Starting an online store can be daunting, but it’s also very rewarding if you get it right.
Anyone can run their own store from home, so long as they have the staying power and the groundwork to get it going. Here are a few things you really have to consider before you hit the launch button on your online store.
Ecommerce Software
How do you put items up for sale on your site? You’re probably not surprised to find out that it’s actually very complicated to code something yourself. In fact, unless you are an expert programmer, it’s not going to happen. You will want to sign up with an e-commerce software provider and look and the cons and pros for each.
Most of the popular e-commerce platform providers offer lots of useful features such as running promotions and customising your website so it’s unique. For those looking to expand their reach and optimize their presence on major platforms can ensure that your products are well-positioned, your operations are efficient, and your e-commerce goals are met. Choose a reliable solution which is trusted and has a solid base of users already.
Payment Gateways
How will people pay for their purchases? The best answer is usually the simplest one. Set up an account with something recognisable and easy to use, like PayPal for Business so that buyers can pay using credit and debit cards. This is really important to think about and also to test before you launch.
If the process is too complicated or requires them to sign up for a completely new service, they might not be willing to put in the effort. Make it as easy as possible and you will get less abandoned carts. It would be a shame to do everything right, then miss out on the sale at the last hurdle because of a mistake like this. Make sure to look into your credit card infrastructure as well, to ensure that everything is functioning as it should with your payments. Your customers need to be able to trust your site and you.
Site Security
When you visit a website which does not have a security certificate, you will be warned by your browser to go back. When a customer visits your online store, they will expect you to have an up-to-date security certificate as well as extra measures in place to protect their data. Don’t make your customers worry about whether their card details could be stolen after buying from you. That’s not the kind of impression that leaves you with repeat buyers. Invest in the security solutions you need – you can often find them bundled with hosting or e-commerce solutions to help you save a bit of cash. Build trust in your brand and encourage buyers by letting them know that they are safe on your website. Third party services such as PayPal offer site security protected by SSL (Secure Socket Layer) to help ensure that all sensitive data is protected from checkout to delivery.
Shipping Software
Think about the buying process: what happens after your customer places an order? You need to get their item delivered to them as quickly and safely as possible. This is something you might be tempted to handle yourself – but making the investment in a shipping software and service means having happy customers who will order from you again. Especially if you want to do big business, having automated software will make everything so much easier in the long run and less admin intensive.
So long as you put in the elbow grease, your online store could be very successful, operating as your main or even sole source of income. Make sure that you triple-check all of these factors before you launch.
