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If you’ve decided to take the leap and finally set up that eCommerce store, this can be a very rewarding and lucrative business or side hustle. Getting an eCommerce off the ground is challenging at first, however. You’ll need to invest time and resources into researching the market, promoting your business across multiple channels, and designing a top-notch site in order to appeal to today’s customers. Fortunately, there are several options available to help you do this. There are free tools you can use and certain services you can outsource. Here are seven secrets to getting your eCommerce off the ground.

Focus on your most profitable niche

It’s essential to research the market and find your most profitable niche. When you’re first starting out, it makes more sense to focus on a specific type of product and target audience. If demand increases, you can then perhaps consider branching out. You’ll need to think carefully about which products you can offer and how these will make a difference to your target demographic. Here are the necessary steps to finding a profitable niche.

Optimize your site for user experience

If you’re running an online business, your website needs to be flawless. Google's latest algorithm has a strong focus on user experience and engagement. This means that in order to get ranked in the top spots of the search engine results pages your site has to be easy to navigate, full of engaging and relevant content, and free of glitches. It’s worth outsourcing this to a professional web designer, or using premium templates on eCommerce platforms for this reason.

Consider hiring an eCommerce consultant

Another service that can help you is eCommerce consultancy. An expert consultant will be able to give you the advice you need to get your business off the ground and provide you with professional insights. It’s important to choose the right person for the job, however, perhaps someone with experience in your particular niche. Here is a list of interview questions for ecommerce consultant you can ask to ensure you find a suitable one.

Ensure your product photos are professional

Your customers will only be able to see a virtual representation of your products, which can be a disadvantage of running an eCommerce as opposed to a brick-and-mortar store. Fortunately, online shopping is commonplace nowadays and with professional photography, you can give your customers a clear image of your products. It’s essential to use the right tools to ensure a realistic and consistent representation of size, color, and materials, for example. Here is a complete guide to product photography to help you.

Make the most of free tools

If you’re just starting out, resources may be limited, and while it’s worth investing in certain services there are ways you can cut costs. Make the most of the free eCommerce tools that are available to you online. These include templates, photo and video editing software, analytical tools, and more. You can get very far using the free versions of these and most eCommerce platforms will come stocked with tools to help you get started, for a basic membership. As you begin to grow your business you can then invest in more advanced software.

Promote your site through multiple channels

You need to dedicate time to promoting your online store through multiple channels. There’s no way around this, but it’s important to bear in mind the habits and preferences of your target niche. Be active on social media, but advertise your business on the platforms your target customers are most likely to use, for example. You could also set up personalized email marketing campaigns for repeat business and referrals. Send automated emails out to your contact list with the latest offer or a discount in exchange for recommending your business. Here are a few more eCommerce marketing strategies that are effective.

Provide top-notch customer support
As well as focusing on promotion to draw traffic to your site, you also need to provide excellent customer service. To make your business a success, it’s important to optimize the entire customer experience and provide support even after a sale. Including self-service options on your site, such as FAQs and detailed product descriptions, so that potential customers can find all the information they need. Keep on top of customer enquiries and concentrate on meeting their needs. This will help you generate good word of mouth and hopefully repeat business as well. By putting in time and effort, you can get your eCommerce off the ground.