Create a successful online store in 6 easy steps
Since the accelerated digitalization of the world, forced by the pandemic in 2020, more businesses are transitioning to eCommerce and opening their own Shopify stores.
Whether it’s replacing their brick-and-mortar to cut costs and salvage the business itself, or adding an eCommerce business model to stay agile and expand their product reach, eCommerce is more relevant than ever before.
If you’re looking to transition into eCommerce, getting set up with a Shopify store is a great place to start. For both new and existing eCommerce businesses, selecting the right theme for your Shopify store is important for your brand, marketing plan and customer experience.
No matter your status, – starting from scratch or wanting to revamp your current online store – these following tips will teach you how to thrive online with your retail business.
(Click here to jump down to the TL;DR)
Embrace connective eCommerce
Though a heavily debated topic in the eCommerce industry, the connective eCommerce method promises to promote your business while it eliminates three main risks, or high costs, when starting an eCommerce business:
Website design and/or website developer
Inventory and storage (or fulfillment)
Advertising
The idea of connective eCommerce is to substantially reduce risk in order to get an eCommerce business off the ground and running as quickly and efficiently as possible. Supporters of the method say it gives people with low technology skills a fighting chance to make their online business a success.
Know and show your unique selling proposition
What sets you apart from the competitors? In your industry or online? Review your brand and what makes your business unique. Determine how it is uniquely qualified to deliver benefits to your customers, and you’re off to the right start. Here’s a little help on how to develop or refine your unique selling proposition (USP).
Use existing customer base to generate social proof
If you don’t already have a social media account, get one! You don’t have to be on every platform to begin. Not only is it an easy way to display social proof of your brand, products, and customer service, it’s a great way to drive traffic to your business. You can announce updates, changes, discounts, and new releases, all while promoting your site and speaking directly to your customers.
Yes, testimonials on your Shopify site are useful, but having visible interactions of customer engagement and regular postings of your latest products are continuous proof of your business value, voice, and outcomes.
Evaluate your target audience
Evaluating your target audience means knowing the demographics and psychographics of the people that buy from you. Psychographics are knowing your customers’ goals, attitudes, habits, etc. It also means knowing where they frequent online, what social platforms they prefer, and even how or what time they like to shop best.
Knowing this will help you help them. Convenience is king in today’s hectic, nonstop world.
Have an SEO Strategy
With more businesses moving online, the competition is rising. Having a search engine optimization (SEO) strategy will put you ahead of the 70% of small businesses who don’t have one! Organic search is 53% of searches on the internet, so having a plan for SEO matters.
Create a mobile-responsive site
This is a no-brainer. People are shopping on their mobile devices more frequently, so if we’re keeping in mind making shopping and navigation on your site easy and convenient for your customers, you better believe that means making your site compatible with mobile devices.
On average, users spend 15 seconds or less on a site that doesn’t hold their attention. Don’t let mobile incompatibility be the reason your site gets striked by the “15-second rule.”
Act on data
A Shopify interview discussed the advantage eCommerce has over retail stores for accessing data. Having a Shopify store allows you to better track engagement, ad watch-time, cost-per-click, and conversion rates, to name a few.
The Shopify store provides regular updates on stats in real time, and can immediately see changes when made, as well as the influence and outcome of those changes in the data. With this information, you can make adjustments for specific areas based on what the data shows, or keep doing what you’re doing if you like what you see.
TL;DR
Since 2020, the world has rapidly become digitized. As a result, more brick-and-mortar businesses are transitioning to the eCommerce model. Whether you’re a new or existing business, following these useful tips to make the jump from retail store to e-Commerce business will help make the move more seamless:
Know and show your unique selling proposition
Use existing customer base to generate social proof
Evaluate your target audience
Have an SEO strategy
Act on data
Create a mobile-responsive site
