Did you hear about the entrepreneurs who launched an eCommerce business selling honey infused with chili flakes? Within 10 months, these newbies reeled in an impressive $170,000 in sales.
Do success stories like have you dreaming of starting a business yourself? Why not give it a try? There are so many great eCommerce business ideas to choose from!
Of course, running a business is easier said than done. Here are four tips to set up your eCommerce store for success.
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1. Choose Your Niche
When you do research on sites like growthbysabir.com, you’ll learn that overnight success stories are not impossible, but they are rare. You may have to try a few different products or marketing plans before you find what resonates with your audience.
You’ll have the best chance of success by narrowing in on a niche you’re already familiar with. It doesn’t matter if it’s yoga, jewelry, tech gadgets, or garden supplies — if you’re passionate about it, you’ll stick with it.
Of course, before you set your heart on a very narrow niche, make sure there’s enough demand for it. You may love those oversized purple giraffe earrings, but will you realistically sell millions of them to customers? Do some keyword research to see how many products, sites, and ads already exist.
2. Differentiate Your eCommerce Business
So, you want to sell jewelry? There are already thousands of entrepreneurs doing the same thing online, so how will you set yourself (and your brand) apart?
Using our earlier example, maybe you can specialize in giraffe jewelry. Or maybe you can source and sell only jewelry that’s purple. Again, do plenty of research to see what’s already popular and how you can tap into your target market.
3. Create a Killer Website
Nothing will make visitors bounce faster than a poorly designed site with dim, blurry product photos. A professional website is a must if you want to run a successful eCommerce business.
Sites like Shopify, Weebly, and SquareSpace make it easy to create an attractive, functional store with just a few clicks. Choose the template and colors you like, then fill your virtual “shelves” with your chosen products.
Make sure your product photos are clear and well-lit, with non-distracting backgrounds. If your budget allows, invest in professional product photos and a professionally designed website. The extra effort will be worth it!
4. Drive Traffic to Your Store
Now that you’ve launched your new eCommerce business, it’s time to get the word out. Find out where your target audience spends the most time online, whether that’s Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or other platforms.
Next, create compelling ads that showcase your products and what makes your brand unique. Focus on running ads on one platform at a time and closely track the results. If the sales aren’t coming from Instagram, switch to Google or Facebook and try again.
Don’t overlook the long-term value of organic traffic, either. Add a blog to your website and make sure every page is SEO-optimized for search results. This will help drive traffic even when your paid ads run out.
How to Start an eCommerce Business: Now You Know
The best online companies come from solid eCommerce business plans. Use the tips outlined above to help create, launch, and grow your new eCommerce business!
Need more advice for starting a business or running a business? Our site has all the information you need, so stay right here and keep browsing!