by Lina Martinez
If you have a product idea or are thinking about becoming a reseller for one of the large companies out there, you might not want to go with any big platform and pay them a commission for life. Instead, you can build your own eCommerce empire by investing in web technologies that will help you stand out from the crowd and communicate your unique selling proposition. Below you will find a few tips on how to get started.
Image via Pexels
Appealing Website
First, you will have to invest in your website technology, as it will be your virtual shop window. You have to be careful, however, as web designers pay little or no attention to details and you might end up with content that is poorly formatted, or broken links. You might want to talk to a content writer or virtual assistant to make sure that you are giving out the right messages about your brand.
Another consideration is the amount of bandwidth available to your site. If things take off faster than planned, high site traffic could result in crashing or blank pages. A Virtual Waiting Room will queue visitors in order of their site visit to prevent maxing out your bandwidth and creating a poor experience for those on your site.
Customer Friendly Navigation
When people land on an eCommerce site, they will want to find things they are looking for as quickly as possible. Apart from categories and tags, you can use and advanced algorithm that will let them choose related items or makes suggestions for them. The more customer friendly the navigation is, the better your site will convert.
Shopping Cart Software
You will also need to ensure you have the infrastructure that will serve your customers. If you started a brick-and-mortar store, you would make sure that you have bags, a till, and lighting and heating in the shop. The same applies to your online business. You want people to find it easy to buy from you, and locate the items they are considering buying.
Marketing Automation
If you would like to save money and give your business a competitive edge, you will have to find a way to reduce your workload and marketing costs. You don’t want to follow up every prospect manually; that is what retargeting campaigns are for. You can find a full service digital agency that will look after your branding, your social media image, your reputation, and your newsletters, too.
Make Use of Image Sharing Sites
It might also be a good idea to get your products featured wherever you can. For people who own an eCommerce business, having a business Pinterest account is essential. You can also share your posts on Instagram and some image sharing sites for free, as long as you are getting credit and link back to your website. This will increase your link popularity and search engine rankings at the same time, saving money on your marketing. Your brand image consists of your messages, as well as your style, logo, and corrugated packaging. If you feature your images on some photo sites, you can tap into new audiences your industry’s influencers are able to reach.
If you have decided to create your own brand online and sell your products yourself, you will need to find a way to identify your ideal client and your unique selling proposition.