How to Start an E-commerce Business:  Beginners Guide

So you eagerly want to know more about how to start an e-commerce business? Yes, your guess may be as good as mine so long as you dream it. Many bigger e-commerce companies today started with just no clients, zero followers, and low brand recognition. But with time, dedication, and willingness to embrace the life changes, they are excelling today with huge profits.

What is an e-commerce business?

This is online marketing where people buy goods or services using the internet. It is the electronic way of buying and selling goods or services.

This business is done online using the internet and it requires a website to carry it out successfully. Payments for the goods or services are also electronically transmitted. Some of the examples of these e-commerce websites include ebay.com, amazon.com, tonaton.com, jumia.com.gh, wadaah.com, etc.

It entails a lot when you are beginning this type of business. To learn the best practices to start an e-commerce business, you must read this article again and again to succeed.

How to start an e-commerce business as a beginner

1. Do market research

Don’t be like the people who jump into any business because others doing it or they think it is profitable. Stand out differently by engaging in good market research about the business before you invest money into it.

By engaging in this, you will come out with the best niche, the brand, competitors available, and the best pricing methods. Imagine finding yourself in a place where specific services or goods are prohibited and you are opening a business over there that will be a total waste of resources.

Remember, you are a fresh fish from the sea to compete with the likes of Amazon, eBay, Alibaba, and others. Do deep research to understand the industry before getting out of the market without their tricks and strategies.

If you can run an online survey about your business, it will help a lot more than you could imagine. Find better ways to understand your niche and curve your brand out of that.

What is your brand?

The brand represents your identity and how your customers will know you. How will they keep you on their minds any time or day?

The branding aspect will play that role to keep you getting results. Before you dream of the strategy to start an e-commerce business, engage in intensive market research to identify the details expected.

Read More: How to start an online bookstore easily

2. Write your business plan before you start an e-commerce business

The business plan will give you a blueprint of the cons and pros of the e-commerce business. When you fail to plan, you will plan to fail.

Bring out the business plan to guide you in every step of your business.

Every successful business you see today is working according to its guided principles. And that is the plan laid down for the business.

Read Also: Ultimate way to win MTN promo and free data

The business plan is your weapon and your guide to succeed in the business as you begin. Treat it with caution and go according to your plan.

Many businesses today are facing challenges because they failed to get a business plan.

I know you are wondering how to write a business plan, hire an expert to help you if cannot write a business plan.

3. Choose products to sell

What products are willing to sell when you set up your e-commerce business? Make sure you start small and grow along as the business begins to make enough profits. Any products you are selling should match your brand and niche.

If you are going in for fashion, go with that for a long before adding other products. If you are basing on gender too, build it along your growth.

With such a focused mind, you can build a strong business that will be ready to stand the harsh economic conditions.

Some would want to start with some specific goods or services before they add others. Try to rather start your niche and learn from others who have been in the business. Your products will show your niche and what you stand to sell.

4. Choose your brand

What will customers know you to be? When we mention you what will others say? You have to plant your business in the minds of your customers. Choose a branding technique that will resonate with your business.

To brand, you must have a business name, to help you identify yours from other people. Keep your business name short to make it memorable.

Business brands help to get loyal customers to patronize your business every day. Build a brand that will keep your customers coming back to buy anytime or day they wish,

This is by creating a distinct identity in the minds of your customers and the general population. This may consist of your business name, the logo, the mission, and your vision statement.

5. Your Shipping Strategy

If you’re working globally, how will you ship to your customers? You have to choose whether it will be free shipping or add a shipping fee.  Do not take your customers by surprise, be honest and make it clear to them as they buy from your product list.

If yours is locally, then the shipping aspect will not play any role here. You can charge them a delivery fee as they buy from you. As you work on starting an e-commerce business, think of all your costs and incorporate them into your pricing methods.

6. Get a website

You cannot run an e-commerce business in this era when you don’t have the platform to show your products or services. Show your potential and existing customers what is available. This is why you need a website to start an e-commerce business.

Hire someone to do it for you if you have no coding ideas. Host it on a professional platform like hostinger, Namecheap, or Bluehost. These platforms have strong security to protect your site from crashing, getting hacked, or slowing down when the system becomes bad.

Make sure your website is mobile-friendly to allow customers to navigate to where they want on your website. Never wait to fail if you already know the solution. Add all your payment methods and the entire products on the site. Check your competitor’s site and make yours better than theirs.

 7. Start your business running

After going through all the ups and downs to get your business details including your registrations and other legalities, make your website live.

Start an e-commerce business that will wow your audience. Your pricing should be accurate, and your brand, your products or services, your shipping strategies, and all others should be intact.

Bonus tips:

Promote your business:

Don’t just start to think of blowing in just a day or months, try to promote your business to others.

Reach out to many people to know the existence of your business. A few ways to do this include:

Collaborate with bloggers to add your banners to their website and other social media platforms for their followers to see.

Link up with other media stations to advertise your site. Reach out to more audiences through social media ads.

Run ads:

If you understand the power of ads running, you will never play with it at all. Promote your business on Facebook ads, google ads, Pinterest ads, Twitter (X) ads, and others.

Customer care:

Have good customer care as you start an e-commerce business. Some of your customers may ask questions or complain and you must get a response to them.

Frequently Asked Questions