There’s never been a better opportunity to launch an online business than right now. The technology is easily accessible, the popularity of the Internet is at an all-time high, and the competition is still relatively thin on the ground. If you’ve got a great idea for an online business but are not to sure how to implement it, do not fear, help is at hand. We’ve compiled an idiot-proof guide on how to set up a successful e-commerce business that is guaranteed to draw in the sort of crowds who might just make you a millionaire!
Make Your Business Unique
The first step in launching any e-commerce business is to decide how you will generate the necessary traffic to make your site a success. Ask yourself the following questions. Why would a client click on my site? What is so special about what I sell? Do I offer a competitive price? What makes me better than the rivals? Am I offering something that no-one else is? Unless you’re Amazon, you cannot hope to sell everything under the sun and still be a success. Know your product, define it, and make it profitable.
Building a website has never been easier, and huge advances in technology have made it simply for e-commerce websites to work effectively and without bugs. You can do a lot with a website, so do it. A regularly updated blog is an effective way to utilise SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) practices and drag the punters in.
Simplify The Process
Do not over complicate the design of the website or make it difficult for the customer to
do what you want them to do, which is to purchase your product. Filling in registration forms, clinking in links and logging in is time consuming for a first-time buyer. People are not mice, they do not enjoy running around in circles. A long-drawn out process is not customer friendly and even the biggest e-commerce businesses have revealed 20 to 30% of their customers give up hope and abandon their shopping carts before paying up.
Supply and Demand
What’s the good in taking thousands of orders if you fail to deliver on your promise. A strong, reliable and effective supply chain is vital to the long-term success of any e-commerce business. Delayed, damaged, incorrect, or missing goods will eventually spell the end of any business, because an unhappy and frustrated customer is not a returning customer. If you are going to outsource all, or part of your supply chain, then do your research and make sure it’s a reputable organisation you can trust.
Market and Promotion
Market your e-commerce business by using every single tool at your disposal such as Newspaper ads, business cards, banners, online ads, back-links, SEO, blogs, and everything and anything else you can think off. Set up accounts with Amazon and eBay, strive to improve your search engine ranking and market your business to customers around the world.
Always remember, the potential audience of the Internet is limitless, now go out there and sell.
Rachel is a business blogger with a background in e-commerce, writing on a variety of topics from marketing to warehousing.
Feature image courtesy of IvanWalsh.com at Flickr.
