In today’s technology-driven world, the online presence of your business is a must-have requirement. With the increasing trend of online shopping, it will be lucrative in the long run if you establish an online store. Hence, more and more businesses are opting to set up an online store that helps in attracting more customers. In fact, eCommerce web development is in demand more than ever!
However, you should set up an online store that is user-friendly and stands out from the market competition. Here we are presenting the ultimate checklist to develop and launch an online store.
Nevertheless, before moving on exploring the consideration for the establishment of an eCommerce platform, let’s understand the reasons to have an online store;
- Open all hours -round the clock convenience for the customers. So, they can shop at their convenience.
- Take advantage of the global market. An online store overcomes the geographical barriers and allows it to serve customers across the globe.
- Higher conversion rates as shoppers can buy whenever they want.
- Deliver personalized experience to the shoppers. This will help in increasing the sales of your business.
- Save on costs with less workforce to manage the inventory and other overheads associated with the traditional store.
- Marketing through social platforms enables you to attract more traffic on your eCommerce platform and promote sales.
- Customer data insights help to determine the flaws and superiority in your business practices.
- It’s always easier to reach and attract new customers.
In short, establishing an online store will bring enormous benefits to your business. Almost all companies are taking advantage of digitalization, why shouldn’t you?
Go through this checklist while developing and launching an eCommerce store.
Identify the layout of the online set-up
The eCommerce platform should have a user-friendly, intuitive design so that the customers can easily find whatever they want. An eCommerce platform’s design and appearance play a vital role in delivering an engaging experience to the customers. Consider these things while finalizing the design on your online store;
- a responsive layout
- Uploaded favicon
- Compatibility of the site with browsers
- Upload favicon
- Cross-platform compatibility
- Validated HTML and CSS codes
Classify the technology stacks
Ecommerce web application development demands the smart combination of programming languages and various development tools, e.g., programming languages, frameworks, etc. The more sound the technology stack for the online store, the more flawlessly it can work.
An online shop’s back-end is responsible for order management, adding products to the catalog, SEO settings, payments, editing of website pages, online shop scaling, user registration, and many more. Besides, make sure that your eCommerce platform supports the third-party integration for payment gateways as well.
Pick the right platform
There are multiple eCommerce platforms available in the market, such as Magento, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Shopify, etc. Do research about choosing the right eCommerce platform and find the best one. It is advisable to take expert recommendations from the eCommerce web development company to choose your online store’s best platform. Also, consider your budget while making the selection.
Choose the products
This is another important element to consider while setting up the online store. Wisely choose the product and display them accurately on the platform. A product should have details about the descriptions, features, and usage along with its picture.
Further, do not focus on seasonal products for an online store. A product that has demanded all year round is a financially viable option. For instance, clothes might seem like a good fit, but they have a very high return rate. Also, choose the price of products too with the appropriate shipping cost when deciding on your product. Light and quickly packaged items are favored over heavy and clumsy ones.
Packaging and shipping process
Packaging and shipping are a part of customer experience; hence, while establishing an eCommerce store, make sure you have hassle-free packaging and shipping processes. Safe packaging & delivery to the end-users is essential. Additionally, with the online store, you can approach a global audience, so decide whether you will ship your product or let a third-party logistics company manage it.
Payment gateway integration
The payment gateway for an eCommerce site should be secure, simple to complete transactions easily. There are multiple payment gateways available in the market (i.e., PayPal, PayU, CC Avenue, and many more). Make the selection on the payment gateways that best suits your requirements.
Market your online store
Once you have selected the right eCommerce web development company and completed the process, focus on building and maintaining the eCommerce platform’s online presence. No matter how advanced your online store is, you will not attract it if it is not promoted online. Hence, identify the strategies and tactics to improve your online store’s visibility among the target audience.
Other considerations for the checklists include;
- Conduct content audit
- Optimize images on the website
- Install an analytical tool to track data
- Adjust the pricing and shipping preferences
- Execute proper SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
- Stock the inventory and manage it properly
- Make sure to make your business compliant
Briefly, the online store will be more profitable than brick-mortar stores if developed and launched systematically. Opt for the eCommerce web application development from the firm that has the experienced and proficient eCommerce development team. A well-established online store is critical to embrace the advantage of the online presence. From user-friendly design to product shipment on time, everything needs to be managed systematically while serving customers through the online store.
Undoubtedly, the online store will help you to expand business growth; however, it needs to be developed and launched systematically. Always start with a plan in hand while establishing an online store.
At last, before developing and launching the online store, answer these questions to walk in the right direction.
Have you selected the experienced eCommerce web development company?
Is the website layout user-friendly?
Is the technology stack compatible?
Have you made a wise decision on selecting the products?
Is the packaging and shipping process streamlined?
Are the agendas ready for online promotion?
