It’s estimated that 2.14 billion people worldwide purchased services or goods online in 2021, and that number is only going to increase in the following years. One thing this number shows is that eCommerce is on the rise and many brick-and-mortar stores will soon be replaced with online stores.
Starting an eCommerce business can be extremely profitable, but a lot of entrepreneurs believe they can never compete with online retail giants such as Amazon. Nonetheless, you shouldn’t let your fear hold you back. If you play your cards right, you can get your small eCommerce business off the ground.
Create a detailed business plan
When starting any type of business, you should create a detailed business plan. This document provides you with structure and a guidebook on how to run your business and make it profitable.
You should start your business plan with a summary in which you will cover everything that is described in the plan.
Then follow the summary with these elements:
- Company introduction. Describe in detail what your business does and what your business model is. Detail what problems your products solve, and include your mission statement.
- Market research. Conduct research on your competitors and ideal customers, describing everything you know about them in this section.
- Company structure. State the legal structure of your company, the name of the person in charge, and an organizational chart of all of your employees and their roles.
- Products and/or services. Describe the products and/or services you sell. This will include what you’re selling, how much you plan to charge, who your manufacturers are, and your plans for order fulfillment.
- Marketing strategy. List all of the KPIs you will be tracking and the marketing strategies you’re planning to implement to achieve your goals.
- Finances. Detail how you plan to finance your business, whether it be crowdfunding, a line of credit, or other alternative options. And also, list your expected costs as well as revenue projections.
A business plan may not be fun to write, but it’s necessary. If you want to make the process easier, you can use an eCommerce business plan template and ensure you included all of the most important information.
Focus on customer service
Across the globe, 96% of consumers say customer service is an important factor in their choice of loyalty to a brand. And while all types of businesses need to have excellent customer service, it’s a crucial element of any good online business.
Here are a few customer service tips that could help you:
- Use multiple communication channels. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to customer service communication channels. Every customer is comfortable with a different communication channel. If you want to provide them with amazing service, you need to include as many of them as possible.
- Allow for self-service. Not everyone will want to talk to your support team. Some customers prefer to find the answer or solution they’re looking for by themselves. This is why you need a good self-service portal that’s full of useful information, such as a knowledge base.
- Have quick response times. One of the reasons why consumers love eCommerce is because it’s fast and efficient. They will expect that same speed and efficiency from your customer service.
Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. If you truly want to provide amazing customer service, you need to use customer service software and let automation do most of the hard work.
Don’t forget about product filtering
When consumers are shopping online, they want to find what they’re looking for with as little effort as possible. Shopping shouldn’t be seen as a chore, which is why it would be best to include as many product filters as you can.
Product filters allow for a quick and easy shopping experience. When customers know exactly what they want, it is simple for them to find the ideal product or service.
This is especially important in fashion eCommerce where customers need to find the right size, color, style, and design. Make it easy for your customers and don’t let their experience on your website be frustrating. And don’t forget to include a search option.
Make your website appealing
Last, but certainly not least, we need to talk about the importance of your website. At the very core, an eCommerce website is like a storefront. Just like a brick-and-mortar store tries to be appealing, you need to do the same.
Easy and effortless product search is just one element of a good eCommerce website.
Here are some additional considerations:
- Keep your homepage clean and clutter-free.
- Don’t install any annoying and distracting pop-ups.
- Make sure the navigation is straightforward and easy to use.
- Have clear descriptions on all of your product pages.
- Include professional photographs for all your products.
- Make sure your CTA buttons are visible.
Finally, don’t forget how important it is to maintain your website. If you never had a website before, you should check out website maintenance for beginners so you know what you’re doing.
Final thoughts
Currently, there are millions of eCommerce stores online, but not a lot of them have what it takes to achieve success. If you know what to do to get your business off the ground and start selling your products online, you will soon become a successful small eCommerce retailer.
