How to set up an online store: step-by-step, for free

Nowadays, building a storefront can be done exclusively online and can bring an advantage for entrepreneurs who work from home or wish to avoid a physical store. Regardless of the product offer, anyone can open an online store without needing expertise and sell online. Getting started is enough to have a good idea and a lot of motivation. Read our small guide on setting up an e-commerce shop and starting your own business.

What are the benefits of an e-commerce shop?

E-commerce shops are retail stores working online, they have the same characteristics as a regular shops with brands or marketplaces offering various products for any kind of customer. Setting up your store as an E-commerce can bring many benefits, particularly the opportunity to go global thanks to the internet. If you have a delivery system that can ship around the world, that means a chance to open your product to new markets and expand your brand outside of your location.

Having your shop online makes it available 24hrs a day which could potentially increase the number of sales this can be paired with always-available customer service to make clients have a pleasant experience and, subsequently, empower the brand to expand your business.

Choose your product

Like any other business, understanding your product is one of the most important factors when building an online shop. Knowing the details of the idea of your business will allow you to set the right goals for your online shop and create the best experience for your customers.

Although the main aim of any shop is to sell the products, creating a good experience for the customer will help attract a more prominent clientele and produce a larger amount of sales, that's why it is essential to know exactly what you’re selling and to whom. Remember to be realistic and persevere most businesses take over three years to see results. Therefore, patience and motivation are essential keys to success.

Elaborate the concept

Start by establishing the general idea of your business. Think about what kind of product you will offer. And who would you like to buy your product from? It’s essential to take into account as many details from your business as possible, this way, you can apply the benefits directly to your online shop. For example, address ads to a target audience and increase the possibility of driving traffic into your online shop in the most effective way. Make sure that your product is described correctly without missing any details. You don’t want anyone missing out on anything you're offering and don’t want to target the wrong kind of customers.

Choose the platform

Choose a platform and register your domain. Nowadays, they’re different options to set up an online shop, you can build your own platform from scratch or register to a platform monthly or yearly subscription like Shopify, Wix, or Squarespace. This will help you register and purchase your domain while structuring your shop with pre-made templates, and all of these sites offer complete guides on setting up your platform. Build your catalog and add all of your products. Keep in mind the strategic display of your items, perhaps place the top sellers on top, and keep rotating your products with those not selling much to increase your sales.

Create sales and discounts

Coupons and affiliate programs are also a good idea; with online shops, it is easy to create coupons and affiliate programs to increase sales. You can set coupons all throughout the year. There is the possibility to create coupons by season, for example, FALL2021. Or create some for the XMAS holidays or add some discounts of 50%! Finally, consider sharing affiliate links with friends and family, or perhaps with influencers in social media who can share your website and products to increase your sales.

Create the right engagement

When deciding on your product catalog, don't forget to pay special attention to the product descriptions. Not only will the details bring more traffic to your website, but they can also help avoid returns or low ratings since clients usually expect to receive the products exactly as they see them on the website. If possible, take professional photographs and don’t be shy! The more you show, and the more engagement you have, the more comfortable clients will feel when acquiring your products; once they receive it, they won’t be disappointed as long as it is precisely what you’re offering and describing.

Think about marketing

Add some social media and email marketing, and put together an email address listing where you can keep your clients informed about new products or sales. Social media can keep your clientele engaged by displaying your products, brand image, and news. Remember, the more engagement, the more you can sell!