12 Nov
In today’s world, a business practically doesn’t exist if it isn’t online. The modern-day consumer expects for any and all reputable companies to have online entities. A company website and accompanying social media accounts are practical must-haves. However, companies that enable their websites’ visitors to make direct purchases enjoy the greatest success.
The world didn’t need the pandemic for online shopping to become popular. But it unquestionably gave people more reasons to get interested in making purchases via the internet. Does your company have its online shop all ready to go? With the holiday shopping season getting underway, it’s the right time of year to get one all set up. Let’s go through a retailer’s checklist for starting an online shop.
Register a domain name.
Your domain name is also known as your website address. You can search for and select a domain name for your online shop through such providers as NameCheap, Domain.com, Google Domains, Dreamhost, Hover, GoDaddy and Bluehost. All of these made Forbes’ list of “Best Domain Registrars of October 2021”. Once your domain name is registered, you can begin the process of setting up your online shop.
Decide on a theme and layout.
What colour scheme will you use? What will the layout look like? How many product pages will you include? It’s wise, of course, to land on a theme that utilizes the colours of your company logo and branding materials. It’s also important to have a layout that is pleasing to the eye and very user-friendly. Easy access to your products is a vital element of your online shop.
Organize your inventory for eCom.
When creating categories for your online shop’s inventory, you should be clear on basic product category demand. What are people searching for online? Google Trends can help you figure this out. It gives insight on how search demand and interest have developed over time. Your research will help you to forecast future demand of your products based on past searches and sales numbers.
With the understanding of what online shoppers want, set up your product categories. Set minimum viable stock levels for every product you sell. Your overall goal should be to determine the lowest possible inventory you can have in order to meet customer demands and avoid delays in shipping.
Display your shipping methods.
Cart abandonment is a big problem for many e-retailers. One of the top reasons online shoppers abandon their virtual carts is the added shipping costs that surprise them at the end of the checkout process. Clearly display your shipping costs so that customers aren’t turned away by what they may view as “hidden” or “extra” fees. Alternatively, you may wish to offer free shipping as this is a top draw for online shoppers.
Create an app.
Your online shop needs to be accessed in more ways than one. Online users shouldn’t be relegated to using a URL to find your site. Create an app so that consumers can easily find your shop on their mobile devices.
At Taliup Express, we proudly help retailers to take advantage of e-commerce. As part of offering our commission-free online ordering system, we set up company websites and accompanying apps to help small businesses grow their reaches and increase their profits. To learn all about it, please don’t hesitate to contact us today!
