Your All-Encompassing Guide to Starting an Online Store, The wide world of e-commerce awaits today’s entrepreneur, but the first step in internet sales is actually setting up a digital storefront. It may seem daunting, but taking it step by step ensures you’ll have a more than manageable time building an online store.

What to consider before starting an online store

Like any project, you need to lay a good foundation before you start building.

1. Is your brand cohesive?

Brand cohesion will be a big part of your online store. Just as you want all of your digital marketing channels to be aligned, you need to keep that same brand, tone, and visual consistency in your store, too.

Your brand should be especially synced up in your store so customers have a smooth and professional shopping experience.

2. Do you have a niche?

Before jumping into selling in what may be a crowded market, do your research, and make sure you’re able to enter the market as more than a forgettable retailer that fades into white noise. All the e-commerce marketing in the world will be in vain if you don’t have a unique offering.

3. Do you have a customer base?

Opening an online store takes a lot of time (and financial) investment, so before you run headlong into it, test the waters on a smaller scale. Gauge interest, dabble in online marketplaces, and then when you’re ready to take a step up from Etsy alternatives, begin your store-building in earnest.

Already having people in your sales pipeline will make launching your store less of a risk and offer more of a return.

How to set up and build an online store

From square one to going live, build your store one step at a time.

Step 1: Make a marketing plan

Before you even begin building a store, you need to get your marketing and business plans in place. This will dictate the whole process and choices for building your store.

Will you be seeking outside funding? What marketing will you prioritize? Will you be employing people to help run your store? What are your production costs?

Tips for making a marketing plan:

Keep in mind some specifics about your soon-to-be store when planning.

• Plan ahead: Your plan should also include provisions for the launch, so focus on stuff beyond the numbers, such as prioritizing customer service skills so your clients will feel welcomed.
• Know your strengths: Make sure you’re comfortable with the skills needed to build a store, or consider if it would be a better investment in the long run for you to hire a developer (which will affect your choices in step 2).

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