We know that the eCommerce market is growing, and it’s growing fast. With the switch from in-person stores to everything digital we’ve seen an influx in entrepreneurs setting up their own online stores. This year alone we can expect to see approximately 20.8% of retail taking place online. And with the help of the online infrastructure, businesses are finding it easier to break into global marketplaces and reach customer bases which would have been near impossible before.
However, setting up your own eCommerce store isn’t as easy as just setting up a website. From setting up social media profiles to creating logos, and designing packaging to creating campaigns there’s a whole host of things to consider when it comes to building your business online – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg!
So what do you need to consider when setting up your very own eCommerce business? We’ve outlined some key information below…
Get started setting up your eCommerce business!
Don't sleep on the research process.
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail, so when it comes to getting started with your eCommerce business doing the essential research is the first step to creating a successful online business.
Firstly, you need to identify your customer base. Create a target audience and identify who you need to market your products to. Having this key target market will help you create a brand that appeals to that outlined audience. There’s no point creating up-market luxury branding if you’re appealing to children – it may sound simple, but all too often brands get this key step wrong!
Once you’ve identified your ideal customer base, the next step is to identify your competitors in the marketplace. You want to identify any other businesses that are targeting the same audience and competing for similar keywords – this way you can always stay one step ahead of the game. Keeping a close eye on and completing regular competitor analysis.
Get creative with a brand-new website.
Your online shop is one of the most important aspects of running a successful eCommerce business and the homepage well that is your storefront. You need to ensure that you have a website which is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. When it comes to setting up your storefront you can use free or low-cost platforms such as WooCommerce or Shopify – both are great examples of platforms which will not only allow you to get started, but will also grow alongside you too.
When it comes to actually making your site you may be deciding between creating a website yourself using templates, or reaching out to a web-design agency to do this for you. When it comes down to it this will depend on the budget you want to put behind your website and how bespoke you would like the website to be. It is completely up to you, but it’s also worth noting that whatever you choose doesn’t mean that you don’t get to change your mind along the way as your business grows. Whatever route you decide to go down you need to make sure that the site itself is set up for conversions, making it the biggest asset to your business.
Provide good, quality products for customers.
When it comes down to it your customers will purchase from you if they want or need your products, and they will continue to come back and tell their friends if those products are of a good quality (amongst other things). That means when it comes to creating your online business even if your website is up to scratch, your marketing is on point and you’re targeting all the right people, if your product isn’t a quality product you won’t get the levels of business which you need.
That being said it is essential to any new or growing business that your product offering is of a good quality to ensure that people will continuously purchase from you!
Delivering goods to your customers.
eCommerce fulfilment is the process of delivering goods from your online store to your customer. The online order fulfilment process includes receiving, packaging, and shipping of your orders. Getting the fulfilment process right is one of the key aspects to creating happy customers! Yet another important aspect in acquiring and retaining customers.
Did you know that the two main reasons as to why a customer won’t choose your store when it comes to placing an order online are:
- Waiting to see and feel your item,
- Delivery taking too long
One of those – we can fix with choosing the correct 3PL.
In failing to choose the right eCommerce partner you’ll be faced with an uphill battle in growing your business. To choose SCEND – head to the button below!
Deliver on customer service.
Your customers are the single most important aspect of your business, meaning you should always put them at the forefront of your operations. That being said, it costs 6X as much to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one. So number one on your list should be customer care.
Are you providing an excellent user experience and journey through your website? Do you take exceptional care when ensuring accurate and timely delivery? Do you have a straight-forward returns process?
Did you know that having an inconvenient returns policy will deter up to 80% of people from making a purchase? There is so much to think about when it comes to keeping your customers happy. Luckily you don’t have to handle all of this alone. An experienced fulfilment service provider such as SCEND, provides the following:
- Pick & Pack: Picking and packing the right item quickly and accurately at our eCommerce fulfilment centre according to your instructions.
- Delivery: We ensure that customers receive their orders quickly and accurately.
- Returns: Should your customers wish to return their orders, we will visually inspect the item, update your inventory or scrap the item, depending on your choice.
Leaving you with more time to work on your business, rather than in your business.
Take time to grow your customer base.
When it comes to growing your business, you need to grow your customer base. Something which is easier said than done! When you’re running an eCommerce store you need to focus on your SEO. Being present on Google allows your website to be found by potential customers!
Investing in your SEO is your opportunity to be seen by as many as your potential customers as possible. There are plenty of free tools which you can use including Moz, Screaming Frog and Ahrefs. On top of these we also recommend setting up Google Analytics on your website to track who is visiting your website. In addition to this there are things that you can do to improve your on-site SEO, from improving and optimising on-page content to creating blogs which are continuously updated and improving your header and meta tags.
Ready to get started? Hit the button below to start your journey.
