Over the last decade, e-commerce has grown exponentially. User experience, convenience, and global internet penetration are just some of the factors that are attributed to this growth. Ecommerce has opened up lots of business opportunities throughout the entire supply chain.
To successfully start an e-commerce venture you need a plan that outlines your entire business model. Here are a few steps to help you start your ecommerce business:
Find a Product to Sell
Finding the right product to sell is the first and most important step to take. Having the right product before the ideal customer’s eyes should be your goal. This product needs to be proven to sell while not being saturated in the market.
You can use amazon fba seller tools such as Unicorn Smasher and Jungle Scout to help you narrow down your potential product ideas. Feel free to jump on trending products to fasten your capital growth journey.
Find a Supplier
Consider buying wholesale brands. Bringing established brands to your e-commerce site lends you credibility and if the brands are well known, it’s often sure sale. There are many marketplaces that make it easy to find brands for your store and niche- if you’re looking for apparel, try Faire. If you’re looking for gifts, decor, skin and beauty, try The Main Tab – their focus is curating only the best brands available for wholesale to retailers.
After finding and evaluating your product ideas, you need to find a reliable supplier that can ship to most locations whether local or international. Your ideal go-to supplier should be able to accept various payment methods due to delays at times. Order a sample from your supplier to verify the quality standards and inquire about product customization for improved customer appeal. If you need help getting connected with suppliers go here to find out more.
Create Your Online Store
This third step involves creating your online store, whether that will be within Amazon or independently on your website. One key consideration for your startup is the Amazon traffic that exists in thousands if not millions. This free traffic can be a deal-breaker especially if you have limited capital for marketing your products.
If you are opting to sell one product or products in a themed niche, it is advisable to customize your theme and user interface to suit the products. Use e-commerce site builders such as Shopify, Woocommerce, and Magenta to create your online store. Be sure to test your payment system and process to ensure that there are no lags.
Marketing Your Products
The success of your online business will hugely depend on your marketing. There are free methods such as joining social media groups and threads in forums to market your products. You can also create various themed social media pages for your business to help generate much-needed traffic.
You need to be adventurous with your posts. Use relevant hashtags and creative captions whenever your post. Use polls and giveaways to interact with your potential customers. Find micro-influencers that are relevant to your product to help create more awareness about your brand.
You also need to ensure that your web pages are SEO-optimized to increase visibility in search results. The product pictures used in the online store and social media pages need to be professionally appealing.
Conclusion
Running an online store alone can be overwhelming due to the many departments at stake. To ensure the smooth running of your business, use resources such as Shopify tools to keep track of your inventory and contact your supplier in time. Remember to treat your business and clients professionally to build trust and confidence.
