SKEMA Digital Marketing

How to create your own e-commerce website?

It is a very important question for me, because I am working since January 2017 on a huge online retails project in France. My partners and I are willing to launch an e-commerce website specialized in sport accessorizes and sports connected objects.

Between the moment you start thinking about the website and the moment you open it to public, time could be very long. That is why I will give you 7 simple steps to build an e-commerce website.

Step 1: Choose your e-commerce website domain

Having a customized domain is very important when you have an e-commerce website. A customized domain allows you to:

-        Have a brand that is way more recognizable from your competitors

-       Create a professional email address with your domain, so people feel more confident

-       Improve your website search engine optimization

Step 2: Choose the right platform

It is one of the most important part of the project. You should use a platform that is reactive and are making updates regularly. Here are some examples: woocommerce, shopify, wizishop. If you are running a small business, you should better use a platform that could fit easily with your existing site or allow you to set up a site from scratch in a few steps.

Step 3 : Design your store

You should define your visual identity charter and a user manual of utilization of your visual identity. How do you want your website to look like?

You should also create a logo that should be link with the activity and services you will propose onto your website.

Then you’d need to be more technical and made the home page, product page and the purchase tunnel design.

Make sure to choose a theme that represents your brand and allows you to promote your products in the best way as possible.

You should also include an about page that give some information about the company history. It is very important to create a trust relationship with your potential customers. Give also your contact if the customers when to have some details on a product or on delivery policy of your company…

Step 4: Set up payments

How your customers are going to pay you and how you are going to get those payments into your own bank account?

You should find a third party that could manage all the payments part of your e-commerce.

Nowadays we have many solutions for that like paypal, Mangopay, Hipay… You could also ask your bank is they offer an electronic payment terminal, to plug it into your website. Make sure that it offers the 3D secure system that is a guarantee that payments are secured.

Step 5 : Add products

-       Choose the products that you want to sell online and give descriptions about it. Make sure to put some pictures or videos to show the products to the customers.

-       Set a price and pay attention to your stocks. If you are out of stock it is very important to directly prevent your customer by quoting it on your e-commerce near the object.

Step 6: Test the checkout

TEST IT. Make sure that all parts of your website are working properly before giving access to customers. Do as if you were a customer and try different options that you propose on your site to make sure that they are working well.

Make sure your checkout works on tablet and smartphones and offer free shipping if you can, or be very clear about shipping costs upfront before customers get to the checkout.

Step 7 : Look after SEO and analytics

Search Engine Optimization is one of the most important thing you need to focus on.

It is the way that people will find your products and service online among all your competitors that are already online. This will help you monitor site and product pages, so you can improve them for more sales, reach and effectiveness.

https://founderu.selz.com/7-steps-creating-ecommerce-website-store-pro/

Victor Huyghues Despointes and Axel Girard