How To Design An eCommerce Business Site From Scratch: Free Tips For Beginners

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The eCommerce business sector is booming. Stores that have temporarily shuttered their doors may never reopen. So, if you don’t have a proper eCommerce website in this era then you are missing out on something very profitable.

Shopping online used to be a luxury and a convenience; now, it’s a need. A website designing company can consult you for making an effective eCommerce website. eCommerce has been expanding for some time, and the figures below do not take into account recent events that have resulted in a rise in eCommerce sales.

How to Build an eCommerce Website Step-by-Step

Building an eCommerce site may be easier than you think. There are now eCommerce solutions that do the majority of the work for you, but you still need to understand what’s available and what your site requires. With proper research, you may make judgments that will result in a great site that will grow and expand with you over time.

Find Your Perfect eCommerce Platform

The first step in your journey is to find the best eCommerce website, builder. It is critical to have one that can fulfil the requirements of your products and brand.

There are three primary types of eCommerce platforms to choose from, each with its own set of benefits and features. Here’s what you should know.

Open-source platforms offer their source code freely to everyone who wants to use it. It’s free to install and endlessly customizable. However, open-source platforms usually require advanced coding knowledge to use properly. 

Software as a Service, or SaaS, is an eCommerce platform that is available as a subscription service. These solutions are often simple to use, scalable, and secure. Because they are specifically intended for eCommerce, they can manage logistical activities such as checkout and payment processing.

Headless commerce enables customer-facing changes to be made quickly and gives businesses plenty of creative control. It also lets companies get to market faster, with a lower total cost, and businesses get increased control over their store while outsourcing security and PCI compliance.

eCommerce Hosting

Your data is stored on eCommerce web hosting. It can affect security and prices, so take the time to learn about your options.

Cloud hosting refers to the hosting of eCommerce sites off-site. It is typically provided by SaaS or headless commerce firms. The platform controls uptime as well as updates, patches, and upgrades that aid in site security. Open source systems may also feature a cloud option that includes hosting fees, although security upkeep must still be performed by the merchant.

On-premise hosting refers to eCommerce sites hosted on servers owned by the company and is typically found with open source solutions. To ensure that the site is up and secure, the corporation must have server space, manage installation, and hire people to look after it. Large organisations are frequently more capable of doing so.

eCommerce Website Builders

The cornerstone of your online store is your website builder. eCommerce-specific alternatives give you more options and room to expand than generic website builders with an eCommerce add-on. Here are a few to think about:

BigCommerce is a well-known scalable SaaS solution. It provides customer service 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with priority help offered for major accounts. There are numerous built-in features. Multi-layered security safeguards data and local payment methods attract clients from all around the world. BigCommerce provides a headless mode, allowing companies to deliver API-driven experiences via a CMS, DXP, application, device, or bespoke front-end, with BigCommerce serving as the commerce engine.

Shopify is another fully hosted SaaS solution that is known for being quick and simple to set up. They have a large selection of plug-ins, but if you need to use a lot of them, the cost might rapidly add up. Shopify can manage a high volume of transactions per minute, allowing it to quickly withstand traffic spikes.

WooCommerce is a free WordPress plug-in that is open source. It is typically utilised by folks who already have a WordPress site. WooCommerce is adaptable and customizable. Industry professionals audited the safe code of WooCommerce.

Purchase a Domain Name

You can transfer an existing domain name to your online store builder. If you don’t already have a domain name, make sure it adheres to the recommended practices listed below.

A domain name should be easy to remember and type, therefore avoiding unusual spellings. It does not have to pass a spelling test; after all, Google was not a term until Google coined it, but it must be easy to spell. Make it easy to pronounce, as you want them to tell their friends about it. Avoid hyphens and numerals since they make it more difficult for others to share the web address.

People will forget a generic name, or they will go to a similarly-named company with a higher search engine optimization (SEO) ranking. A memorable name is a brandable name, so make sure your domain name sticks out.

Aim for a domain name that is 6-14 characters long to make it easier for your customer to remember. Shorter names are also easier to employ in marketing, which leads to more customers, even if they find you through a search engine.

Find a Developer

Even if you are bootstrapping your firm, a developer can help you put up an eCommerce site. They have the technical know-how to get you up and running swiftly so you can start selling sooner. When interviewing developers, inquire about their timeline so you can plan your launch date. Request to examine previous websites they’ve created and obtain referrals from those businesses. Make sure the developer understands your idea and can create it within your budget.

Pick Your Template Accordingly

Templates, also known as themes, are pre-built pages that you can alter to fit your brand and make your site seem attractive without any design or coding knowledge. When choosing a template, consider the following factors:

An excellent customer experience requires easy navigation. If a customer cannot locate what they are looking for, they will click the back button and purchase elsewhere. Customers read from left to right, therefore a navigation bar on the left side of the website is easy to see.

Does the homepage of the template reflect your brand? Is there a place where you may put photographs, slideshows, or videos? Is there a place where you may tell your tale to site visitors? From the initial sight, a customer should be able to determine what type of business you are, so make sure the template expresses this effectively.

Product Listing

Product pages are some of the most important pages on your website since they show your clients what you have to offer. Take the effort to make sure your new items are presented in the best possible light by incorporating optimal product descriptions, eye-catching photos, and easy-to-navigate categories.

Product descriptions are an important component of your eCommerce site. They define the product’s usefulness, colours, textures, measurements, and/or worth to your customers and allow bots to index your page for SEO purposes. When creating descriptions, avoid cliches, verbose words, and complex phrasing, and make sure the descriptions meet the following questions: 

• Who will use this product?
• What are the basic specifications of the product?
• Where would this product be useful?
• When will people use this product?

Set up Payment Methods

The proper payment method is critical for completing a sale. If the process is too complex or untrustworthy, your consumer may abandon their cart and never return. Check that it also fits your payment processing requirements.

There are three sorts of payment gateways, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Consider the actions you must take to keep payments and information secure when selecting a gateway.

Redirect

A redirect directs the customer to a different site to complete the payment. PayPal is the most well-known example. This is a straightforward solution for businesses that transfers security concerns to a third party, but it adds an additional step for customers, which may turn some away.

On-site checkout, off-site payment

This gateway hosts the payment’s front end, including data collection, but the payment is handled off-site. Stripe is a well-known company that provides this service. It eliminates needless processes for customers, but you must verify that your site is properly protected so that information can be safely delivered to the payment processor.

On-Site Payments

On-site payments take place on your property, giving you entire control and responsibility. It is appropriate for major organisations that process a high number of payments since they can afford to maintain it operational and secure.

Shipping Policy

Are you covering fees and carriers under your shipping policy? Are you providing free shipping, a flat rate, or a variable fee? With whom are you shipping? Consider whether you want to ship abroad. If so, make sure that information is easily accessible so that international clients aren’t frustrated throughout the checkout process.

Choose your shipping method. Will you perform the packing or will you dropship? Shipping software that integrates with the rest of your workflow allows you to automate that aspect of your business, freeing you up to focus on other concerns.

Conclusion

A good eCommerce site is more than just a storefront. It is the place where a company can create an experience that enhances its brand, attracts new customers, and turns casual shoppers into committed ambassadors. Choosing the correct eCommerce platform and developing a marketing strategy to launch a successful online store can put you ahead of the competition.