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How to Developing an Ecommerce Website Step-by-Step

Guide to Developing an Ecommerce Website: Everything You Need to 



Guide to Developing an Ecommerce Website


How do you develop an eCommerce website? It’s actually easier than you might think, and the best part is that you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on developing your site when there are plenty of other affordable options that will help you get up and running in no time.


Here’s everything you need to know about developing an eCommerce website, so you can start selling your products online in no time.

Step 1 - Decide On Your Niche



The first step: to creating a successful eCommerce website is deciding on your niche. 


This can be anything from web design services to custom-made jewelry.


 Once you know what you want to sell, you can start building your store.


 Step 2 - Register Your Domain and Hosting: Next, register your domain name and hosting package. 


Make sure to register both at the same time or you may have difficulty transferring your domain to another provider in the future. 


After registering, set up your email account and wait for confirmation of your registration. 


Step 3 - Choose an Ecommerce Platform: Now that you've registered your domain and hosting, it's time to choose which platform will power your site.


 If you are selling physical products then WooCommerce might be the best option for you.


 If you are selling digital products then Shopify might work better for you.


 For sites with low traffic levels (less than 100 orders per month), you might prefer PrestaShop or Magento.


 For sites with medium traffic levels (100 to 10,000 orders per month), Drupal Commerce could be a good option as well as Volusion.


 For sites with high traffic levels (10,000+ orders per month) consider BigCommerce or Magento Enterprise Edition as your best options.



Step 2 - Research Your Niche



Before you start building your eCommerce website, it’s important to research your niche.



 This process will help you:


  •  determine what products you’ll sell,
  •  who your target audience is,
  •  and how to reach them.


 It’s also a good idea to research your competition so you can find a way to differentiate yourself.


 For example, if you're selling children's toys, then look at other websites that offer the same type of toy in order to see what they do differently than you.


  •  Is their product selection more diverse? 
  • Do they have better customer service? 
  • Do they have discounts or sales? 
  • Can you offer free shipping on all orders? 
  • What types of payment methods do you accept?
  •  Are there any additional fees for international customers? 
  • How long does it take for items to ship out after purchase (1-2 days, 1 week)?



Step 3 - Choose The Right Platform



Once you have your domain name and hosting sorted out, it's time to choose the platform you want to use for your eCommerce website. 


There are many different options available, but we recommend Shopify.


 It's easy to use, has plenty of features, and is scalable so you can grow your business as needed. 


Plus, using Shopify will jun reduce the amount of time and money you need to spend on developing and maintaining your website.


 For example, if you're a small clothing retailer with only a few items in stock, then Shopify might be perfect for you.


 However, if you're a fashion brand with hundreds of items in stock and thousands of visitors each day, then you'll probably need something more robust than what Shopify offers.


Step 4 - Naming Your Business



Your business name is important for many reasons. It's how customers will find you online and it will be the first impression potential customers have of your business.


 So it's important to choose a name that is both unique and reflects the type of business you're in. Here are a few tips for choosing the perfect name for your eCommerce business: 


  • 1. Keep it short, simple, and easy to remember. 
  • 2. Don't use numbers or punctuation marks. 
  • 3. Avoid names with words such as Sale or Deals .
  • 4. Try not to include personal information like your last name or favorite hobby .
  • 5. Use common words rather than obscure ones .
  • 6. Research what other businesses are using and avoid conflicts.
  •  7. Make sure the domain name is available .
  • 8. Don't just settle on an idea, keep looking until you find one that works .
  • 9. Stay away from using generic terms.
  •  10. Finally, make sure the URL is available (uniform resource locator)
  • 11. Choosing a Name - Once you've compiled all of these items, see if they work together nicely.
  •  12. When you feel confident that this name is going to work well for your company, purchase the domain and website address.
  •  13. Congratulations! You've chosen a name for your new e-commerce business!



Step 5 - Choosing The Domain Name



The domain name is what customers will type in to find your website.


 It should be short, memorable, and easy to spell.


 Once you've chosen a domain name, you'll need to register it with a domain name registrar.


 Once it's registered, you can point it to your web hosting account and start building your website. 


There are many domain registrars out there; the most popular are:


  •  GoDaddy, 
  • Google Domains,
  •  Namecheap, 
  • Tucows,
  •  and Gandi.

 

Step 6 - Choosing An Ecommerce Platform



Now that you’ve decided which products you’re going to sell, it’s time to choose an eCommerce platform. 


This can be a daunting task because there are so many options available. 


But don’t worry, we’re here to help. 



Here are some things to consider when choosing an eCommerce platform: 


  • -How easy is it to use? 
  • -What kind of support does it offer? 
  • -How much does it cost? -Is the company reputable and well established? 
  • -Does the company have good reviews? 
  • -Does the company have other services like customer service or inventory management to go with your website? 


The best way to find out is by researching and reading customer reviews online or talking with other business owners in your industry who may have experience with certain platforms.


Step 7 - Working With A Freelancer



If you don't have the internal resources to build your eCommerce website, you can work with a freelancer.


When looking for a freelancer, be sure to ask for examples of their previous work and enquire about their process. 


Once you've found a freelancer you'd like to work with, be sure to provide them with clear guidelines and deadlines.


 Communication is key when working with a freelancer, so be sure to touch base often and provide feedback.


 It's also important to keep in mind that hiring a freelancer can come at a higher cost than other strategies - but it may be worth it if you need someone experienced in the field who knows what they're doing.


 Finally, make sure to write up a contract before proceeding so both parties are on the same page and any disputes can be avoided down the line.


Step 8 - What to Sell?



The first step in starting any business is deciding what products or services you will offer. But when it comes to developing an eCommerce website, this decision is even more important.


 Not only do you need to choose products that are popular and in demand, but you also need to make sure they are a good fit for your website.


 Here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing what to sell on your eCommerce website:


1. Do your research: find out what products are popular and in demand.


 2. Find the right supplier:if you're planning to stock up on one specific product, try sourcing from manufacturers rather than wholesalers as these products are often cheaper and of better quality.


3. Make sure your inventory can be delivered quickly: there's nothing worse than waiting weeks for something you've ordered online!


 4. Include customer reviews: customers want to know what other people think about products before they buy them. 

Consider creating a simple customer review widget on your website so visitors can see how other customers have rated and reviewed the items you're selling.

 
5. Select payment options: don't forget about credit cards!

 If customers want to pay with their credit card, make sure you have an online payment option set up so people don't have to enter their credit card information every time they order something from your site.


Step 9 - Designing The Site, or Hiring Someone To Do It For You?



If you're not a web designer, now is the time to either learn how to design your site or hire someone to do it for you. 


A great-looking site is essential for making sales and keeping customers coming back, so don't skimp on this step! Here are a few things to keep in mind as you design your site: 


  • Your site should be easy to navigate and have a logical flow. 
  • Customers should be able to find what they're looking for easily, without getting frustrated. 
  • Your navigation bar should be set up in such a way that people can access all of your products from one page, or from any page. 
  •  visitors shouldn't have to click through six pages before they get to where they want to go. 
  • Navigation bars at the top of each page will also save your customers precious time!
  •  Be sure to include links on these bars that allow customers to browse by category, size, color, price range, etc. 
  • Give them everything they need with just a few clicks of their mouse!



 Another important aspect of website design is ensuring that your contact information is always visible to your visitor. Whether it's located at the bottom of every page or in your footer (the area below all of the content), you need to make sure that people know how to contact you if necessary.