With the fast-paced technological world we are living. The internet has helped businesses revolutionize the way they operate. From the way of interaction to how we perceive and consume information, everything has been changed. Due to this, there has been an influx on webstores and online shopping, which should be a sign of encouragement for newer eCommerce business to take the leap and penetrate in the market.
However, considering the numerous business that are already present online, it can be a daunting experience to make a place for yourself. With the tough competition, you need new strategies and techniques to get to a recognizable stature. There are quite a few ways that you can adopt in order to make your eCommerce business successful.
Let’s start with the basics, shall we?
What is an eCommerce store?
To put is straight and simple, eCommerce stores are just like any other physical store you see. However, the major difference between the two is that an eCommerce store is virtual, an electronic store. You can sell your products and services the same way through your website or online shop.
Quite a few big brands and retailers rely on their webstore for selling their products. Some of them include Amazon, Ebay, Ali Express and uncountable more. Business that also have offline presences use the help of online shopping and have set up web store, like Walmart and Ikea.
As a matter of fact, the internet offers you such a big opportunity of interacting with customers from all around the world. Times have changed and customers today prefer shopping from the comfort of their homes, whether its for groceries or furniture.
Top 3 Ways to Start an eCommerce Business Webstore
There are quite a few ways you can employ when planning to start your eCommerce webstore. Some of those ways include:
Research Your Niche
When starting an eCommerce business, you want to first determine your niche. Who do you want to target? Any specific geographic locations? What is the purpose of your eCommerce store? You have to list down what your eCommerce business is aiming to achieve. Once you have these questions answered, it will be easier for you to decide on a business model that will be suitable. If you want your business to survive in the long run, it is best to pre-plan and make decisions ahead of time.
Choose Business Name
Having your business goals and plan in order, will then require you to come up with a unique name. Attracting customers requires distinctiveness, that makes you stand aside for your competitors. Moreover, your business should indicate what you are selling or offering. Going through your local secretary state website can help you decide upon a name that has not been claimed already. While you are at it, choosing a domain name would make sense here.
Choose Your Platform
Your eCommerce webstore is the practical face of your business. Hence, it requires for your webstore to be visually appealing and attractive for customers to have satisfying shopping experience. Your customers should have the option to browse and explore through your webstore, which means you need to choose a platform that offers you just what you need on your webstore’s interface. There are hundreds of platforms that offer business solutions, however, some of the top platforms include:
Shopify
Perhaps the most well-known and popular ecommerce software out there, Shopify offers an all-inclusive, user-friendly solution with a variety of add-ons. You can purchase a Shopify subscription in one of four plans, starting with Shopify Lite at $9 per month (this plan does not include a full online store, however).
Magento
If you want to be able to customize every aspect of your online store, you might choose to use the open-source version of Magento. With this ecommerce platform, you can manipulate every element and customize your site—but you also must have the technical skill (or pay for it) to do so.
WooCommerce
If you already have started a WordPress site, or are familiar with the platform, you can download WooCommerce to start selling on your WordPress site. This plug-in is open-source, free to download and includes the full range of ecommerce features. Compared to Shopify, however, WooCommerce is best-suited for business owners who have some technical knowledge to take advantage of its open-source nature.
x2x eCommerce offers you not only the best business solutions to start your own webstore, but also offers integration between solutions like Business Central - Magento and Business Central – Shopify.
Do you want to learn more about how to start your eCommerce business? Contact x2x eCommerce experts today at 888-929-3266 and get a 1-Hour FREE demo!