There are over 2 billion digital buyers in the world today. Something that was reserved for a handful of early adopters has become an everyday occurrence in all parts of the world.

Access to the internet and devices has made shopping online a breeze, which is why there are as many as 24 million eCommerce stores catering to these rapidly growing audiences. 

But at the same time, competition is becoming fiercer as well. Aspiring eCommerce sellers are hesitant about starting their own online business, fearing that they won’t be able to compete with more established stores.

To help alleviate some of those fears, let’s go through the basic steps involved in launching a successful store, which should show anyone that the process isn’t actually that complicated if you know how to approach it.

Thoroughly Research Your Audience

Most people get discouraged when they hear the words “audience research,” but that doesn’t have to be the case. Sure, understanding who you want to sell to takes time and effort, but the rewards you get can help you stand out even in the most competitive markets. 

No matter what you plan to sell, you probably already have at least a vague idea of who might be interested. That initial idea might seem like enough to get the ball rolling, but that’s usually where most eCommerce stores go wrong.

Assumptions are just that, something that you might imagine, often without having dealt with the actual customers that would likely buy the types of products you want to sell. Therefore, you need a proven process to get real data you can actually use. 

And the good news is that obtaining this data doesn’t have to be a months-long process.

First, you should take a proactive approach and talk to as many people you think might be interested as possible. Run surveys, look at forums and social media groups, find people to interview, and do anything else you can think of that involves getting direct input from your audience. 

You can find out things like what types of products they prefer, why they choose one store instead of another, some of their biggest concerns, and even the needs that aren’t met by any other store.

Once you have an idea of who you’re dealing with, you should also analyze the competition yourself. It’s good to get to know who you’re dealing with so that you can emulate some of the best practices and also learn how to separate yourself from everyone else. 

Infographic created by MXOtech, a network management solutions company

Also, when considering names, make sure to see if it’s available. Buying a cheap domain name is now easier than ever, especially if you choose a reputable service with a simple purchasing process. 

But you also have to think about how that brand name will reflect on your online business and whether people will have an easy time remembering it and typing it into the search bar. 

Besides the name, you should think about your color scheme, logo, and even your brand voice. All of these elements are important for separating yourself from other brands and building a stronger bond with your audience.  

Develop a User-Friendly Website

Having a website is not just about adding some products and branding elements. You also need to think about the experience of the users that visit your store. 

The simpler you can make the entire process, the better your chances of converting visitors into buyers. 

The first steps in the process are relatively straightforward – you need to make sure that your website is fast and easy to use on mobile devices. Mobile users make up around half of all online traffic, so you must cater to them if you don’t want to instantly eliminate a significant part of your audience. 

You should also use convenient and user-centric shopping cart software, as having a complicated and lengthy checkout process is one of the primary reasons people abandon their orders. 

Finally, make sure that people can easily find what they’re looking for. That means having not only a convenient and intuitive navigation system but also using tags and clear product names to make searching within your site easier as well.

Put Together a Marketing Strategy

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Having a beautiful and user-friendly website is great. It’s a significant part of success online. But at the same time, it won’t matter if you don’t get targeted traffic to your site that could take advantage of what your store has to offer.

That’s where a comprehensive and innovative marketing strategy plays a vital role. That means not only using one or two strategies (even if they’re effective) but investing time and money in multiple approaches so that you always have the traffic coming in, even if one of them dries out.

First and foremost, you want to set up your website to be SEO-friendly. This might not deliver immediate results, but it will be incredibly useful as you gain more traction and start ranking for relevant keywords in your niche.

Paid ads are a more immediate way to get traffic, but they are also riskier. Still, if you have money to invest, tweaking and adjusting your campaigns should allow you to become profitable relatively soon. And then, it’s all about scaling. 

Finally, you should consider partnering up with influencer marketers, who can lend you not only their audience but also their authority in your field. By getting them to promote your brand and your products, you can instantly separate yourself from the competitors and gain an influx of buyers in a matter of hours.

Final Words

Building an eCommerce business from scratch isn’t easy. Countless stores fail to become profitable every year, so you must have a structured approach if you want to have a realistic chance. 

But with the steps outlined above, you will be using a proven and thorough process that should at least give you the best chance of success, especially if you stay persistent and push through the initial hurdles.

Infographic created by Fiserv, an omnichannel ecommerce company