An online store is a good solution not only when a business is being transformed from online to offline. The transition of a store to the Internet space contributes to the expansion of the company, an increase in profits, and round-the-clock work.
An online store has a number of advantages. Especially in 2023, when the market is rapidly moving to a digital format. What are the advantages and what is good about this option for a company - we share in this article!
Where to start launching an online store
There are many people who want to start their own business. Some approach the issue responsibly, others - chaotically. It does not matter how well the preparation went, the expenses were calculated, the credit and debit were reconciled. It is much more difficult to start. Especially when the starting capital is small. It is one thing when there is a product, no site, another when there is nothing. So where to start the first steps?
Defining a Niche
The first thing to start with is to determine what goods or services will be sold to the end consumer. For example, books, clothes, cosmetics, accessories, photo sessions, wedding planning and other types of services.
For services such as wedding organizations, photographers, venue decorations, and party organization, showcase sites are created. There, information about the organization, services, contacts, portfolio, and possibly a blog with recommendations is indicated. A simple business card site can be used.
It's a different matter when you have a physical product that you can touch: clothes, books, cosmetics, shoes, household products, etc. For such products, you need a good display case, a warehouse for storage, suppliers. An online store website is created for the purpose of selling products.
When choosing a niche, competitors, target audience, product range, target audience are taken into account. There may be only one product for sale. Depends on the uniqueness of the idea.
Once the choice in favor of a niche is made, we move on to the next stage - the target audience.
Selecting the target audience
The target audience (TA) can be divided into 2 types: B2B and B2C. For B2B (Business to Business), conditionally, the company becomes a kind of supplier or intermediary, for B2C (Business to Customer) - also acts as the final intermediary.
For B2B and B2C, identical consumer portraits are created, with one difference: B2B companies, therefore, when compiling a questionnaire, they can indicate the average company income per month or year, as well as the scale, direction of activity, etc.
The B2C market is the end consumer. For such an audience, the portrait consists of the following parameters:
- Age, location, income;
- Marital status;
- Interests, hobbies, interests;
- By visiting places;
- Shopping preferences;
- How to choose products.
The criteria can be expanded. For example, education, age and number of children, commitment to brands are additional options. Depends on the purpose and scaling of the business.
Once the target audience has been selected, we move on to the next stage.
Working on strategy
Selecting a supplier
Goods or services, if the company does not produce, but purchases, then a supplier will be required. They are sought in the segment chosen for development. If the air transportation market, then we look for partners among airlines, logistics. If the consumer goods market, we look for suppliers with the necessary goods.
Suppliers are selected based on the price list provided. It is worth considering that VAT is added on top of the purchase price, as well as its own cost. The final price formed is communicated to the consumer through the online store. Therefore, pricing taking into account the purchase price is important.
What should you pay attention to first when choosing a supplier:
- To speed up logistics processes – location. It is good if the supplier is from your city;
- High-quality and safe health products. Otherwise, low-quality products will greatly affect the store's reputation;
- Permissible quantity of goods for purchase and under what conditions, actions in force majeure situations;
- Reasonable price.
Pricing
The price of the goods or services sold includes certain percentages for storage in the warehouse, VAT, salaries of warehouse employees, web resource maintenance, and marketing campaigns. Correctly set prices will allow you to be competitive in the market, create a better marketing strategy, thereby attracting more audience.
Business plan
A business plan is a long-term development perspective. It allows you to take into account many expenses, calculate approximate profits, and also plan growth, adequately assess strengths and weaknesses.
A clear and competent plan attracts investors. The owner of a company is not always financially independent. Sometimes you have to resort to investing. It is in such cases that a good business plan comes in very handy. The flow of attracted investments contributes to the development of a startup, and subsequently the business itself.
Website creation
Once the main components are found, there is little left to do. In this case, register the company (if this has not been done before). Then we proceed to choosing the type of site.
Large projects choose online stores. It is a multi-page site. To create it you need:
- Site name;
- Unique design;
- Writing code;
- Opportunity for marketing activities;
- Possibility of adding and editing products on the website;
- Convenient admin panel;
- Terms of delivery, fitting, return of goods;
- Payment methods;
- An advice blog is one option;
- Connect analytics.
To create a website, it is better to contact professionals. They will tell you which design, platform, hosting or server to choose, create a user-friendly interface, admin panel, integrate a CRM system.
Store name
Naming for a web resource is extremely important. It should be concise and easy to remember.
The name should be associated with your company. Copying others, especially in the name area, is not worth it. People will not remember you. They will remember another company that already exists and is well-known on the world market. You will mislead your users.
Try to come up with names that are easy to read in Cyrillic, Latin, and using different fonts. Font perception and easy reading of the name go hand in hand. This solution will allow you to stand out in the market.
How to attract visitors
Marketing and advertising
To attract customers to an online platform, advertising is needed. It can be either in social networks (target) or contextual. Free options include organic promotion (SEO), e-mail newsletters. Reviews should also be taken into account as one of the main criteria when choosing a store to buy from. The ability to leave reviews on purchased goods or services also promotes the Internet resource well and increases trust. This area should be given special attention. A well-structured tracking policy and timely response to reviews on various platforms will increase consumer trust.
Administration. Adding products and setting up payment
Every website should have an admin panel (CMS). This way, you can manage the website yourself without additional intervention from the developer. A CMS with a good set of tools will be an excellent resource for employees. With its help, you can independently add products, descriptions for them, add pictures or banners, monitor statistics and much more. Everything depends on the type of website, what CMS system is required.
Payment settings can also be made through the website control panel. Here, the main options for choosing payment are added: cash, payment to the courier on site, payment via the website. Depending on the region, the online payment system settings may change. Somewhere you can connect a kind of online cash register, somewhere this function is performed by payment services. This determines how convenient it is for users to pay through your resource.
Installing a CRM system
CRM system is an assistant in data management. With the help of such a system, you can make calls, control them, set tasks, communicate online with the client on the site, analyze the received data (in addition to the existing analytics systems). The system helps to speed up the service process, solve critical issues. The essence is in simplification and control of business processes.
Branding
Branding includes a whole range of works: marketing, design, advertising, online solutions, positioning. Brand management can be called differently, but the tools are the same.
First of all, the brand is positioned on the market. To do this, several or even many surveys, audits, and studies are conducted. This approach is typical for large companies. Small businesses get by with small stages. The main thing is to convey the essence of the organization, goods, or product to the key audience.
Next, think about the trademark, packaging, image, primary colors, brand description, and design style. These are the features that will distinguish you from your competitors, and people will remember you.
The next stage will be promotion through communication. The tone of voice is important here – communication with customers, interaction between them and the brand.
Analytics
There is not a single corporation where control and analysis of activities are not carried out. Since the market has expanded, offline has moved to online, control has become easier.
Systems such as Yandex.Metrica, Google Analytics, CRM system (if there is integration for this) help to analyze user behavior on the site. In addition to such analytical systems, surveys of customers, partners, employees are used to improve the quality of work.
Financial activity is analyzed through accounting reports, where data on costs and profits are clearly visible. Financial analysis allows you to identify unnecessary resources that "eat" money but do not generate profit, or, conversely, with its help you can find growth points. Growth points are profit scalability.
Analytics must be on the company's website.
Conclusion
Opening an online store is partly easy. The goal, the mission of the company, identifying needs, determining competitors, making a profitable offer, finding partners, investors are important.
The main advantage of online sales is that the store operates 24/7. Purchases can be made at any time of the day, and payment can be made in a convenient form. Well-established logistics (delivery), timely deliveries, and a good marketing strategy will lead to success. Of course, a quick start will not bring quick money. This is a lot of work, painstaking work. It will take a year, or maybe more, to turn into something more. To do this, contact specialists in their field, get recommendations, new ideas, and opportunities to implement your business.
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