How to build an e-commerce website?

A beginner guide

If you are a newcomer in e-commerce and get confused at how to build an online store, don’t worry! This article is written for you, which will show a step-by-step guide on creating an e-commerce website. Keep scrolling and check it out!

Step 1: Make plans and choose a suitable platform

First and foremost, it is necessary to have a detailed plan before building your e-commerce store.

Here are few questions to ask yourself:

Which products do you want to sell?
How does your budget works for launching and developing your website?
How do you allocate human resources?

Completing a comprehensive proposal would help you avoid wasting time and money.

After owning a thorough plan, it is time to take the first step: select a platform for your e-commerce website. There is an astonishing collection of platforms for you to choose, such as WordPress, Magento, Drupal, Website Builders, etc.

If you are a professional developer or have basic coding skills, we highly recommend Magento and Drupal as an ideal option. However, if what you are searching for is a beginner-friendly platform, you should take into consideration WordPress or Website Builders. All these platforms are reputable and popular in the world with numerous free themes and elements that are worth a try

Step 2: Select helpful elements

Normally, an online store should have several elements that help customers shop and browse easily. These sectors will make a great contribution to the optimization of a model shopping web.

Except for the home page and particular pages of each product, let’s check other elements your site needs.

Search bar: a powerful tool for buyers to find what exactly they want.
Review section: to enhance your business’s reputation, nothing could be more reliable than the truthful reviews from those who bought and experienced your products.
Shopping Cart: you expect your customers will pay money directly for the item from the first sight? No, trust me, just a little few people do that. Most of them need more time to consider and compare your store with others before making the last decision. Hence, a shopping cart allows customers to save what they like and intend to buy in the future.

Step 3: Build your e-commerce website

Depending on the different platforms you choose, the building process will be different. However, it is a must for you to follow several basic steps. After owning a domain name, you need to be in a collaboration with a (or more) professional web developer. They will be your faithful companion when creating your desired website. With the chosen hosting platform (mentioned in Step 1), themes, elements, and images, your developer needs to work hard to build your expected online store. And don’t forget to make sure that you have the necessary legal paperwork before going into the business.

Pro Tips: If you are facing tons of difficulties in building your online store, you can take part in the user’s forum of that platform. Other users are willing to share with you their valuable experiences and help you to solve the real problems.

Step 4: Marketing your site

Your website is ready to work. And now, it is time to share this great online shop with more and more people. Through efficient tools like social media, SEO optimization, email marketing, etc. By doing so, you will soon achieve your goal – a successful e-commerce website.

If you still have any doubts about this matter, feel free to leave your comment below. We are pleased to help you!