Online trading is more popular than ever. Even the youngest generations know that desired items or toys can be ordered on the Internet with just a few clicks. Do you have a brilliant idea for a product or service and want to create your own online shop to bring your innovation to market? We explain the basics and give you tips on what to look out for in your own web shop.
Create your online shop with the modular method.
If you want to create an online shop as easily, quickly, and inexpensively as possible, you can do this with the so-called shop construction kits. This method is the absolute entry-level version of an online shop. But what exactly justifies this variant, and how does it compare to other options?
What are the advantages of the modular method?
With the modular principle, you can create an online shop yourself, even if you have little basic knowledge of programming. There are simple steps from the idea to the finished web shop. The monthly amount you pay to the modular online shop provider depends on the scope and functions of your website.
1. Decide on certain basic settings of the online shop:
- Design: content and structure;
- payment method;
- shipping method
2. Then you upload pictures of your products, state the prices of your items, and describe your goods or the various options of your service.
Are you a young start-up entrepreneur who wants to become self-employed but has little technical skill and little start-up capital? Then this way of setting up an online shop is well suited for you.
What are the disadvantages of the modular method?
In addition to the advantages, there are also some disadvantages that you should be aware of. If you create a web shop with the modular principle, it is easy and cheap to start with. In addition, this method is often sufficient if you are self-employed on a part-time basis. But: These are prepared templates, and therefore you are confronted with many restrictions. The shop builders are an option for the beginning but not a solution if you want to start a long-term online business.
Other problems and limitations: :
- There are only limited options for paymentmethods. .
- Search and filter functions within the web shop only deliver moderateresults. .
- Individual design ideas and functions cannot beimplemented. .
- The complex legal basis for online trading is notmet.
Create Yout Online Shop With Software
Do you have very individual ideas about how you want to set up your own online shop and how you want to sell your products? Then you decided against the modular version and in favor of the solution with e-commerce software.
If you are self- employedfull - time with your online shop , you should work with a professional e-commerce system right from the star . Although you have to expect higher start-up costs, in the long run you have a better opportunity to customize your online shop . If you intend to generate more than 30,000 euros with your web shop company, it makes sense to have your online shop created with good software.
If you want to program your online shop yourself with software, you should have good IT skill . Withthis you can adapt all your own ideas flexibly and have all functions available, but you work with a complex computer program. .
If your technical skills are not sufficient to create the online shop, get help from an agency or hire a programmer. The professional IT experts will help you set up your web shop and install the functions you want. However, havingane online shop created for you is associated with higher costs of several thousand euros.
Agency with benefits
The agency will also help you if you have questions about the domain or hosting.
You should keep this in mind when creating your online shop.
1. Considerations about your business model
What do you want to sell?
Are you selling a service or a product? Think about a structure in terms of product type and quantity, or how you organize sub-areas of your service.Product count and product focus
Do you market a core product or do you present a wide range of products? Which different areas of expertise are included in your service?target group
What age group are your products suitable for? Are they specifically designed for women or men? Are you addressing a particular professional group? Carry out a target group analysis!B2B or B2C
Does your business target other businesses (B2B) or consumers (B2C)?shop scope
Do you run a simple shop with a few products or a complex shop that requires several functions?2. Choose your suitable shop system.
If you set up your own online shop, you have to think about what requirements you place on it and which other functions should be fulfilled—a so-called shop system.
- What payment methods do you offer your customers?
- Is your online shop linked to your merchandise management system?
- Which marketing portals do you connect your web store to?
After you have compiled all the requirements, you have to compare them with the different shop variants and find the right shop system for you. When making your comparison, take into account that you can choose between free, open-source online shops or commercial productssystem for you. When making your comparison, take into account that you can choose between free, open-source online shops or commercial products. With these, you have to reckon with one-off or ongoing costs. Check the price-performance ratio of the different offers before committing yourself to a shopping system.
3. Sign up with payment providers.
If you design your online shop, you also have to choose the right online payment system. This is the only way to ensure that your customers complete the payment process after selecting the product. Make sure you include as many payment methods as possible. Customers tend to abandon the purchase process if they cannot select their desired payment method. These are the most common payment transactions:
- direct debit
- Credit card
- Purchase on invoice
- PayPal
There are different shop systems that cooperate with different payment providers. Check in advance whether the shop system of your choice matches the respective payment providers.
Clearly recognizable buy button
Make sure that you set up a clearly recognizable order button during the purchase process in your online shop. It must be recognizable that the customer is carrying out a fee-based transaction. You are safe if you choose the wording "Order with obligation to pay" or "Buy with obligation to pay".
The conditions of the providers are sometimes quite different: With some payment providers you have to expect high annual fixed costs, while others charge you additional costs for each individual transaction.
Note: gross and sales tax
Note that when you sell to end customers, you state your prices gross. You still need to make your customers aware that sales tax is included in the price.
4. Create the content for your shop
When developing your online store, you need to know what content you want your digital store to contain
Product Pages
Your customers should be convinced of your product or service. Very good product photos and descriptions are essential. Size, weight, and/or quantity information are other items that customers find important.
Category Pages
If you sell a lot of products, divide them into category pages so that your customers have a good overview. Such category pages can contain elements such as category names, category descriptions, product overviews, links, and filter options.
Further information
Customers want to know who they are ordering from. Introduce your company with an "About Us" feature. This will make your business appear transparent and reputable.
Imprint
In addition to the additional information, your web shop also needs an imprint because it is a commercial website.
FAQ section
Despite the product description, there are many questions about your goods or the ordering process. Set up an FAQ area for this so that your customers can quickly get answers to their basic questions.
Customer service, customer support
"The customer is king." Build in a help center in case customers have additional, individual questions. With a chat function or clear contact information, you are always available for your customers.
Magazine, Blog
With a blog, you inform your customers about background information or new products. If your webstore or product has been praised by the press, you can also publish those articles here.
Certificates and Seals of Approval
Have your product tested and rated by reputable organizations. Good awards make a good impression on customers and guarantee good quality.
Note: business registration
Your online shop meets three criteria:
- Your online shop is designed to last.
- You are self-employed with your online shop.
- You intend to make a profit with your online shop.
Since all the conditions of a trade apply to your web shop, you must also carry out a business registration .
5. Install and set up your online shop
The next step is to establish your web shop on the Internet. If you have little experience in creating an online shop, the agency will help you with the technical implementation. Whether by yourself or by the agency - your online shop must now be uploaded to the World Wide Web so that it is accessible to your customers. In order for your online shop to have a place on the Internet, you buy storage volume from a large web server. Offering storage space on the Internet is called web hosting.
After you have uploaded your web shop to the server, you have to make further settings.
- What are the delivery options and times for your webshop?
- Are the access data for the payment provider available?
- Is your website well encrypted?
- Have you integrated all legal components? General terms and conditions and right of withdrawal, imprint, data protection declaration, order confirmation.
SSL certificate to completeSecure your online shop with an SSL certificate, the "Secure Socket Layer". This encryption protocol is a security device against unauthorized access. Unauthorized users can therefore not access your personal data such as credit card numbers or passwords.
6. Do the right online marketing
After you have started your online shop, you have to attract a lot of new customers to your company . In order for customers to perceive your new product or service on the market, it is important that you carry out good marketing measures. As an online entrepreneur, your customers will find you on the global web. Therefore, it is advisable that you use online marketing strategies as well . Various tools can be used for this.
- Start search engine marketing via Google Ads.
- Send newsletters to existing customers.
- Get professionals who will create search engine optimized content and, if necessary, legal texts for your web shop.
- Promote your new online business through other sales channels, such as social networks.
- Now that you are on the market with your new online shop, also think about the competition and that you remain unique. In addition to good marketing, also carry out a trademark application or patent application so that your innovative product remains protected.
Conclusion : How Do I Open a Successful Online Shop?
In order for you to be successful with your own webshop, you have to consider a few basic things. You can either create your digital store with the simple modular principle or with a lot of IT experience you can also create your online shop with software . If you are not a software expert yourself, you can get help and support from an agency. If you plan to run your online shop for many years and earn more than 30,000 euros a year , the online shop that is created with software is better than the modular shop. Because here you are more flexible in design, face fewer restrictions and can build your store the way you want it. If you create your online shop with software, you will have more costs at the beginning, but you are not tied to the limited modular offer. Payment providers, web shop components and online marketing are other projects that go hand in hand with your digital business.