The online retail industry, also known as e-commerce, is one of the fastest-growing, most valuable industries today. Some experts predict that e-commerce will surpass $2 trillion in sales in the next few years. This is especially true today in 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted brick and mortar to the online space as stores across the world have closed to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.

Thus, it goes without saying that the world of e-commerce isn’t slowing down any time soon. With such a huge market comes ample opportunity to take a piece of the pie.

If you’re new to e-commerce, don’t fret. This step-by-step guide will ensure you have all the checks marked off to get your online store up and running — and most importantly, give it the extra boost it needs to stay afloat amidst the competition.

1. Choose an E-Commerce Platform

An e-commerce platform is a software application that allows online businesses to manage their website, marketing, sales, and operations.

We suggest going with a platform that is well-known so that if you require assistance from a web developer or if you yourself want to take a stab at customizing your website on the backend, it will be user-friendly.

Here are a few of the most popular e-commerce platforms out there:

  • BigCommerce: Can integrate with programs like BigCommerce site search for the ultimate user experience and backend efficiency
  • Shopify: Free and has point-of-sale capabilities as well as integrations
  • WooCommerce: Sell online with the fully customizable, open-source eCommerce platform built for WordPress

Once you decide on a platform, dedicate some time to get familiar with the basics. You won’t be able to register your website until you have one, so it’s time to start brainstorming on a name.

2. Buy a Domain Name

Think of a name for your website that defines your brand. Perhaps you already have a name for your company you could use. Easily find out whether the name you have in mind is already in use by purchasing it through GoDaddy. This website offers domain names that generally fall below $10 a pop.

Once your domain name is secured, register it with the e-commerce platform you decided on. From here, it’s time to have some fun with customization.

3. Hire a Web Developer

What will your website look like? What colors will you use for your theme? What fonts? What will the homepage layout be? How will the webpage elements such as scrollbar and call to actions be implemented?

These are all questions that need to be answered and implemented by someone with experience. Hiring a web developer to set up your website and help troubleshoot when necessary can ensure a high-quality website that prioritizes the user experience.

If you want to launch your site in a relatively short time span, make sure to do your vetting when it comes to hiring a developer. Ask for a portfolio and get references from other e-commerce websites the developer has built. Get a timeline for how long they anticipate it will take to launch the site. Example, you’re in Portland and looking for the best Portland Web Design team, search for the company name and check out the company website, reviews, and portfolio website.

In addition, the web developer should have certain skills. Make sure they have a graphic design background so they can crop images that will align with your site. Do they have experience building sites on the e-commerce platform you chose?

4. Take Your Website Live

Your website should be sitting nice and pretty in the draft by the time all is said and done. We suggest taking your site live even if you don’t have any products to put on it yet. In fact, the website doesn’t even have to be completely built out with category pages.

A homepage that describes your mission and encompasses the brand can do nicely for the short-term. Aside from that, all you really need is an “About Us” page and “Contact” page. This will allow you to establish legitimacy when negotiating deals with vendors and promoting your brand.

5. Optimize for Mobile

Customers don’t want to open a completely different mobile site to see a mobile-friendly interface. Most users are shopping and browsing the web on their phones or tablets than on their desktop.

Implement a responsive interface so that your e-commerce website transforms for devices like tablets and smartphones. Your web developer can help you with this. Several web hosting platforms out there already come with this feature built-in, including the ones named earlier (WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Shopify).

The majority of online sales these days are done through mobile, and an interface that is not user-friendly could make or break a sale. Potential customers are quick to lose interest or get discouraged from buying if they are having difficulty navigating your website.