Getting started with eCommerce

Not everyone who gets their business online makes money from eCommerce. So before you commit to the expense of getting an eCommerce Website built it’s worth thinking through exactly how and why your online business is going to thrive and be profitable.

Questions I should ask myself...

1. Do I have the time to commit to my new online store?
    

   Just like a bricks and mortar store, to make money from eCommerce you have to commit time and retailing knowhow to drive customers to your site and entice them to buy. If you’re already flat out running your exiting high street shop and you have no plans to hire any more help, then maybe eCommerce is the wrong option for you.
    

2. What is different or (better still) unique about my store and/or the products I’m going to sell?
    

   If you sell the same branded products as a number of other stores, then to sell online you will inevitably end up having to compete on price.
    

   On the other hand if you are selling products, for example handmade jewellery, that customers can’t scour the Internet for the lowest price for an identical branded item, then you'll be in a strong position to attract and convert prospective buyers.
    

3. How will I attract visitors to my online store?
    

   If nobody visits your Website, however unique and compelling your products are, nobody will buy them. So you have to be confident that you will be able to attract sufficient buyers to your Website to meet revenue expectations.
    

   Don’t believe everything people tell you about search engine optimisation (SEO) and how they’ll get your Website on the first page of the Google rankings. To get on the first page of the Google search results for typical retail products is hard and can take months. You have to think very carefully about your positioning as a business – what is your compelling offer and why should people buy from you rather than others?
    

   Don’t expect to rely exclusively on people finding your Website using Google searches. You may have to leverage social networking – have a blog, a Facebook page, and perhaps use Twitter – and join other online groups to start getting referrals to your Website from other sites. For many online stores, conventional print advertsing and editorial in local papers and magazines will be important in generating Website traffic.
    

4. Am I geared up to ship products and handle returns?
    

   Obviously online retailing involves shipping products, dealing with queries on the telephone and via email, and accepting and processing a higher level of returns in comparison to a high street shop. Are you geared up to do this, make a profit and still get some sleep each night?!

Talking your ideas through

If you have positive answers to the critical questions posed above, the next step is to talk your ideas through with one of our eCommerce professionals. This initial discussion is FREE and there’s no obligation to move forward with YourStore™.
 

We’ll give you an ‘unvarnished’ view of what you’re looking to do and the approach you’d like to take. Your success is our success so if we think something won’t work we’ll let you know (politely!). At the end of this discussion we’ll talk through the YourStore Design Packages and agree with you which one would best meet your needs.
 

You then decide whether you want to go ahead in your own time.

Designing your eCommerce Website

When you give us the go ahead, one of our experienced eCommerce Website design professionals will get in touch to start working with you - to create the right graphical look for your particular business, and develop a logical Website structure that customers will find easy to understand and browse.

We’ll work through the functional elements you want to include on your home page and how they should be laid out. We’ll discuss the options for your main product pages and how they will appear and we’ll give you guidance on how to categorise your products.
 

We’ll then present the completed design to you for your feedback, updates and final approval.
 

If you want help with the critical issue of getting you Website high in the search engine rankings we have a design option to do that for you. To find out more click search engine optimisation.
 

At this point we’ll discuss with you the right hosting and technical support package for your business and you’ll choose the option that best suits your needs.

Setting up and going live

Once you’ve signed-off the design, we create your Website on the YourStore eCommerce platform and let you try it out online. Loading up you initial product inventory (from a spreadsheet you complete for us) and doing the initial set up of items such as VAT rates, shipping charges and product custom fields is included in the price.

Hosting and ongoing support

When you’re checked that everything is loaded and ready to go, your Website will go live under the hosting and support package you’ve chosen. We’ll keep your online store running 24 x 7 backing up your data automatically every 15 minutes to ensure maximum resilience for your online business.
 

We’ll also answer your technical queries and respond to any issues you encounter. Training in the use of the YourStore Retailer User Interface™ is included.

Growing your revenues

However, creating a great looking Website that runs reliably and makes it easy for customers to browse and buy is just the start. We are committed to helping you grow your online revenues and offer a range of services from Google Shopping optimisation to conventional marketing to drive more visitors to your Website.
 

We want to build long term relationships with our customers by adding value to their business long after their online store goes live.