Are you thinking of taking your existing business online or starting a new venture by selling online? You are making the right decision! Customers prefer the ability to check out products at their convenience and have them delivered to their doorstep.
As of 2023, there were 345 million online buyers in India, a number that is expected to reach over 400 million by 2027. With so many online shoppers, now is the perfect time to start selling online.
Unsure about how to navigate down this path? Here’s a quick guide to walk you through the essential steps of online store setup—from identifying the perfect niche to successfully selling products online. With actionable tips and examples, you’ll be ready to create an e-commerce store that attracts customers and drives digital sales. Let’s dive in!
Step-by-step process to start selling online
Before you start selling online, there are a few steps to building a successful online business. Here is the step-by-step e-commerce setup for SMBs to help you prepare for the journey and get a good headstart on selling products online.
Step 1: Find a niche you want to target
The first step to building a successful online business is identifying a niche segment. This niche should focus on a target segment big enough to help you build recurring revenue but also specific to your customers’ requirements. To choose the perfect niche:
- Access your interests and skills to find an area where your expertise and knowledge can add value.
- Research the market using tools like Google Trends or SEMrush Trends to understand what products or services are trending in your niche.
- Look at competitors and the top companies already catering to this niche. Is there room for differentiation or improvement?
Start looking at how you can cater to this market. Sustainability is a big factor when people buy products online, with customers willing to pay a 9.7% higher premium on goods that are sustainably produced or sourced locally. If you can cater to these customers, you have a winning niche and a solid long-term online business.
Step 2: Source the products
The next step is finding the right products to sell. This stage determines your inventory strategy and overall business operations, making it a critical decision in your e-commerce journey. Some options are:
- Dropshipping: Partnering with a local supplier who manages inventory and ships the products directly to the customer while you are in charge of digital sales and marketing.
- Wholesale: You can purchase the products in bulk at a discounted rate and start selling online at a higher premium to make profits.
- Direct manufacturing: If you cannot find the right product on the market and think you have the expertise to create an in-house product, you can make your own products and sell them online.
While all three options are fantastic, the decision depends on how confident you are about selling the particular products.
Step 3: Determine the right target audience
A well-defined target audience allows you to tailor your marketing strategies, product offerings, and user experience, helping you increase the likelihood of conversions. To define your target audience:
- Create buyer personas. These detailed profiles help you understand your target audience’s demographics, interests, behaviors, and pain points.
- Conduct market research: Use surveys, questionnaires, and social media analytics to understand what the customer is actually expecting from you.
Step 4: Choose the right e-commerce platform
After you have defined who you are selling to, you need to select the right platform for this target audience. To pick a platform, you will need to consider factors like:
- Ease of use: Consider your technical expertise and skillset before opting for an online platform. Platforms like Shopify and Wix offer drag-and-drop interfaces that are perfect for beginners.
- Scalability: Look for platforms that can scale, supporting more products, higher traffic, and advanced features. Platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce are ideal to expand your business to other areas.
- Payment Integrations: Ensure that the chosen platform supports multiple payment gateways, especially the one you are using.
- Costs: The main decision on the ideal platform involves costs, such as monthly fees, transaction fees, or any add-on costs when setting up the store. For SMBs, platforms like Wix offer affordable pricing tiers, while Shopify provides more features at a slightly higher cost.
By carefully evaluating your needs and budget, you can select the best e-commerce platform to power your online store.
Step 5: Set up your online store
It’s now time to start building your online store. Here are the essential steps to set up your digital storefront:
- Domain registration: Choose a domain name that reflects your brand identity. Keep it simple, memorable, and relevant.
- Store design and user-friendly layouts: Customize your store’s layout, color scheme, and fonts to create a unique look.
- Mobile-optimized design: Ensure your store is mobile-friendly, as a significant portion of online shopping happens on mobile devices.
- Product categories and navigational structure: Choose the right product categories for your brand, especially if you are targeting a niche segment.
Step 6: List your products
Once you have your digital storefront ready, start listing your products by including:
- Engaging product titles and SEO-optimized descriptions: Write persuasive product descriptions that highlight the unique benefits. Make sure these incorporate the relevant keywords to improve search visibility.
- High-resolution images and videos: Use high-resolution images and videos that showcase your products from multiple angles. This helps the customer get a detailed understanding of your product and increases the likelihood of conversion.
- Key product details: Provide detailed information about your products. If you are selling T-shirts, mention the various size options, color options, specifications, and other details to help the customer understand what they are buying.
- Customer reviews: If you already have rave customer reviews, highlight positive reviews and ratings on the product page to build trust.
Step 7: Set up secure payment options
The most critical piece of the puzzle is the payment process. Make sure that you opt for a payment option that supports multiple payment options, including:
- Credit/Debit Cards: Including the option to pay Debit Card EMI, Credit Card EMI, and other flexi-pay options.
- UPI and Mobile Wallets: Payment using popular apps like PayTM, Google Pay, PhonePay, etc.
- Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL): A rising trend that allows customers to split payments into installments.
- International Payment Support: For SMBs targeting global markets, include options like PayPal and international credit cards.
To showcase trust and security, make sure to:
- Use PCI DSS-compliant gateways to protect sensitive data.
- Display security badges like SSL certificates and “Secure Payment” icons to reassure customers.
- Offer two-factor authentication (2FA) for added security during transactions.
To provide a seamless, secure, and convenient payment experience, you can consider Plural by Pine Labs’ Payment Gateway, an RBI-approved payment aggregator. It integrates with your chosen platform and helps you provide:
- Multiple Payment Options: Offering your customers multiple payment methods boosts conversion rates and enhances customer satisfaction.
- Easy Integration: Plural integrates smoothly with a variety of e-commerce platforms, so you can easily incorporate it into your website and start processing payments right away.
- Local & International Payment Support: Whether you’re selling locally or globally, Plural helps you expand your reach with support for both local and international payment options, offering convenience to your customers no matter where they are.
By partnering with Plural by Pine Labs, you can ensure that your customers enjoy a smooth, secure, and flexible payment experience. This helps you increase conversions and develop trust and loyalty—key elements for long-term success in the competitive online marketplace.
Step 8: Streamline order fulfillment and delivery
Although we are almost ready to start selling online, one final step remains! Before taking orders, ensure you can fulfill customer requests and ensure proper delivery. This includes:
- Inventory Management: Ensure you have a proper mechanism to track inventory and provide accurate delivery dates.
- Order Processing: Automate order confirmation emails and ensure accurate data entry.
- Packaging: Use high-quality, eco-friendly packaging to enhance the customer experience.
- Shipping and Delivery: Choose reliable shipping partners to guarantee timely delivery.
- Offer Multiple Delivery Options: Make sure you can provide multiple delivery options, such as standard shipping, express shipping (for those who need the orders quickly at a premium price), and same-day delivery (a premium option for local customers).
Step 9: Start selling
You are all ready to start selling online! But once you do, stay focused on what your customers are saying and incorporate their feedback into building your brand. Some crucial areas include:
- Responsive Support: Provide timely and helpful customer support through various channels (email, live chat, social media).
- Transparency: Be transparent about your business practices and product information.
- Easy Returns and Exchanges: Offer a hassle-free return and exchange policy. Mention explicitly the terms and conditions for returns or exchanges so that it doesn’t lead to customer frustration later on.
Implementing these strategies can help you build a strong brand, attract loyal customers, and drive long-term success for your online store.
Conclusion
Starting an online store may seem daunting, but by following these nine simple steps, you can set your business up for success in the digital marketplace.
As you embark on this exciting journey, remember that Plural by Pine Labs can be your trusted partner for seamless payment solutions. With secure and flexible payment options, you can ensure that your customers enjoy a smooth checkout experience every time.
Ready to start selling online? Contact us to get the right payment gateway solution for your business.
