Creating a new ecommerce store is no longer an arduous task, as the processes to bring a store online have become more streamlined.
You now have a variety of ecommerce out-of-the-box web builders pre-built with store pages, user login areas, payment systems, and promotional options. In most cases all you need to do is add your brand’s logo, upload your items on relevant pages, add a description, photo, and then set your price—you are ready to go!
Although the process is easier than ever before, there is still a list of important prerequisites you need to research and implement before you launch your new site and create a new buzz in your chosen marketplace.
1. Choosing the right ecommerce website builder
Most pre-packaged ecommerce stores are brilliant to put it simply. The architecture behind them is so good that even the lesser tech savvy of us out there can figure out how to create a fully operational store. However, that does not mean to say that you should just go out there and pick the first one you like the look of. And there are some good reasons why you need to choose the right one for your ecommerce project you need to take heed of.
Although many ecommerce web builders are easy to set up, you may find that some features are not free. You should compare ecommerce platforms, use demos available, and take a close look at the monthly costs versus free tools that come with the package.
The best ecommerce website builders, like Wix for example, offer free web hosting, 24/7 support, domain security via 128-bit SSL encryption HTTPS, and you can get a personalized business email with a custom domain name. You can even use the Wix business name generator and once you are happy with the name, you can then choose your domain name.
Other sites may not offer the little things that matter, and save you time, which just complicates things and adds additional costs. Therefore, in the case of Wix, you are getting an all-in-one solution under one roof.
2. Create Social Media Profiles
Social media is not just a way to promote your site, but it is also a way to build a brand presence. As long as you offer a top-quality service, you should get great reviews, and it also gives you a chance to connect personally with your customers via the comments section and personal messenger tools.
Another reason social media is important is because each platform helps you to connect with different audience types, i.e., personalities, demographics, and those with varying buyer behaviors. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest all have unique audiences and statistics.
“Did you know? Shopping is a top priority for 48% of Pinterest users and Pinterest is most popular with women—especially moms (Source: blog.hootsuite.com)”
It is these crucial facts about certain social media platforms that will determine whether your ecommerce product will fit or attract those using these platforms!
3. Use Consistent Marketing Messages
Marketing is a strange game, and for those new to it, rookie mistakes are inevitable no matter how much you read up on the subject. That is, unless you have a marketing degree or experience in the field.
Now marketing a product all seems straightforward, and in many respects it is. You are selling a product; it has unique selling points, and you need to highlight them. However, here is where it gets tricky causing your business to trip even when they have the best intentions in mind.
Today we have little choice but to use multiple advertising and social media platforms. The problem is that messages across these platforms often get mixed up. Even large corporations are still guilty of sending out different brand/marketing messages across their digital and offline marketing platforms. By doing so, this only serves to confuse customers and tarnish your brand reputation.
Therefore, the message here is clear—always remain consistent across every platform you use to project your brand name, be it Facebook, Google Ads, guest post blogging, or offline magazine/newspaper ads. And more importantly, ensure these messages match exactly what your website ‘says’, ‘displays’, and ‘offers’.
4. Customer Support
The very last point to make is probably the most important for long-term success. Yet, we left it until the end because you need to get the above 3 points spot on before your customer services kick into action.
In the past, ecommerce was great. You could set up a store, visitors come, they buy, and you kick back and enjoy the ride as your automated emails and online sales systems do all the hard work for you.
Now while that worked in the past to some extent- having no live support, email support, after care, pre-sales care, and out of business hours support like chat bots used by Cebu Pacific. Without these vital customer care components in place, you could lose your clientele to your competition that have more efficient customer care solutions.
Therefore, make sure you research customer services, how to scale your customer support, and how to reward as well as continue to retain your loyal customers. You should also look at how companies lost their reputation and ended up sinking ships because they implemented poor customer support solutions.