Are you trying to start an e-commerce business? The online shopping world is an ever-growing industry. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, online shoppers spent $225.5 billion in 2012—up more than 15% from 2011. Starting an e-commerce business can be time consuming and complicated. Here are a few eCommerce tips to help you get your business off and running.
Have A Plan
One of the most important startup eCommerce tips for any online store is having a great product. Chances are if you are thinking about starting an e-Business, you already think you have a great product. The trick is to also know the market. Do your research and find a specific product that you know will sell before planning out your website. Experts suggest finding a niche and becoming successful in that area before expanding.
Site Design
Your website is naturally an important component to your e-commerce store. The design needs to capture a customer’s interest and lead him or her to other parts of your website. When planning the design of your website, keep in mind that it needs to be simple. The more confusing the page, the less time your customer will spend trying to figure it out.
Your design must also be efficient. Online shoppers are looking to get their goods as quickly as possible. A slow site can frustrate a customer urging them to try another company’s site.
Community Building
Knowing your target market is essential if you want to operate a successful e-commerce business. Once you understand who your target audience is, you can market your business using social media. This is a good way to allow customers to do some of the work for you. Social media encourages customers to share their experience as well as promote and interact with your business away from your site. This is one of the most important eCommerce tips as it enables customers to interact with each other about your business, which creates a reputation around your brand.
SEO for E-Commerce Businesses
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, which is essential to your e-commerce business. SEO is responsible for 85-90% of your website’s traffic and therefore vital for your revenue. Writing blogs and actively participating in forums while keeping keywords in mind can increase your SEO. This will keep your customers interested and knowledgeable about your product and e-commerce startup business. Following eCommerce tips about SEO will also help you stay up-to-date about the niche you have chosen.
Payment Processing
An e-commerce startup business can make both merchants and customers a little nervous. There are plenty of scams out there, so it is important for you to do your homework when it comes to choosing a merchant account service provider and online payment gateway. This is where Instabill can help you. Instabill provides e-commerce business owners with a merchant account and a payment gateway that you can trust. We spend the time to make sure you are safe, that you are processing transactions smoothly, and that you receive your payouts on time.
For more information about how you can open a merchant account with Instabill, contact us online or call us toll-free at 1-800-318-2713 to find the right merchant account solution for you.
What eCommerce Tips Do You Have to Share?
Whether you have been operating a business for less than a year or more than a decade, what eCommerce tips do you have to share with the Instabill Blog community? How do you handle customer complaints? How do you mitigate credit card chargebacks? Share your thoughts and comments below.
