in titles, descriptions, and blog posts. 

E-commerce Advertising: Running Google Ads can significantly boost your store’s visibility and efficiency—if done right. Use Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns on Google Search to target potential customers actively searching for your products. 

User-Generated Content (UGC): In today’s ad-saturated world, people trust content created by users more than traditional ads. UGC is highly relatable and authentic, making it a game-changer for promotion. By leveraging content generated by real users, your brand can build trust and attract customers more effectively. The group among which this style of promotion is undoubtedly the most popular is Generation Z.

Social Media Advertising: Platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram offer excellent opportunities for targeted advertising. Identify where your target audience spends time and run ads tailored to specific demographics, interests, and behaviors. Retargeting ads are also very effective, helping to bring back visitors who didn’t complete their purchases. 

Influencer Marketing: Influencers still hold significant power when it comes to promoting products. Partner with the right influencer who aligns with your brand and audience, and create engaging content. When done well, influencer marketing can drive considerable traffic and sales. 

E-mail marketing: Good old email marketing. It’s a reliable way to drive sales. Use tools like Mailchimp to streamline your email campaigns and maintain strong connections with your customers. 

 

Take Care of Your Customers

We all have stores we prefer because the user experience is so pleasant, we don’t feel the need to shop elsewhere. Many successful online stores offer excellent customer support, whether through live chats, responsive emails, or clear and easy return policies. Make sure your website’s interface is user-friendly, and be transparent about shipping policies. A great customer experience will encourage visitors to return to your store. 

Don’t Forget About the Mobile Version

Many people browse and shop on their phones due to busy lifestyles, so ensuring your website is mobile-friendly is crucial. Unfortunately, many sites still struggle with mobile design, leading to poor user experiences. Make sure your mobile site is optimized, easy to navigate, and visually appealing. Conduct tests and research to continually improve the mobile experience. 

“No Reviews, No Purchase”

Customers rely heavily on product reviews before making purchase decisions. Reviews help build trust, showing potential buyers that your product is reliable and worth buying. Encourage your customers to leave reviews and make them easily accessible on your site. 

Part 3: Planning Ahead and Optimizing 

Collect Data, Test, and Optimize

Improving your store requires analyzing data and making adjustments based on user behavior. Use tools like Google Analytics or the built-in analytics provided by your e-commerce platform. Conduct A/B testing to determine what works best, and continuously optimize based on your findings. Regularly collecting and analyzing data is key to long-term growth and success. 

This step-by-step guide can help you navigate the journey of launching a successful online store. By planning thoroughly, marketing effectively, and optimizing constantly, you’ll be well-equipped to grow your e-commerce business.