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We have put together this starter guide to navigate you through the process of setting yourself up online and outline what factors need to be considered before launching your store to the public.
eCommerce can be tricky, so be sure to ask for advice if you are unsure about how to break into it. Contact TalkWeb on 012373 694770 or email us at info@talkwebhq.com if you would like to call upon our expertise. Best of luck, TalkWeb
introduction
ÂŁâ‚Ź$ Starting up an online business seems to be a dream which many people have these days. Being your own boss, avoiding the morning commute and ditching the shirt and tie seem like irresistible benefits, but sadly it is not all plain sailing; a successful online presence takes time, resources and thorough planning.
testing the water
Selling online is a whole different ball game from selling in the real world. It does not have the luxury of being on a high street or having physical stock which customers can inspect, it all depends on how you present it. Some of you venturing into eCommerce may just be web enthusiasts who have knocked together a few websites in the past. Don’t let this fool you into thinking that opening a webstore will be just another website,
Before taking the plunge and creating your own webstore, try selling your products through pre-established websites such as eBay and Amazon. Get a feel for how you are going to present your items online and how successful each of your products are.
testing the water
By starting out on these websites, you can begin to understand what works and what doesn’t. Remember, you don’t always have to go straight for the obvious webstores. There are plenty of others out there, such as Etsy for handmade items and iOffer for general selling. Listing your items on these websites may help them from getting lost in the crowd on larger stores. If successful, your attempt at selling online could be a great educational experience in areas such as customer service and product popularity. Also, it could be a good indiction as to whether you should continue with your eCommerce plans or pursue other ideas. Take into consideration: • The time spent maintaining the store and handling orders • The return on any money spent on products and handling • How you found dealing with customers
Some product types, such as electronics and entertainment, are often best left to the big boys as they can get the cheapest prices by ordering in bulk. The best kind of product is something that would be exclusive to your store, such as something you have created or have sourced locally. Try to establish a gap in the market, where you will be able to thrive in your niche rather than be constantly competing with others.
set up shop
Once you have tested the waters and established that you are still ready to continue with your plans to sell online, the question is what do you sell? This kind of decision is not limited to eCommerce, when establishing any kind of business, you have to make sure your products are something prospective customers would be interested in buying.
• Strengths: Your customised shirts are exclusive to your store. • Weaknesses: Customising the t-shirts by yourself could lead to you falling behind on orders, leading to customer dissatisfaction. • Opportunities: You could expand into other customised clothing as time goes on. • Threats: Other, more established services allow customers to create and personalise their own t-shirts.
swot analysis
Once you have come up with an idea, try using SWOT analysis to determine it’s validity. SWOT analysis lists an idea’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. For example, if you had decided to sell customised t-shirts, a simple SWOT analysis could like a little like this:
Your solution
£€$ When deciding how to operate your webstore, the first option to consider is a service such as Zazzle and Cafepress. These sites allow you to create your own store selling customised items such as mugs, clothing and accessories. Whilst this is an easy way of setting up your own business as the creation and shipping of the items is all handled by the website, you are dictated to as to what the minimum price your items will cost the customer. Also, you are limited to selling what the website offers, thus making this option inadequate for many eCommerce company’s needs. The second option is services such as Create and Volusion, which allow sellers to create a webstore at varying levels of functionality, according to the level of monthly subscription paid. This is a great way for sellers with little technical know-how to set up their own webstore whilst allowing more advanced users to customise and fine-tune their storefront.
Your solution
Finally, TalkWeb offer a complete eCommerce solution which includes full hosting, custom design and connection to payment gateway. Also, clients have access to consultations and a free training day to fully navigate their new webstore. This option is the most comprehensive of the selection, suited to those who really want to make a success out of selling online. Some factors to consider when deciding on an eCommerce solution: • An unprofessional looking site or technical errors will put customers off from buying from your store. • Will you be able to sell enough products monthly to cover the cost of the proposed solution? • Check that advanced features such as discount codes and customer accounts are available in your package if required. • Does the solution include a system for the organisation of orders and shipping?
Set up accounts on popular networks such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Connect with possible customers and spread the word of your new store. Share introductory offers and discounts with similar and related pages (without spamming, of course). If you need a little help with Twitter, sign up to our Facebook page for a free guide to tweeting for businesses. Guides to Facebook, social media strategies and LinkedIn are to follow. SEO and AdWords When creating the webstore, be sure to engineer it with a clear structure and with strong keyword placement for SEO. Being listed on the first page of Google can make or break or company, never underestimate the power of search. Alternatively, pay for ads through Google Adwords.
promote yourself
Social Media
Free local magazines and newspapers are a great place to start, whether contacting them to see if they would be interesting in covering the launch of your website or by placing an ad. Then, move on to specialist publications depending on the products your store supplies or even national newspapers Sponsorship & Events Most new eCommerce businesses won’t have the money to sponsor TV shows or high profile products, so investigate into radio sponsorship, sponsoring events or local sports teams. Start small, then grow as your business does. Attend local trade events or events related to your products. Have some printed promotional materials created to make a lasting impression.
promote yourself
Magazines & Newspapers
promote yourself
Blogs If you ask nicely, perhaps including a deal or incentive of some sort, bloggers may wish to feature your webstore in a future post. When approaching them, do not be ‘salesy’ or impersonal, take an interest in the blog, have a read through of their style and perhaps comment on a few of their previous posts. Building a rapport with bloggers can be handy not only just for when you are launching, but throughout the whole lifecycle of the store.
keeping interest
Don’t blow your whole marketing budget at launch, try to keep a steady rate of advertising apparent for a prolonged period through both traditional and digital methods. eCommerce can be a slow burner, be patient. Be sure to mention social network profiles wherever possible, on all branded stationery and in e-mail signatures. Then, offer your followers and friends exclusive contests and discounts, boosting fan numbers and in turn, raising awareness of your site. Lastly, customer loyalty is like gold dust for an eCommerce business. Ensuring that the transaction runs smoothly, that the item arrives intact and that you offer good value can be a tricky equation to balance. If you manage to persuade a customer to trade with you again, be sure to reward their loyalty with discounts, upgraded shipping or a more personalised service.
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