Overview of how to build an ecommerce website
He pandemic also acted as a huge boost for the eCommerce platforms to get a competitive advantage over the physical stores in terms of many categories of products.
Today, as the eCommerce ecosystem is growing exponentially, technological advancements are also contributing to build an eCommerce websites and making it easier to launch a website in a shorter time span.
Is your business looking to establish a new eCommerce website in 2022? If yes, it is better to go through a basic guide of “How to build an ecommerce website” before starting. Choosing the best E-commerce website development company in Bangalore will be key.
How to Develop ecommerce website / Online Store
Below mentioned complete guide for ecommerce website development is helpful to understand the basics while development.
1) Website name and domain is the priority
Choosing a website name also will be called as the URL name shouldn’t be taken lightly because it can help your audience relate to your business. It is recommended that you choose a name that is somehow related to your business, or a name that tells your audience what you sell just by reading the website name.
After you have decided on the name of your website, the next is to purchase a domain name. You can go for domain registrar services like GoDaddy, Bluehost, Google Domains, etc. As you enter your business or website name on the registrar of your choice, the domain will let you know whether your desired name is available or not.
Don’t be upset if you find that your domain name is not available, because your registrar will recommend alternate names. Like, you don’t want another recommendation, you can use other domain names like .net, .co, instead of .com.
2) Choose an eCommerce platform
Choosing an eCommerce platform decides a lot of aspects of your website because this is where your website lives and takes up space.
There are many eCommerce platforms where you can find various features that make it easier for building eCommerce websites, and some are free platforms. WordPress is one of the most popular eCommerce platforms used for free eCommerce websites.
You can also go for dedicated eCommerce or go for free platforms based on your convenience.
3) Dedicated eCommerce platforms
Want a full-fledged eCommerce ready within a short time? Your best bet is a dedicated eCommerce platform. The dedicated platforms provide expandability, along with fast development solutions. It offers various built-in functionality that speeds up the process of website development, like, secure payments, shipping labels, marketing and various other sales support.
Dedicated platforms charge somewhere around $30 per month.
4) Free eCommerce website platforms
Free ecommerce platforms bring eCommerce functionalities but with limitations. They let you sell products or services for free, there is a limit to how many products you can list. Free platforms also have only limited functionalities or features for building stores. Platforms like Ecwid offer up to 10 products for a free listing, but you can also use this platform for listing more items by upgrading to the paid version. Another platform called Free web store provides up to 20 free listings of products.
5) Websites with eCommerce functionalities
Wix and Weebly are two of the popular websites that offer various eCommerce functionalities. If you have a website on one of these sites for promoting your brand, and you are recently considering adding eCommerce functionalities, then you can simply switch to the eCommerce plan.
6) It’s now time for building the website
What will your eCommerce website consist of? As a website owner, you will have to work with a team or individuals to add value to your website. Some of the elements that your website needs are:
7) A logo or visuals on the website
Every business or a brand needs a logo – to which the audience can connect your business. You can either hire a designer for creating the logo for your brand, or use the same logo if you already have one. Other than that, you can also check out Canva for creating a free logo yourself.
8) Product photos, descriptions, and data
Product photos, descriptions and related data are some of the most important parts of developing an eCommerce website. One of the limitations of online shopping is that a potential buyer cannot hold the product in hand, feel the material or can tell its measurement by just seeing a random picture. For that, you must provide multiple pictures of the same product, accurate details and other related data to ensure that your potential buyer knows everything before they buy.
9) Your Story
Don’t write a random story, or keep it all generic in the About Us section. Or worse, don’t avoid keeping one. You have an eCommerce website and have a chance to tell a story to your audience, no matter how small or common it is.
10) Customer service pages
Customer service can be unique to different businesses, and as an eCommerce business owner, you need to provide services that keep your customer happy. Some of the common service that makes you a wholesome business are:
11) Mentioning shipping rates and timelines:
Potential customers like to evaluate both -the timings of when the product will reach them and the price that will be added to the MRP of the product for shipping. Stating the same will help with transparency.
12) Returns and exchanges:
It is common for customers to face situations where they want to return or exchange an order. Clearly state whether you offer returns or exchanges, and if yes, who will pay for those shipping charges.
13) Blog content
Blog contents are often considered indirect marketing and are quite effective albeit taking longer than direct marketing. You can update your website’s blog at a given frequency to increase the rank of your website on the SERPs. Blogs can be shared on your social media profiles also to get better visibility.
14) Set up payment, tax, shipping, and marketing tools
Setting up payment, tax, shipping, etc., is often made easier by eCommerce functionalities. Platforms like Shopify offer full-fledged eCommerce functionalities that have built-in tax calculations, payment processing, shipping labels, and even various advertising tools.
15) Payment processing and tax table setup
With plug-and-play integration along with popular payment services like Stripe or PayPal, all eCommerce website platforms are feature-rich in terms of payment processing. Some platforms have their own payment solution, like Shopify, which has Shopify Payments. All you have to do is connect your account to the payment processing and you will be connected.
16) Shipping setup
Integrating shipping software with your eCommerce platform makes it easier to speed up your order fulfilment. From shipping methods to shipping labels, this functionality makes everything easier.
17)Test before the launch of eCommerce website
As you reach the last stage of your eCommerce development, tests before launching are very important to all kinds of websites. Although not every website goes through the same kind of tests.
ecommerce companies allow test ordering features where you can test the whole process of ordering but doesn’t charge you in the payment process. This testing process will eventually help you find bugs if any, and assure you that your site is ready for launch.
After launching, it’s all about marketing your brand and listing your business in Google My Business to speed up the process of getting online sales. Many social media ads and Google Adwords ads can help your eCommerce website get the visibility it requires.
Conclusion
While it is true that you might not have all the technical skills that will be required to fully build an eCommerce website, a little patience and some effort could change the whole game. Learning materials are all available to learn – all you need is some effort and an ecommerce development company like Sunsys Technologies. hope this guide for “how to develop an ecommerce website-complete guide” gave better understanding to develop your online store.
