How to start an online store on your current website

According to Statista, e-retail sales accounted for 14.1% of all retail transactions globally in 2019. With COVID-19 dramatically changing the face of the global economy, this upward trend is not expected to reverse anytime soon. In fact, some reports predict that by 2040, more than 95% of sales will be online. This means that if you don’t currently have an online store, you may be missing out on a huge opportunity to drive sales and grow your business. https://www.taiwanren.cc/Thankfully, adding an ecommerce platform to your existing website may be easier than you expect. The specific steps will look slightly different depending on your unique product and the tools you choose to use, but here are some general guidelines when creating an online store:

1. Determine your ecommerce platform options based on your CMS Before you start selling items online, it’s important to first determine which e-commerce platform is best for your business and goals. This may depend on the content management system (CMS) you’re currently using to manage your website. Some systems, like WordPress, integrate easily with plugins like WooCommerce, while others like Squarespace or Wix have limited integrations but come with powerful ecommerce tools out of the box. Alternatively, if you’re considering a complete website refresh, it might be worth considering migrating your existing site to a CMS that prioritizes e-commerce, such as Shopify or Square.

No matter which option you choose, you should prioritize building an online store that’s optimized for the mobile shopping experience. PwC says consumers shop more frequently on smartphones than on PCs, so online stores without a great mobile experience are only doing half the job. 2. Collect inventory information from e-commerce data You probably already have an organized method for tracking your inventory. But since your customers can’t physically interact with the items you sell online, you’ll need to develop some additional assets before you can start taking online orders. In addition to each item’s SKU and quantity, you’ll also need to write a description of each item, including material, dimensions, and care instructions (if applicable). Not only do they provide customers with the specific details they need to make purchasing decisions, but they can also benefit your website’s search engine optimization (SEO). Be sure to include relevant keywords in your description copy. You should also take multiple photos of each item to provide customers with an accurate visualization of the product. Include photos of all appropriate angles as well as finer details that might be missed in the full product image. Lifestyle photos or demo videos can also promote your brand image, double as social media posts for promotion, and help your customers differentiate your products from your competitors. 3. Determine e-commerce billing processes and policies Billing for e-commerce orders requires more preparation than in-store transactions, and most e-commerce platforms require your business details to process payments on your behalf. This includes banking and routing information for your business accounts and your business’s sales tax license. From there, you can enter pricing details for your inventory and consider promotional code opportunities. Both of these may be the same as your in-store prices and promotions, but it may be helpful to slightly increase your online profit margins based on your shipping method or advertise special promotions to drive traffic to your online store.

Depending on the products you sell, you may need to research international/state sales restrictions and tax requirements to ensure your business complies with shipping and billing regulations in all relevant locations. For example, your business might have a home office in Tennessee, a warehouse full of merchandise in Georgia, and a customer in Virginia. In this case, you would have a nexus (legal business presence) in each state and comply with its tax obligations. Keep in mind that states like Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon do not charge sales tax, but they may have other restrictions on the types of items you can ship to customers who live there. 4. Identify shipping solutions for online store purchases This brings us to another set of questions about your online store: How will you ship items to customers? If your product has a standard size or weight, flat rate shipping may make more sense. If not, shipping based on weight may be more economical and practical for you and your customer. Or, better yet, offer your customers free shipping; in fact, a 2019 study found that 68% of consumers wouldn’t complete a purchase if they couldn’t take advantage of free shipping. No matter which shipping option you choose to offer your customers, you’ll need to determine which shipping company best suits your needs. Popular choices for domestic and international carriers include UPS, USPS, and FedEx. Some carriers prioritize shipping speed, while others may offer lower costs or more flexible pickup and delivery times. You’ll also want to determine the type and quantity of shipping materials you’ll need to ensure your customer orders arrive safely, and factor those costs into your budget. If you’re shipping fragile items, be sure to include bubble wrap or packing peanuts in your shipping materials list. Or, if some of your items are irregularly shaped, you may need to find containers with custom dimensions. You can also add branding to your shipping materials for a super personalized touch! Likewise, pick-up or same-day delivery options are uniquely attractive to local customers. Whether they’re shopping at the last minute or just prefer the convenience of the online shopping experience, local pickup and delivery can give you a new level of convenience without incurring a ton of cost to you. 5. Market your online store Once you’ve identified your e-commerce platform, gathered your inventory information, determined your billing process, and decided on your shipping options, you should have all the elements in place to build a fully functional e-commerce website. It’s time to market your online store to the world! An obvious place to start is with a dedicated social media and/or email marketing campaign. You can use these channels to remind your current audience about your new online store and attract new customers outside of your geographic area. Another channel you might want to pursue is Google Shopping - consider creating a Google Merchant account and connecting your inventory so users can find your products in search results. (Check out this article for step-by-step instructions on how to do this.) You’ll also want to leverage existing traffic from your website and brick-and-mortar storefront. Your CMS may have the option to create a pop-up banner, or you may be able to find a plugin integration that will message visitors on your website and guide them through your new online store. Additionally, you may want to explore low-cost printing options to promote your e-commerce options to in-store customers. Join the future of e-commerce E-commerce may seem like a daunting new frontier, but it may bring greater success to your existing business model. Not only do you have the opportunity to increase sales and revenue, but you also unlock new marketing and advertising opportunities outside of your physical location. You’ll be able to reach new customers around the world and ensure you’re not left behind as the retail world focuses more on online business.#