A Guide for Developing Your eCommerce Store

Developing your eCommerce store takes thought and planning to implement in a successful way, check out this guide to see where to start.

Guide for Developing Your eCommerce Store

Starting up an eCommerce store is a great way to earn an income, whether it’s a big business idea you’ve developed as a budding entrepreneur that you’re hoping to grow, or whether it’s a simple venture you’re looking to try to sell your products or services. There’s no denying the popularity and success of eCommerce websites, and the ease of usability for people around the globe. One of the biggest hurdles to overcome is making sure you’re developing your eCommerce store the right way.

I’m going to cover the essentials of developing your eCommerce store in this post, starting with:

Why Build an eCommerce Store?

  • Ensure your products get found easily online
  • Break into a huge online market 
  • It’s easy to do 
  • You can more easily build a customer database with sign up information and contact details, such as email addresses 
  • Establish a new brand
  • Grow and strengthen your online brand
  • Be able to tailor your marketing to consumers more easily 
  • Learn more about your consumers’ behavior 
  • Be in better control of your site and the content you wish to produce 
  • Sell a great product and business idea 
  • Access to a larger market

How to Best Develop Your eCommerce Store

  • Think About the Basics First 

Before you get into the in-depth design and launch process of your website, you need to make a few basic (but crucial) decisions. This includes thinking of a business name for your store and registering a domain name so that you can implement your official site address.

If you don’t already have a detailed business plan about what your business does, and the products or services your eCommerce store will provide, then this is a must before you begin any technical details with your website. 

  • Register Your Business

It’s essential to take the necessary legal steps to register your business and understand what you legally need to provide with your eCommerce website, such as:

  • Displaying clear prices
  • Displaying your official domain name 
  • Data protection 

You need to safeguard both your business and your consumers legally.

  • Build a Complementary eCommerce App

In the same way that online shopping — and shopping on-the-go using smart devices — has become the new norm, apps have also become a favourite for consumers who want to use their smart devices more efficiently. If there is an app for a service or store, the chances are that consumers are going to want to use an app quickly and easily rather than typing in and browsing an official site. 

Therefore, when developing your eCommerce store, it’s a good idea also to consider creating an eCommerce app to complement it. You can incorporate everything from your main website, such as product listings, easily into your app and make it accessible for all consumers. 

You can also use in-app notifications to retain customers better using your service and use pop-ups for advertising deals or the latest information within the app. You must understand how to use in-app notifications in the best possible way so as not to annoy your consumers, however.

  • Use a Dependable Website Builder

You need an eCommerce platform you can trust, and one which offers everything you need for your particular type of business. All businesses and products are different, so certain website builders who work for other people may not necessarily work best for you.

Be sure to compare website builders and website themes offered by Shopify or BigCommerce developers to consider the best layout for your particular service or product. 

When thinking about website building and design, your main focus needs to be on easy-to-understand layouts, as well as easy to navigate, and smooth-running features which won’t run into problems. Put yourself in your consumer’s shoes with design, and think about how easy you find your website to use, and whether there is anything which would put you off, such as slow loading screens. 

  • Choose the Best Plan for You 

Although it’s always important to save money in any aspect of a business, don’t just opt for the cheapest possible plan when it comes to your eCommerce store set up. You need to carefully consider your requirements, and how you plan to use your online store over time. 

Think about basic figures, such as the number of products you need to list, and the amount you’re hoping to sell. You need a website plan which allows for the capacity you need, as well as being able to handle the growth you require for your online business. 

If it’s a simple online store you’re looking for with a small number of products, a simple plan may suit you well. Still, if you’re a big business hoping to sell hundreds of products with huge growth potential, then you’re going to need to think about a long-term plan and the best investment for developing your eCommerce store to meet your plan. 

  • Make Sure Your Website Fits Your Tone of Business 

With so many creative designs and plans out there, it might be overwhelming trying to find the right one. What matters most is that everything you incorporate into your online store needs to match your business character and tone of voice and needs to present what you do in the best possible way. 

You don’t want your website design and layout to be at odds with your business personality, so choose carefully. 

  • Think About Smart Device Usability 

While online shopping is often the preferred method for many consumers, it’s also likely that most shoppers are browsing and buying using their smart device rather than a traditional desktop computer. This means that you need to ensure your eCommerce website is built for usability with a wide range of smart devices, most predominantly the smartphone. 

It’s important to always check for this, especially when you add new features or tabs to your website. They may work successfully on a desktop computer, but they must work just as smoothly on a smart device. 

Be sure that all navigation tabs are fully shown on the home screen, and that all loading times are quick. 

Final Thoughts 

When planning your eCommerce website, don’t be in a rush to get it live and launched; proper planning and research is needed first to ensure that your online store can be the best it needs to be.