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Creating an ecommerce website is a great way to make money. However, knowing where to begin could be a hassle.
After choosing the right product to sell, creating a logo for your brand and naming your business, it’s time to create an online presence for it.
1. Choose an ecommerce website builder
The first step is to choose an ecommerce website builder such as ecomz, shopify or bigcommerce. Gone are the days when you had to hire a programmer or an agency to build your website. Ecommerce platforms are known for their ease of use, affordability and convenience for building a website.
2. Choose a hosted platform
The next step is to decide whether you want a hosted or self-hosted platform. Hosted platforms are an all-in-one buy and offer easy proprietary software to build your website and the storage space where that site will exist. On the other hand, self-hosted websites provide flexibility and customization. There are fewer restrictions to the changes you can make to layout and design, and you can add any functionality you choose.
3. Get a domain name for your store
The third step is to choose a domain name for your store. You can buy one through ecomz, godaddy, namecheap, etc.. Here are a couple of tips that you should keep in mind: remember to be unique and play with words to stand out from the crowd. Pick the right country code. If you’re selling to international customers, choose a .com domain. Country-specific codes are only suitable if you’re selling to consumers in that country.
4. Pick a template and customize your site
After that, it’s time to pick a theme and customize your site. Your homepage is the first thing your customers see. It creates the impression of the business's overall brand and establishes trust among visitors. Additionally, it helps returning customers stay updated with the latest products and offers.
We’re halfway through this! If you are interested in learning more about this in detail, download our guide and dive into the details of starting your dream store.
5. Add your products
Now that you’ve created a stylish online store using a template, you need to add your products.
When adding a product, make sure to have the following:
- Name
- Description
- Price
- Category and subcategory
- Dimensions
- File
Pro tip: Write winning product descriptions by highlighting the benefits and avoiding slang, complex jargon, and long sentences. Use SEO techniques as this will improve your ranking on Google when customers search for products like yours. Higher ranking will improve traffic to your website and ultimately increase sales.
6. Choose your payment methods
Now it’s time to choose your payment methods so you could ensure flexibility for your customers. There are different types of payment methods available out there. Choosing the right ones for your business lies in carefully understanding how each method works and most importantly, who your target audience is (age, location, tech savviness, etc.).
Here's a list of payment methods that you can use in your ecommerce site:
- Credit and debit cards (MasterCard and Visa)
- Mobile payments
- Bank transfers
- Ewallets
- Prepaid cards
- Cash on delivery (COD)
7. Integrate with payment gateways
How will you get paid? The answer is through a payment gateway. A payment gateway is the middleman between your and your customer, ensuring the transaction is carried out securely and promptly.
There are different types of integration methods:
- Hosted gateway
- Self-hosted payment gateways
- Non-hosted payment gateways
- Local bank integration
8. Configure your shipping settings
Now that you’ve set up your payment methods and payment gateway, it’s time to configure your shipping settings to deliver your products to your customers.
Your website should incorporate different shipping options to ensure utmost flexibility. This can be done by including:
- Custom shipping
- Pick-up from store
- Third-party integrations
For optimal performance, it’s advised to go with a platform that supports international and local shipment and has the following features:
- Shipment manager to fulfill your orders on time.
- Rate calculator to manage and systematize your shipping fees.
- Shipment tracking for better customer satisfaction.
9. Manage your store’s settings
Go to the store settings section of your platform and set your preferences for each of the following: language, currency, timezone, address, store name, contact details, order settings, product settings, features and add-ons.
10. Preview, test and publish
There’s one important step to go before you’ve finished creating your online store: testing.
- Test your checkout
- Have an easy navigation bar and make sure any clickable button or link is working.
- Proofread your content and check all your pictures.
- Have a responsive store on mobile, tablet, desktop and different browsers.
At the end, the future of ecommerce is incredibly bright and there are lots of opportunities to take advantage of. Ecommerce platforms are at the foundation of this shift, undoubtedly disrupting consumerism, empowering entrepreneurship, and creating sustainable ecosystems.
About
Ecomz is an award-winning ecommerce platform driven by a passionate team of experts and innovators in the world of ecommerce and backed by institutional investors such as the World Bank and leading VCs in the region. It is powered by advanced store-builder capabilities, aesthetical CX-focused themes, a comprehensive suite of AI and machine learning-powered tools, in addition to innovative multichannel integrations. It provides its clients with unparalleled local support and guidance focusing on a professional, transparent and growth-driven approach.
Ecomz operates in more than 55 countries, serving more than 7,000 merchants helping them generate over $50M in sales. Named 2018 Top 5 B2B website by Seamless Conference, 2017 Top 10 Business by ArabNet, Ecomz has also been recognized by Google, Disrupt San Francisco (TechCrunch) and MIT Silicon Valley Program for its achievements and has been awarded by the 2018 Touch Innovation Program (TIP) and BLC Bank’s 2018 Brilliant Lebanese Award (BLA).
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