8 Steps of Creating Your E-commerce Website

E-commerce has become the new normal, and online businesses have experienced massive growth, with grocery orders peaking at $7.2 billion in June 2020. Some big players like Walmart are even resorting to robots to help fill out the online orders because humans can barely keep up.

New types of e-commerce are emerging, with social commerce expected to rise and account for 4.3 % of e-commerce sales in 2021. With such a promising future for e-commerce, it is time to get a slice of the pie by creating your website and selling your services or goods online. You do not have to be a tech genius to get your website up and running; all you need is to follow these steps.

Know the Service/ Good You Want to Sell

Any wise entrepreneur knows that to remain in business, you must fill a gap in the market; therefore, do your research and decide which product already has demand. It would be best if you did not restrict yourself to certain types of products. However, remember that the product you choose will impact the brand name, website design, shipping, marketing, and loyalty programs.

Select Your Preferred Business Model

There are four business models to choose from: B2B, C2B, B2B, and C2C. C2C is an online market place where consumers can exchange services/goods, and you charge a fee for the transaction. B2B is where you will sell your services/goods to another business, whereas in B2C, you will sell your products to the consumer, the end-user. On the other hand, C2B allows consumers to sell their products to companies.

Come up with a Business Name

Ensure that your business name is not hard to spell; otherwise, your potential clients will have a hard time searching for you online. Also, pick a name that does not limit your growth in terms of area of operation or product offering. You should research thoroughly to avoid using a name that another business has adopted because it could land you in legal trouble. It would help if you then trademarked it to prevent it from being used by other companies.

Purchase a Domain Name

Once you have the right business name, get a domain name, and here are some tips for an ideal one:

• Short enough to remember; therefore, don’t use more than three words.
• Simple words that customers can spell correctly
• Include relevant keywords such as the place you operate in or the product offered
• It should be a reflection of your brand.
• Have .com as the main ending and if your desired domain name is already owned, request to buy it since customers associate it with an established business.

Pick a Website Developer

The website developer you choose will either make or break the business, so carry out due diligence regarding their experience and compatibility with you since it will be a long-term relationship. Remember that even after they have designed your site, you will want to update it often. Thus, it is crucial to determine what kind of support your chosen web developer will offer. It could be costly to keep shifting from one company to another, so ensure that the web development company is ready to be with you throughout the process.

Set up Your Site

The first impression counts, so besides ensuring that the website is quick to open, the landing page should be appealing. Customers must get all the information quickly because it is well-displayed. That means they can see all your products or services, and if some goods are out of stock, update that information. Also, the images must match the descriptions, and prices must be updated to prevent misleading customers. The ratings of your site and products should be in plain view, and so should the reviews.

Set up Secure Payment Methods

You will not physically interact with your clients, so you must have several payment methods catering to all. If you accept credit card payments, your site must also protect the cardholders’ information from data breaches. Therefore your business must comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) lest you are fined heavily for non-compliance.

Shipping Options

Before you can even start operating, you need to get a reliable shipping partner such as a courier company or an external management service. If you do not have a warehouse, you should arrange for pick-up points with your customers. Have software tools to process orders, send emails to confirm shipments, and notify customers about their orders. Take heed that if you choose to hire a delivery company, you will be charged depending on the weight of packages, size, destination, and insurance, among other criteria a shipping company finds suitable.

Now that you already know the steps to create your website, you can eliminate the fear of having a poorly done site by consulting professionals. inGenium is your reliable web development company dedicated to going the extra mile for all our clients. You can request a quote for your upcoming project, and we will respond within three business days to enable you to get the ball rolling.