Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Setting Up An Online Shop: The Essential 'Know-How' Points


Making your mark in the ecommerce sector has never been easier with the growing availability of ecommerce software systems. You can now get trading online for as little as 瞿19.99 per month and join the thousands of other businesses that have taken the leap into e-tail. It is it an affordable and accessible solution to selling your products over the internet - just be sure to choose one with content management and (good) customer service support to get the ball rolling.

Even during the state of economic depression, e-tail continues to prosper with several online shops entering the ecommerce trade on a daily basis. Where online retailers are questioning the 'desperate' level of recession - traditional high street shops are being forced to close their doors. An ecommerce website allows you to sell your products to a bigger audience and is thus outrunning the success of bricks and mortar shops. If you have a viable product you wish to sell, there's no reason you can't open an online store today.

There's a lot to take into consideration when starting your ecommerce project, especially if you're new to the game. You may well come across questionable costs regarding design work - so much so that many potential online shop owners abandon the idea altogether. If you find a reliable ecommerce software provider you needn't worry about the unnecessary charges or extortionate design quotes. Providing the facility to buy online is an exciting venture for your business and should be embraced.

The beauty of going with an ecommerce software provider is having full control over content which enables you to add products and items at your leisure. This shift from website creation to ecommerce software has allowed thousands of people to set up their own online shops. Making changes and updating content detail is fully possible on an ecommerce platform - all you need is to find the right service provider.

Choosing an ecommerce software system

It's important that you research into everything that's available to you as a potential online merchant. Your ecommerce website is fully hosted with a user friendly interface, meaning you can easily sell and manage products from your online shop. CMS (Content Management Systems) are designed with the non-technical user in mind, and if you can find a provider that offers a free demo and money back guarantee - you're in a favourable position.

Get creative!

You want your online shop to stand out from the crowd, so choose an ecommerce package that has a good selection of templates to choose from. These should be fully customisable giving you total control over how your website looks. Everything comes down to appearance - if people like what they see, they tend to buy that particular product. Using a colour scheme and logo design that you're happy with will make the process of setting up your online shop more enjoyable and productive. If a bespoke ecommerce website is what you want, you should find one at a reasonable price after shopping around.

Which payment providers are open to me?

Your ecommerce software provider will have access to payment service providers that integrate with their system. No longer are you required to pour time into setting up a merchant bank account - this is where payment gateways such as PayPal do the work for you. Before deciding to use a certain payment system however, you'll need to check that it's compatible with your chosen ecommerce platform as not all gateways will be associated. Processing fees will still apply so it's advisable to look at those that offer the best rates. You shouldn't be paying any more than 5% of the transaction value really - ideally anything between 2.5-5%. If you can, obtain a list of all those payment gateways supported by your chosen ecommerce software provider to get the most from your online business. Barclaycard, SagePay and PayPal are just a few of the payment service systems integrated with ecommerce platforms. The overarching message is to give it a try and find out for yourself!

There's nothing to be gained by not putting your ideas into practice, and for just 瞿19.99 a month on an ecommerce software platform, you really have nothing to lose. If it doesn't work out the way you intended - at least you have it a go. Starting up an online shop is a continuous learning curve and can really kick start your business if you stick it out.

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