Table of Contents Hide
1 (1/5) Find an idea for running an online store
2 (2/5) Check out your competition
3 (3/5) Choose a domain for your online store
4 (4/5) Choose hosting for your online store
5 (5/5) Choose a platform to run an online store
6 Where to start when creating an online store? Time to sum it up!
The e-commerce industry is developing at an impressive pace. More and more online stores are opening every year. Many people decide to take this step because an online store can be opened with little effort and money.
Modern technological solutions make it possible for anyone to fulfill their dream of running their own online store, regardless of their IT knowledge.
Are you planning to enter the e-commerce industry and set up saint vincent and the grenadines business email list your online store, but you don't know where to start? We suggest what are the most important steps you should take to launch an online store.
(1/5) Find an idea for running an online store
First, you need to have an idea of what you will sell. In an online store, we can sell tangible products, services, and virtual products such as e-books or online training.
If you are most interested in the latter option, check out our online course on how to use OBS and record training materials!
You can approach the assortment in your store in two ways. It is worth thinking about what is important to you and what you know. It is good to sell something that you identify with. Analyze your interests and experience. The second option is to sell what is currently popular and follow the latest trends.
(2/5) Check out your competition
Remember, however, that knowledge and hobbies are not everything. To run a business, you also need to check what kind of competition you have. This will allow you to adapt your offer to the market requirements. A good idea is to check the websites of companies that are our competitors and analyze which elements we like and which ones do not appeal to us at all. This applies to both the functionality of the website and the assortment. After such an analysis, you will have a preliminary picture of what you want your online store to look like.
(3/5) Choose a domain for your online store
Your domain name is often the first thing potential customers see. Your domain should be the same as your brand name. This will help maintain consistency and make it easy for customers to find your site.
Remember that the name should be easy to remember and write. It is very important that it arouses interest and increases traffic to the site. Do not choose a domain that is very similar to another. In this case, Google may display the competitor's site instead of yours.
(4/5) Choose hosting for your online store
If you want your online store to be your own, you need to buy hosting so that users can shop there. The quality of hosting determines how fast your online store will work and how many customers it can handle at the same time. When you install your store on the right server, it will ensure its fast and stable operation. If you need help with this, write to us and we will help you choose the most beneficial hosting or server. WARNING - do not buy the first domain on the most popular sites that pop up in your ads when you see the word "hosting", you will overpay unnecessarily!
Check out the Ambitious WordPress Hosting offer .
(5/5) Choose a platform to run an online store
The most important decision to make when setting up an online store is choosing the platform on which you will run it. The platform is like the heart of your store. Platforms can be divided into open ones, which include WordPress, Prestashop and subscription-based ones such as Shoplo and Shoper . We have created a comparison of these platforms, you can read it by clicking on the store names above.
Which platform to choose? The best rated platform is definitely WordPress. It is a free, open platform that, when combined with the Woocommerce extension, is the best tool for managing online sales. WordPress is flexible and allows you to customize your store to your needs and, above all, FREE.
Beware of subscription platforms! These are online store portals where you get the opportunity to start selling after purchasing a subscription. The fees on such portals are usually not high, which can be a tempting offer. Remember, however, that you have to pay the subscription fees every month even if your store does not make money. Another big disadvantage is that subscription stores will not be tailored exactly to your brand and needs. A store placed on such a platform will not be your property!
