1:- Select The Products You’re Selling
If you’re an established business and you’re starting an eCommerce website then you already know what products you’ll be selling, but if you’re a new business or want to dive into the eCommerce business world, this is where to start. Consider how competitive different markets are and the potential profit margin of the items you’ll be selling. It’s much easier to be successful in a space with larger markups. We’ve seen some of the most successful eCommerce businesses sell some pretty strange items, so think outside of the box!
2:- Name Your Business
Coming up with a catchy name can set you apart from your competition, so spend some time making sure you nail it. Plus, changing your name isn’t an easy thing to do, so chances are you’ll be stuck with it for quite a while. Also, consider search engine marketing and the domain name you’ll be choosing. Including keywords in your name can have a big impact on you future marketing effort.
3:- Handle Necessary Business Permits
Business permits are different on a state by state, sometimes county by county based, so be sure to check what permits you’ll need. Because you’re an online business you shouldn’t need as many (depending on what you’re selling), but chances are you may still need a few. Calling a local attorney is an option or do your research online. You can also call up your city town hall and ask them to point you in the right direction. Remember, all cities are looking for new businesses to boost tax revenue, whether it be online or offline, so they are willing to help.
4:- Handle Drop Shipping or Stocking Products
How you’ll be stocking and shipping your products and inventory is a big decision to make. Many online business drop ship, meaning they never touch the product, but many manufacturers have also moved away from drop shipping Depending on what you’re selling, drop shipping may or may not be an option. If you’re going to be stocking items, be sure you have the space to do so and an insurance plan to protect your assets from theft or fire.
5:- Set Up Accounting Software
Running an organized business from the very beginning will make future growth much easier. Use software such as QuickBooks to get started and be sure to set it up to match your business model. This will allow you to do your taxes quicker when the time comes around, but will also allow you to run profit and loss statements and other helpful reports. Knowing where your business stands financially at all times is extremely important and will help you make informed, smart decisions.
6:- Buy a Domain Name
Choosing your domain name is as important, if not more important, than the name of your business. You’ll want to pick a domain name that includes keywords, if possible. As your domain name gets older and older it will rank better in Google and the other major search engines, so you’ll want to stick with the domain name you choose from the beginning. Also, be sure its easy for customers to remember.
7:- Build Your eCommerce Website
The fun begins when it’s time to get designing your eCommerce website! Main critical decision and the success of your business begin here, so don’t take the decision lightly. There are two main points to consider:
- What shopping cart platform will you use? There are many options from a hosted solution like Shopify to an open source platform such as Magento. What’s right for you? It all depends on what features, functionality and scale you want to take your business to. If you need a very basic shopping set up, Shopify may work. If you need customization, ERP integrations and other unique features, you’ll want to use an open source platform which gives you access to the source code (what runs the website). Talk with a trusted web design company and make the platform decision together.
- Who will I choose to be the web design agency? Your agency will be with you for a long time and will also support your website after it is live. Be sure the are highly experience working with eCommerce websites. If you choose the wrong agency you’ll be redesigning your website sooner than later and be out the initial development cost. Working with an overseas agency or a an agency who outsources if not advised.
8:- Decide on Website & Email Hosting
The speed of your website will be largely dependent on website hosting. Who you need to use for hosting will be based on the eCommerce platform you decide to use. If you’re using a hosted eCommerce shopping cart provider, hosting will be provided to you within the cost. If you’re using an open source platform (Magento, NopCommerce, Onveos, etc.), then you’ll need your own host. You web design company will be able to point you in the right direction, set up and configure the account for you.