Whether you’re a creative, a programmer, or an entrepreneur, setting up an online store can be a fantastic way to get your name out there and grow your business.
With this past year being particularly unkind to brick and mortar businesses, there’s never been a better time to start your online business. You could even make a six-figure income if you’re smart about it.
So, if you want to start an online store but aren’t sure where to begin, stay tuned! Our guide will walk you through the steps.
Choose Your Niche
Before you even start an online store, you need to decide your niche. If you already own a physical location, this is simple: you know your products and your niche, so you can move on to the next step.
However, if you start a business from scratch, you need to know what you’re selling and to whom you’re selling it. If you sell art or books, do you want to sell physical copies, digital copies, or both? If you sell jewelry or clothing, who are you targeting?
The more you hone in on your specific niche, the better your results will be in the long run.
Research Your Platforms
Once you have your niche, you need to decide on your platform. Do you want to run your store from your own website? In that case, you’ll need help from someone well-versed in ecommerce website design.
If you decide to start a store through a pre-existing platform, like Shopify, WooCommerce, Etsy, or eBay, then you might find yourself limited by the options available on the platform.
However, it might be easier to start with one of those platforms rather than try to start a site from scratch.
Make Sure Your Inventory Is Solid
If your online business works on a commission basis, then this isn’t as much of a concern. But whether you’re selling art prints, clothes, jewelry, or books, you need to have a backlog of inventory before you start selling.
Managing your inventory can prove tricky, especially if you have a lot of it. Research some inventory best practices before you begin. Then, you can decide if you want to track your inventory yourself or use a software program to help you.
Start An Online Store and Promote It
Once you have your niche, platform, and your inventory prepared, it’s time to start an online store! Once your online store has opened its metaphorical doors, your focus needs to turn to promotion.
Promote your new online store across all social media platforms you regularly use if you don’t have a social media account for the business itself.
Research SEO practices to ensure your business ranks high in Google. The possibilities for online business promotion are endless!
Overwhelmed? Let’s Recap
In order to start an online store, you need to first find your niche and platform. Then, settle your inventory and promotion. Once you have your online store open and promoted, just stay persistent, and your business will come.
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