How to Build an eCommerce Website
The Internet is flooded with numerous e-commerce (electronic commerce) websites and setting up an online business is not very difficult today. If you are determined to sell your products online to earn a big sum, then you must plan and execute the business wisely. The website that you launch should be absolutely user-friendly and it should be visually appealing as well, because the design of a website also plays an important role in attracting customers. The first attempt to create an ecommerce website might be a little confusing, but once you get complete hold on the norms and the basic policies involved, things will automatically start rolling in the right direction. The more you market your website with the aid of search engines, the more you make sales.
Research Thoroughly
The first and foremost tip for making an e-commerce website is, carrying out an intensive online research on every aspect pertaining to success of a website. Remember that your motive is to earn money. Therefore, check the demand and sale value of the products and then pick up products that fetch heavy chunks of money. Get to know the keywords that will support your product and which people use randomly for searching products online. Check other eCommerce websites that have a high ranking over the Internet for understanding the design, layout and transaction mode implemented by them.
Purchase a Domain
Once the research is over, you can register a domain name. Never choose complicated domain names, rather name your domain in a way that would be easy to remember. The domain name should be short and relevant with the product as well. The URL and the topic of the site should be compatible with the keywords selected by you. You also need to tie up with a web host company. Avail their packages and check for features like, bandwidth, web space, database, pricing, etc. before making any investment. You should opt for a cheaper price initially and then proceed to the expensive packages if at all necessary.
Construct the Page
Building the pages is probably the most important aspect of an e-commerce site. The number of pages, their appearance and the content are some of the important factors that you should take into account. A welcome paragraph should be present that will introduce your product to customers. The navigation links should be well placed so that people can easily switch from one page to another. The content that you frame for the website should inculcate trust in the customers. The products and services should be defined clearly for assisting people to understand and access them without any difficulty. There must be a FAQ section where people can find out appropriate solution to their queries.
Design the Website
Take help from professional graphic and website designers to make it look the best. The sections that you must include in the front page of the website are, 'about the company', 'products offered', 'product description', 'what's new' and 'contact information'. Design the layout in such a way that it is easily accessible by customers and they do not find difficulty in finding the product that they are looking for. The website should not be crowded with numerous links, rather incorporate links that will provide useful information on clicking. Heavy designing and graphics are not required for an e-commerce website. Since it's a business site, you must keep the layout simple and sophisticated.
Payment Options
Customers should not be misguided with the payment options. eCommerce websites usually open PayPal shopping accounts that make payments easy and it also eliminates use of a merchant account. You can use your credit cards as the mode of payment. If you have accepted a non-hosted package (like Magento), then you must open a merchant account at a bank and then integrate it with your website for ensuring better security. You should have the options clearly defined on your website so that users can access them freely.
After reading this crisp and compact guide, I hope you have fairly got an idea on how to build an ecommerce website. All you need is, a drive for establishing your website successfully in the huge competitive market. Therefore, analyze everything in depth and discuss with an experienced entrepreneur before launching your ecommerce website. All the best!
