There can’t be many things in the world more thrilling and potentially lucrative than creating and opening your own business. Something of an impossible dream for most of the world until relatively recently, starting a business has always been something far easier said than done.
However, thanks in no small part to the advent of simple and affordable E-commerce web development, anyone with a great idea for an online store of any kind can see their vision brought to life before their eyes.
However, just because it’s easy to build a site and open its virtual doors does not mean that every person doing so will be an unmitigated success. Quite to the contrary in fact, as if the fundamental golden rules of e-commerce are not acknowledged and heeded from the very beginning, it’s actually an extremely difficult balancing act to pull off.
For example, in terms of the actual e-commerce platform chosen you to need to be fully aware of what it is you intend to do. If you’re looking to set up a tiny business you intend to operate out of your back bedroom and play with for no more than two hours each week, chances are you won’t need a world-class all-inclusive e-commerce management suite where about 30 dedicated workers do everything on your behalf.
If by contrast, you plan to go much bigger, you’ll not get far with a paltry platform offered free of charge and with no real scope for growth. So before going any further, much thought must be given to the choice of platforms.
What’s also crucial to consider before getting your business off the ground is the subject of M-commerce. As of right now, we’ve already passed the point at which there are more consumers accessing online stores and retail ventures by way of mobile devices than those sitting at home and hacking away on computers.
Or in other words, if you don’t design your site to be 100% mobile friendly from the very word go, you risk alienating the overwhelming majority of consumers you may have otherwise attracted. Regardless of the extra efforts necessary to make your site a haven for mobile users, doing so is NOT optional.
In terms of your brand, a key rule to bear in mind is that of isolating your unique selling point. Chances are you’re not the first to sell whatever it is you’re selling and nor are you necessarily breaking any new ground at all.
As such, the key to success lies in determining what it is that you offer above and beyond your rivals. Free delivery? Better customer care? Lower prices? A more entertaining website? An informative blog? Whatever it is, there needs to be a reason there for folk to choose you above and beyond everyone else.
And finally, something you should be asking yourself throughout the build process is whether or not you yourself would be willing to shop with your site. Think of the online retail portals you use, think what it is you like about them and ask yourself whether or not these qualities are mirrored in your own site.