Do you want to create an e-commerce site ? For years now, e-commerce took on another dimension. Many transactions involving crazy sums of money are carried out all over the world. The digital age is also the advent of many online stores that tend to combine the past era of physical stores.
One-click purchases, fast transactions, a wide range of products available, online item comparison tools are among the advantages that can be drawn from this new mode of commerce. That said, it has now become essential to invest in an e-commerce site to breathe life into your business. But how to get there and at what cost? Find out here.
Why create an e-commerce site?
Many people know some of the benefits that an e-commerce site brings , but are still hesitant to get started. By looking a little more at the question, we realize that creating an e-commerce site has much more than advantages.
Be present everywhere
As you know, with the internet everything goes fast. It's the same with an e-commerce site. You have the opportunity to be present everywhere even when you are far from major catchment areas.
By creating a Shopify online store , you will make yourself known all over the world. The advantage is that you will have thousands of customers all over the globe.
With a physical store , you may attract people who are in your locality. If your products or services are of excellent quality, you may be able to bring in a few customers who don't live very far away. But your field of influence will not be very wide.
Conversely, the e-commerce site allows you, thanks to natural referencing , to position yourself on the various search engines . Your customers just need to do a simple search on your store in one click, to have access to all your products, regardless of their location on the globe.
Sell anytime
The other definite advantage of creating an e-commerce site is the ability it gives you to sell at any time . With a physical store, you are forced to comply with a given opening time as well as a closing time. The consequence is that you cannot sell while your store is closed.
Conversely, with an online site, you are present 24 hours a day. Whatever the time, your customers can order the item of their choice with one click and have it delivered very quickly. The advantage here is that you sell much more and you make cash flow all the time.
Also, being present all the time reinforces the confidence that your customers have in you because you can develop your brand much more widely on the web.
Make significant savings
When it comes to creating an e-commerce site, many people first think of the expenses involved in setting up the site. However, an online store is the perfect way to save big .
Unlike the physical store for which you will have to recruit staff , the online store requires a lot less people. By adopting this mode of commerce, you will necessarily make significant savings. Of course, there is also the initial investment to create the site. We advise you to request quotes from Shopify agencies to get a much more precise idea of the prices for the site of your dreams.
Also, you will not have to pay rent as in the case of a physical store. Once you have your domain on the Net and your store is functional, you are exempt from certain expenses.
What type of e-commerce site to create?
You can create the e-commerce site of your choice! The options are limitless. Here are some ideas to help you:
How to create an e-commerce site?
To create an e-commerce site, you have several options. However, it is essential to choose the right platform and to master the prerequisites for the creation of the site.
Prerequisites for creating an e-commerce site
Before moving on to the actual creation of your e-commerce site, you will need to do some important preliminary work.
- Define your strategy and your business plan
Whether it's a physical or online store, it's important to properly determine your business plan . It will be necessary to take into account the various factors that could influence the success of your project. However, it will not be necessary to take into account only the success factors of your project.
It will also be necessary to take stock of the risks of your project. Also consider how these risks will affect your next venture. This point will then help you determine the best web strategy to achieve your goals. Finally, it will be necessary to evaluate the profitability of your project.
- Take stock of your needs
Here, it's about identifying everything that falls within the scope of your needs to set up your store and your project. It is advisable to keep a notebook in which you will record all these needs so that nothing escapes you.
- Think about interface design
The interface of your e-commerce site is one of the essential elements that will attract customers. That's why you have to think about it. At this stage, you can get help from a professional in the field in order to benefit from sound advice.
- Think about the choice of service providers
Finally, you will need to take stock of the different choices available to you in terms of service providers to carry out your project. These are experts in e-commerce, such as an e-commerce agency , but also in web marketing. To this end, take into account the competence of the service providers as well as the quality/price ratio.
Use Shopify to create an e-commerce site
You can easily create your e-commerce site with Shopify in just a few steps. It is one of the best platforms for creating an online store.
- Creating a Shopify account
The first step in creating an e-commerce site with Shopify is registering on the platform . This is the step required to use the platform. You will benefit from a 14-day free trial in order to test and familiarize yourself with the platform. You will enter the name of the brand you want to give to your store. This information is essential for Shopify who will use it to create a temporary URL for you.
- Familiarization with the dashboard
Next, you will need to understand how Shopify works . To get there, dig around and switch between features. You will then learn more about general settings, taxes, product delivery, product downloads, payments and notifications, etc.
- Personalization of your showcase
Once you have mastered the different features of Shopify, you can now customize your storefront . You will have a wide choice in terms of themes, colors, backgrounds, fonts or even characters. However, you will have to customize your showcase according to the values and products that you intend to sell on your site.
- Adding products
Since this is an online site, adding your products will be like taking their best photos and uploading them to the platform. Note that your photos should be the same size and pixel dimensions. Feel free to include multiple photos and make sure the photos actually match the items you are selling. You can read our guide to Shopify listings for inspiration
- Activation and configuration of the payment gateway
At this stage, you will need to determine how you expect to receive payments from your customers. It is also the method of payment. You will have a wide choice in the matter, but there are certain points which you will absolutely have to consider. These include, for example , transaction fees or types of cards .
You will also need to tell Shopify if you want the taxes to be applied directly to your products.
- Configuring Essential Pages
To complete the creation of your site with Shopify, you will need to configure the essential pages of your store. These include, for example, the About pages, the Contact pages, and the Return Policy and Legal Notice pages.
These are pages that give credibility to your online store. You can also boost your e-commerce site by using some custom features.
If you need a Shopify expert to modify your store or create your e-commerce site, contact us at 01 84 25 92 21
