There are a number of options available that enable your business to start selling products online. But we recommend to most customers that they use a fully hosted eCommerce Solution. For instance, a hosted eCommerce Solution is sometimes called a “Cloud” or “Software as a Service (SaaS).” In other words, everything that you need is provided in one package.
It includes the use of software and hosting with the service and support provided. Importantly hosted solutions come with updates, upgrades, and maintenance as part of the deal and they are the service providers’ responsibility. For example, eCorner is an Australian-based hosted eCommerce service provider. But, there are other companies providing similar services.
More so, from all over and around the world. The hosted solution typically is based on a monthly fee that covers the use of the solution. There are other options like open source software and shared hosting but you will need web technical skills to go that way or you will need to find a web developer/designer to do the job for you.
What Are Online Selling Platforms?
To go in this direction you need to either choose the software that you want and then find a suitable Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)sting company or find a developer/designer who may make the choice for you. Once your website is completed you or your developer will be responsible for all the updates and security maintenance required to get it working and safe.
Make sure the developer that you select will be around after the website is finished to help maintain it. The act of purchasing products or services over the Internet, and online shopping has grown in popularity over the years. Mainly, because people find it convenient and easy to bargain shop from the comfort of their homes or office.
One of the most enticing factors about online shopping, particularly during the holiday season, is it alleviates the need to wait in long lines or search from store to store for a particular item. Building an online store is a fantastic way to make a bit of extra money. But it’s difficult to know where to start. What about the shipping methods that you’ll need to consider?
The good news is you don’t need lots of money, time, or technical knowledge to build an online store. What you do need to know is what tools to use and how to use them. Learning how to create an online store from scratch can be daunting.
Selling Products Online As A Beginner
In the next stage, we’re going to show you the best way to create an online store. Whether you want to build a store for your business or sell online for a bit of extra income, you’re in the right place. These store builders are used by some of the biggest brands in the world. We’re assuming that you’ve worked out the essentials of your business.
- You know your store’s name.
- You know what you’re going to sell.
These details matter, but don’t get too hung up on them right now, because they could all change as your business grows. Below is everything you need to know about starting an online store. How to sell products online:
1. Decide what products to sell
Your first step is deciding which products or services to offer. Your products can range from unique products you’ve created to sourced items from third-party vendors or drop shippers. To help you choose the right products for your online store, read our comprehensive guide on selecting products to sell online.
2. Identify your target market
Researching and identifying your target market and competition will go a long way to help you decide on product pricing, website design and branding, and building your initial marketing strategy. This can provide insights into showcasing your product’s benefits to potential customers.
3. Pick an all-in-one ecommerce platform
Picking the right ecommerce platform is just as important as the product you sell. Make sure you choose a fully hosted, all-in-one solution that allows you to own both the ecommerce website and the shopping cart software. This way, you don’t need coding skills or have to pay transaction fees on sales. You also have access to a support team to help you set up your store.
4. Build your online store
Choose an ecommerce theme or a custom design that works with your brand. Set up product categories and upload your inventory with as much information as you can. Set up shipping methods and payment gateways.
5. Advertise and market your web store
Once you have your ecommerce store up and running, your next step is to start connecting to potential customers. Another advantage of the all-in-one ecommerce platform is the built-in SEO tool that allows you to optimize your site for search engines and users. Connect with your customers on social media and advertise through PPC ads and shopping engines. To help you maximize revenue and improve conversions, check out the ecommerce conversions guide.
6. Launch your Store Online and Get Started!
The most important thing is to launch your store and get online. With any of our e-commerce platforms, you’ll be able to make changes when you need to. Seeing as you’re investing your money, you probably want to know you’re getting it right.
Selling Products Online Through Store Builders
These e-commerce platforms cost as little as $17/month to use. If your store is making sales, this will soon seem like a small price to pay. They also offer free trial periods, so you can test them before signing up (we’ve got more on this later).
They are a one-stop shop for learning how to build an online store from scratch. Think of them like real-life builders that help you set up your brick-and-mortar store.
Shopify, Wix, and BigCommerce all let you:
- Customize templates to build an online store with your personality
- Upload products and sort them into categories
- Connect with different payment options, such as PayPal
- Manage deliveries with shipping providers
They also manage your online store’s technical needs. Gone are the days when you had to throw hard-earned dollars at a computer programmer to help you start an online store.
Our online store builders will;
- Host your store: giving it a place to live on the internet
- Let you buy or connect your domain name: yourstore.com, for example (Wix eCommerce will even give you one for free for a year).
- Keep your site up and running: making sure your store doesn’t crash
- Sort out security certificates: to keep your customers’ details safe when taking payments and handling their data.
In nutshell, the best way to start selling products online is by making sure that you have all the necessary toolkits.
What About Magento/WordPress?
Eventually, see how to start an online store using Shopify, Wix, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce. Making an online store is also possible using a code editor like WordPress and a web hosting service like BlueHost.
However, the downside is that building a store on WordPress needs technical skills. Or you’ll have to hire a developer from our company, which may get very expensive if you are not ready. In fact, the formers are also incredibly easy to use. Our recent survey found that despite some initial doubt,83% of you would be capable of using a website builder.
Then again, the difference between our recommended e-commerce platforms and complex solutions like Magento and WordPress is like the difference between flatpack and handcrafted furniture. With a flatpack, you can furnish your room very quickly and without any design skills.
Other More Resourceful References:
- A Full Guide About How To Sell Products Online By Volusion
- Ten Things You Should Do When Starting An Online Store By Makeuseof
- How To Build An Online Store From Scratch By Website Builder Expert
- Things To Know If You Are Thinking About Selling Online By BigCommerce
- 12 Strategies For Finding Your First Profitable Product By Shopify
Finally, for more details, information, and contribution questions (for FAQ Answers), please feel free to Contact Us or Submit Your Request to our team of Web Tech Experts Taskforce so that you can get more help and support to kickstart your digital products business as well as sell products online easily. Our professional marketers are ready to receive you, even startups!
In addition, you can also leave your additional suggestions, opinions, recommendations, or even other thoughtful requests through our comments section below this guideline. Until the next one, thanks for taking the time to read this article…
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