Is it time to branch out on your own? Are you ready to give up your day job and work as your own boss? Owning your own business offers several perks. You’re are in control, you can sell what you love and you dictate the rules. For many, that is truly appealing. In fact, nowadays, you don’t even need your own box store. Running your business can occur online, offering you the opportunity to work out of your house, any time of day. If this sounds appealing, here are six things to consider when creating an online store.
#1. Explore Your Interests
As you strike out on your own, make this venture something you want. After all, you’ll need to devote time and effort into getting this business off the ground. Select a product line or concept that matches your own desires or passions. Do you love promoting healthy living? Then consider an online vitamin or exercise product store. Do you have an interest in children? Start a site that sells fun, unique educational toys. Whatever the interest, make this project a personal journey of enjoyment.
#2. Pick a Name That Sells
With a concept set in stone, start finding a domain name that grabs attention. Not a catchy, whimsical person? Then, go online, and find an engine for shop name ideas. This is really an important step. You want customers to easily remember it and connect it to what you sell. As you consider suggestions, think about several qualities. Is it clear? Is it striking? Is it short?
#3. Find a Niche
In a busy marketplace, you need to find something people need or something you can do better. These little standouts pull in business, making sales more likely. Customers often desire deals, hard to find services or unique products, so get out your business plan and start researching. How can your items make life easier? Is your design more functional? Is your cost better? Are you able to handle warranties and customer service in a timely fashion? Give yourself a leg up by envisioning your market’s needs and finding a way to match them.
#4. Make It Easy to Navigate
When people buy online, they often do it for several reasons: saving time and locating a hard to find product. Most likely, customers don’t want to sift through your page searching for the desired item; therefore, hire someone to establish a simple, visually appealing and easy to navigate page. Take a children’s toy, for example. Someone could easily jump on a large stores webpage and locate it through a search box. Is yours that simple as well? If not, you have a problem. Searches that take up more than a few minutes could turn people off from your site.
#5. Keep It Secure
Remember that many consumers are willing to buy online if they feel that their credit card information is protected. Invest in a company that offers protection or link an online site such as PayPal or Venmo. Using reputable names might encourage people to feel okay trying a new business.
#6. Obtain Traffic
The online world is fraught with sites and stores, you’ll need to stand out and be early in a search. Consider using affiliate marketing. When people read about something, they may just click on your link and purchase something. Another avenue is using SEO articles to bring people to your store. By having your company as a link in articles, you could increase traffic to your page.
Plunge into entrepreneurship, and enjoy having more control. It might not be easy, but hopefully, you’ll find happiness and success as you tackle something you love.
[…] prevent any future business from suffering, we have drafted a universal method of successfully setting up an online store. Although you may have to make individual choices in each step (specific to the niche of your […]
[…] According to recent studies, every $1 lost in direct eCommerce fraud can end up costing companies more than $2 in additional expenses.¹ These extra costs largely stem from the time and money invested in disputing fraudulent charges. They also include damages from lost consumer confidence (i.e., customers who will likely not continue to patron your online business). […]