If you want to sell online, you probably asked yourself What create an online store. Choosing the right platform is easier than you think. In addition, you can make shipments to any part of the country, accept payments with cards or cash deposits and promote your products on social networks.
Entrepreneurship is an adventure. In this guide you will discover, step by step, how to create an online store: an essential element in your sales strategy if you have a business (or are planning to have it soon).
You may be wondering: Why have an online store? For all! From creating and consolidating your brand and increasing your sales, to reaching new potential customers beyond your geographical limits, and much more!
According to a study prepared by the Argentine Chamber of Electronic Commerce (CACE), called the “Annual Study of Electronic Commerce”, in 2021, 684,459 new buyers were registered in online sales.
This means that some 20,742,665 users chose the Internet to purchase products and hire services.
Do you need more reasons to convince yourself why you should have an online store?
We know that taking the big leap to an online sales channel can generate doubts and perhaps some fears. That is why we want to accompany you step by step in this process, so that you can create an online store tailored to your business.
What is it an online shop?
Also known as On-line shop either Online storeis about a that allows visitors to browse through a catalog of products, add them to their cart and purchase at the time they decide, but under certain conditions or policies of the website. It also has benefits such as the following:
- Your merchandise can reach different provinces or even anywhere in the world!
- Your catalog will be available 24/7 wherever your customers are.
- The fixed costs of having an online store are less than those of a physical location.
- You can personalize the experience of the buyers.
Well, now that we are clear about the benefits of selling online, it is time to move on to our 10 step guide to creating an online store. Let’s go!
1. Find your niche
First of all, start by defining your niche: what are you going to sell? If you already have an established brand or have a stock of products or services to offer, then you can skip this first step.
Still not clear? Don’t worry!
We recommend brainstorming. Explore in detail the options that already exist in the market and what people want to buyThis will make it easier for you to find a niche where you can be successful.
Do not limit yourself! And remember that the more ideas you have, the more chances you have to find the winner.
popular niches
Do you need a little inspiration to make an online store? Here are some popular niche ideas:
- Natural cosmetics. Depending on the context, the term “natural” can refer to products made with vegan formulas, free of animal cruelty and/or zero waste.
- specialty foods. Products to meet the needs of those who follow special diets are trending. For example: gluten-free foods, lactose-free, ketoplant-based, etc.
- Products vintage. It is no coincidence that the most popular series and movies of the moment are located in other decades. Whether you want to sell items from the ’80s, very much in the style of stranger thingsor from the ’60s, as in queen’s gambitretro products make up a very popular niche.
- Home Office. This trend is here to stay! Having a comfortable and equipped space has become mandatory for thousands of people in the world.
- Eco-friendly products. Climate change is a reality and more and more people are deciding to change their habits to help the planet. Therefore, reusable, waste-free or recycled everyday products are a safe bet.
- Meal plans. Offering pre-planned menus —either ready-to-eat or ready-to-cook— is a natural alternative for those looking to take care of their diet.
Do you already have some ideas? Super! Take the time to ground them, analyze the pros and cons, and define them in detail. Meanwhile, let’s move on to the second step of this guide, which is very important if your business is serious:
2. Regularize your company
Like any offline business, a brand that sells online must comply with certain legal obligations. The purpose is to be able to grow and develop in every way.
We recommend you consult with an expert to regularize your business before starting operationsthat will avoid many problems in the future and open up a world of opportunities.
Registering your brand with the National Institute of Industrial Property (), and registering it with the Federal Public Revenue Administration (), to pay the corresponding taxes and be able to generate invoices, are some of the steps you must follow to regularize and give it the seriousness that your business deserves.
To have a well-established company will also help you convey greater confidence in your customers and, even, it could facilitate your participation in initiatives, contests and credits for entrepreneurs.
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With the right advice, these procedures will not take much time. Let’s continue with an essential part for your business: knowing and understanding your clientele.
To do this, you have to review some marketing concepts that you may already know.
3. Study your customers (and your competition)
The better you know your buyers, the easier it will be for them to attract their attention and convince them to make a purchase. To get to know them, we recommend you create a buyer person: an archetype that represents that ideal client where you would like to get to. Build it by answering the following questions:
- Where you live?
- Where and what does he work?
- What tools and products do you use in your day to day life?
- What do you like to eat?
- How much money do you invest in brands like yours?
These are just a few ideas. The more specific the questions are and the more focused they are on your business niche, the better defined your .
Subsequently, create and research in depth the keywords that your potential customers are using to buy products like the ones you are going to sell.
Studying what your competition does (and what they don’t do) is also a key step in this stage.to find areas of opportunity.
Don’t forget to document each finding to understand how you are going to meet their needs and wants, both in the products you offer and in the way you communicate your brand.
4. Create your store
Now that you managed to define some operational details,it’s time to create your online store! Like any website, such as: a name, a product catalog, a shopping cart, an address (domain) and cloud hosting (known as ).
For open an online storeyou have different options: the first is to create it with an e-commerce platform. It is a software system with which you can create your own store, without the need for technical knowledge.
In addition to this, you have to pay a monthly fee to get access to all the tools and integrations you need to manage your sales.
Tiendanube, for example, is one that allows you to create your store, customize it and start selling in a matter of minutes! To check it out, we invite you to !
Create your online store for free!
While the second option is to create it from scratch with the help of a professional or an agency specialized in creating online stores.
In this way, your e-commerce will be made to measure, although you must and it may take several months of work until you can start selling.
We have a complete guide in which we explain everything about e-commerce platforms. In addition, we help you to know what you should take into account when choosing the best one for your business.
We are already halfway through this guide! Now we are going to talk about business, a fundamental topic.
5. I defined the business model
You have already chosen your niche, you are clear about the products you are going to sell and where you are going to sell them. Now is the time to define a business model.
There are currently two main models: the traditional one (where you store the products) and the one (the supplier sends the products directly to the customers of your online store).
In the first case, the advantages are: shorter shipping time and knowledge of your inventory (how many pieces are available, for example); and the disadvantages: a higher financial investment and the need for space to store.
With the drop shipping, the benefits are: the variety of merchandise and mobility (being able to work from anywhere, since you do not depend on a stock); and the negatives: customs barriers (since the suppliers are usually from abroad) and less income.
If both business models seem interesting to you, we suggest you make a list of pros and cons of each one. Take into account factors such as cost, delivery times, quality, payment terms, etc.
Organize the logistics
Whether you prefer to sell with a traditional business model, or decide to experiment with the drop shippingIt is important that you define logistics very well. This will help you avoid errors and delays in your sales.
Next, we share a list of questions that you can ask yourself to define the logistics of your online store. By answering them in detail, you will have a clearer view of each part of the process.
- Are you the producer of the items that will be part of your catalog?
- Do you depend on external providers?
- Do you have a limited inventory?
- Where are the products you are going to sell stored?
- Who is going to be in charge of reviewing orders, payments and the status of shipments?
- How long would it take you to prepare and pack an order to ship it?
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6. Personalize your store
The design of your online store goes far beyond the visual part. It also involves how the merchandise is organized, if it is distributed in categories and subcategories; even the texts and navigation are part of the design in its UX (user experience) and UI (user interaction) branches.
Customizing your online store will give your brand visibility and will also go a long way in attracting new visitors and driving them to make a purchase; therefore, at this stage also It is vitally important that you have your ideal client in mind.
One option to get a design tailored to your business is to hire a web design and development team. However, we know that there is not always a budget to do it (especially in the early stages of a venture).
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