How to Start an eCommerce Business the Right Way
Before deciding to start your online store, you must decide what kind of product you want to sell. You could try to sell weight loss plans or pills, but you need to avoid any ideas that could lead to legal entanglements or medical claims. It would be better to stick to the topics that you are familiar with, and that you have an interest in. Passion for your chosen field will help you succeed in eCommerce much faster.
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Identifying your target market
One of the first things you should do before you start your online business is to identify your target market. Your target market is a group of people that you are most likely to sell to, recommend, and rave about. While identifying your target market may seem like a chore, it is perhaps the most important part of the entire process. The following are three ways to identify your market. First, conduct an online survey to find out what your target market wants. Second, look for blogs, forums, and surveys to find out what kind of products your target market is looking for. Third, ask your current customers if they have any suggestions. Ultimately, your customers will tell you their opinions and preferences.
Identifying your product line
While it’s tempting to focus on one product, the truth is that the right eCommerce business idea can come from a variety of sources. As you build your product line, keep in mind that the right products for your business will be influenced by your brand persona and target market. Your personal history, style, and knowledge will also shape your product ideas. Three primary product sources are dropshipping, wholesale, and owner-created products.
Optimizing your website for eCommerce
Among the first steps of optimizing your website for eCommerce is search engine optimization. Besides enhancing user experience and increasing conversion rates, SEO is also one of Google’s ranking factors. A poorly optimized site will lose potential visitors. Moreover, a responsive design will prevent any problem from arising across the major operating systems and devices. In addition, it will save you time and effort because your website will be fully functional on any device.
Creating buzz about your eCommerce business
There are many ways of generating buzz about your eCommerce business. You can use social media such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. You can also use sites like Digg, Delicious, MySpace, Stumbleupon, and FriendFeed to get the word out. The trick is to be customer-forward. This means you need to be thinking about the needs of your actual customers. Your goal is to get as many people interested in your products as possible, and you can do this by creating a buzz on social media.
Creating a return and refund policy
Creating a return and refund policy in your eCommerce store is crucial to retaining customers. Most countries require such a policy for consumers to have the right to cancel their orders within a year of purchase. You can provide an in-store credit or offer a full refund if you wish to. You should make sure that your return and refund policy is written in plain language, is easy to understand, and covers the cost of return shipping and restocking.