Starting an e-Commerce Business that Succeeds in Today’s Current Climate

Today, online shopping is more popular than ever before, and more and more people are turning to the internet whether it’s to stock up on the things that they need or make impulse purchases.

Shopping online can be done from the comfort of home, and with many stores offering quick delivery, it can save both time and money for customers. If you’re considering starting an e-commerce business, you might be using the current situation to get set up.

Deciding What to Sell

The first hurdle is to decide what to sell, and you can sell pretty much anything online. Consider the businesses that are already selling the products that you have in mind and how successful they are.

Some products are always going to be needed while others are for a more niche market; determine which one is the best for you. You also want to make sure that there is demand for the product and that you aren’t just promoting items that you think will sell but there’s no market for.

Stock and Inventory

You should also decide whether you are going to carry stock, or whether you will run your business on a dropshipping model.

 Dropshipping involves having the supplier send the product directly to the customers once they purchase from you, meaning that you do not need to hold the products in inventory – this can be ideal for testing out new products with minimal risk. On the other hand, if you want to carry stock, you’ll need to consider factors such as storage space.

Branding

Once you have a product idea and have the basics covered for your business, it’s time to think about branding.

 Your brand is going to be the face of your business, so spend some time getting it just right. Logo and colors are going to be important to your visual brand, but bear in mind that there’s much more to branding than the visuals alone; consider your brand’s voice and personality.

A good place to start is to ask the question ‘if my brand were a person, who would they be?’

Your Website

Your website is front and center of your e-commerce store, and one of the most important aspects of your business.

 Your online storefront is likely to be one of the first things that new customers see when they discover your brand, so it’s important to ensure that it makes a good impression. Your website should be easy to use and navigate, modern, fast, and secure.

 A great website can make or break whether your customers might want to stick around.

Promotion

Finally, once everything’s ready to go, it’s time to start promoting your e-commerce brand.

Social media is an excellent method to do this – start promoting before you launch to create buzz and build anticipation for opening day. You might want to consider opening with an exclusive flash sale to create a sense of urgency with your customers and encourage them to purchase items at a discounted price while they have the chance.