How to create an online store

It is said that e-commerce is the future, but the truth is that, in the present, it is already a very significant sales channel for many companies. At a time when more and more people are shopping online - and they love to do so! - it might be good to consider setting up an online store, especially since they have no opening hours and promote internationalization.

Even so, there are certain elements to consider before creating an online store because each business is different and has its own audience. To help you, we suggest a step-by-step regarding the creation of the perfect e-commerce for your business:

Take your market and target into account.

Before investing in an online store, it is important to answer some questions to help you understand if it fits the business you run. Does your target audience usually shop on the internet or does it insist of buying in physical stores? Does the product you are selling requires physical contact prior to the acquisition/order (for example, a perfume or a liquid base) or, on the other hand, is that not an impediment? Do your competitors have online stores? These questions are a good starting point for an analysis of the market and the segment in which the product/business fits.

Choose domain that is easily associated and register it.

The ideal is to have only the company/brand name in the URL of your website (the link/address), and finish it with .com or the domain of your country (for example .us or .pt) so that the public can easily access it (and recommend it to friends in a conversation).

If the name you want is no longer available, test with a hyphen or include a word that customers associate with the brand. You can consult the availability of the domain you want HERE (in the Portuguese case), and if it is free you can register it immediately. Every year, it will be necessary to renew it so that it is not withdrawn and registered by someone else.

Choose the platform.

There are several platforms where you can create a properly customized e-commerce in just a few steps. However, it is best to do a research and compare them to understand which tools they provide, which are the simplest to manage and which will be able to keep up with the business growth.

The best e-commerce will be developed especially for you, according to your business, the products you wish to sell, the pages you want to include and the possible expansion of the features presented to the customer and the store administrators.

At BloomIdea, we develop stores tailored for each business, so that there are no limitations and the future is simpler. Contact us and find out how we can help!

Create a responsive store.

Regardless of the type of store or website you want to create, it is important that the browsing and/or purchasing experience is pleasant on any screen. This is a strategy for customer loyalty and to increase sales, since this way you will not be limiting the public to the group of people who shop on a particular device. Having a version for computer and one adapted to smartphone or tablet is crucial these days.

Define the payment methods.

The preferable payment methods for customers vary according to the audience that you intended to attract. There are many methods available in national and international stores, such as credit card (VISA, MasterCard, etc.) and PayPal.

It is important to understand which method is the most appropriate for each case. In the case of companies that sell nationally and internationally, it is usual to integrate with different methods: ATM reference, MB Way, PayPal and credit card. If you think it is appropriate, you can even choose payment on delivery, and the customer pays when the order is delivered.

Define the shipping methods.

Will there be shipping fees or not? Will this vary according to the value? It is important to determine and convey this information, and offering shipping fees is often a decisive factor in the order - this way, the customer is only paying for the product and does not question the possibility of ordering online instead of going to a physical store.

Display good content.

Not just mere photographs and descriptions, we are talking about content that determines whether or not the customer makes the order and finishes the purchase. In the absence of being able to see the product with its own eyes, the picture is ultimately decisive for the customer - the product must be well-presented, according to the concept of the brand.

There are several kinds of product photographies, and in this article we'll help you choose the one that better suits your business.

Automate the e-mails.

It is important to be in constant contact with the customer. This increases brand awareness and creates reliance on your brand. Order and payment confirmation or shipping e-mails are essential in that they rest easy on the customer for the purchase he made. After all, the relationship with the customer is the most important thing, right?