How to open a first online store?

1. Do market research

You have certainly noticed that there are more and more online stores on the market, so to achieve desirable success, you have to take actions that will help you stand out from the rest. First, focus on the competition, you can take several factors into the consideration: price, store design, product presentation, promotions and marketing.

2. Name your store and buy domain

After making a decision about the industry, it’s time to choose the name for your online store. The name is a very significant aspect it should refer to the type of business and products you offer. Remember it should be catchy so clients could easily recall your brand in the future.

Have you already chosen a logo for your brand? If so, now it’s a time to buy the domain. Don’t hesitate with this step as there are a number of people who looking to buy a domain and can overtake your name. Make sure the internet address will have the same name as your store name.

3. Choose the best e-commerce software and open an online store

Choosing an effective software will determine the success of your first online store, so take a moment to do careful research and choose the best solution. The market is full of e-commerce platforms on which you can create your online store. Most of the platforms have a free trial period and access to the admin panel. This will help you to check the solution before purchasing it.

The Offerer software you can try for 14 days for free without any obligations

Why Offerer software? First of all, the admin panel is extremely simple and intuitive to use, if you are not a programmer it’s great solution for you. In addition, there is a hint system that will help with the navigation through the platform.

When choosing a proper software, be sure to choose the one that will enable you to integrate with various systems such as payment gateways, couriers, warehouses etc. This will make much easier for you to manage your online store.

4. Create an attractive graphic design

Graphics is very often a deal breaker. Make sure your website is user-friendly and transparent. Take a chance and implement unique and special ideas. Remember about all graphics elements: colors, menus, access to promotions, leading products should look desirable for clients so it will convince them to purchase.

If you are not sure about your design skills, you can always rely on professionals. You can order individual graphic design or use the store template creator available in the subscription price. This will allow in a simple way to manage your first online store.

5. Add statistics system

While considering the constant development of your online store remember to add a tool that will allow accessing to the most crucial statistics about your website traffic. A free and very popular option is Google Analytics, this tool allows to determine which online campaigns bring the biggest traffic and conversation, the worse performing pages, what people click on the most, what people search on your website, visitors location, abandoned carts.

6. Prepare “about us” page

One of the most crucial factors is preparing a good about us page.
About us page usually includes information about your company but also possibilities that you offer for example the type and cost of delivery, accepted payment methods, returns, complaints policy. This type of information is very important to show on your website, it gives transparency to the clients, which builds trust. Your website should include Terms and Conditions and Private Policy ( preparation of those documents should be overlooked by law professionals).

7. Enter products and choose unique descriptions

After fulfilling the above steps you can start your sale at any moment, hence focus on this two steps:

• You can add the goods manually by configuring them in anyway.
• Integration with wholesalers: with a few clicks you can add products database to your online store. Thanks to this function, within 10-15 minutes, more than ten thousands of items can appear in your online store. 

A very important factor to focus on is a product description. Avoid Double Content and do not copy descriptions directly from the producers. The first content is valuable and copied one will be considered by Google as useless. If you want to take good care of your store’s SEO, beware of duplicating text.

8. Make a few tests of your online store

Before launching your website, make a few tests to be sure that it works correctly.
To ensure that it is perfectly adjusted, check:

• Prepare tests of store operations, which eliminate the occurrence of possible technical errors (e.g the appearance of blank pages);
• Usability testing– examine whether the store is intuitive enough;
• Browser compatibility testing– responsiveness – with Offerer, all available templates are adapted to mobile devices.

9. Promote your brand

Your online store with rich graphics and content works without the smallest complaint? Great, but still not enough to exist on the market. Successful Promotion Campaigns in the online world can be introduced as advertisements or good and effective SEO. One of the most serious and worth considering is Google AdWords ( Google Ads)– sponsored links and so-called Adsense, which consist in matching the content of ads to the content of the page currently being viewed. In this case, the cost will accrue based on the number of clicks.

The most effective “natural” and long-term method to promote the online store is positioning. What is referred to as positioning? In this way, we determine the process of systematically growing in the ranking of search results by key phrases at Google.

Summary

We hope that this article will help you to start your own online store. Remember to start from market research, name your store and buy the domain. Next chose e-commerce software, that will meet your expectations. Also, pay attention to your shop design. If you are not sure about your design skills, you can always count on professionals- order individual projects. While adding products use unique descriptions, and lastly promote your store.

Do you want to open an online shop and you are not sure about the cost? Are you worried you do not have enough capital to start? Get to know the low-budget e-commerce solution and see how you can afford your own e-business.

1. How much does it cost to start an online store – low cost of entering the e-commerce market.

You probably read reviews on forums and wondered what are the costs to open an online shop. The good news is- you do not have to invest a lot of cash right away. All you need is focus on developing your e-business within a time.

Get rid of fears! If you create a website on a shop platform, you will limit the initial expenses spent on individual software.

First, register your domain. Some companies provide good discounts, so you can even get the first year of free domain.Then test the e-commerce software for 14 days free of charge. If Offerer software meets your expectations and we are pretty sure it will so, choose the best plan and subscribe. We have good deals for you!

We have prepared individual price packages tailored to the needs of our clients. In the beginning, in order to check how your business will develop, you can choose the basic subscription, and after a time with the development of your e-business, decide on a higher package, which will give you more possibilities. Running your own online shop doesn’t have to be expensive  ????

Check the PRICING and see for yourself that you can start a professional online store at an affordable price!

2. No additional costs related to shop configuration

An online shop for a subscription option is a perfect solution for beginners in an e-commerce market. Because you do not pay additional costs related to the configuration. Say goodbye to buying additional applications or paying for new features.

With Offerer, all the necessary integrations for your e-business are included in the subscription price. You can integrate your online store with couriers, payment systems, price comparison sites or online accountancy programmes.

Life is much easier when you do not need a programmer’s help to configure your e-store. You can handle the whole process with just a few clicks. However, if the administration panel service is causing you a problem, you can always contact our technical support.

3. Professional RWD graphic template for free

You want an online store with professional graphics, but you can not afford an individual solution? You can choose a responsive and modern graphics template, adapted to mobile devices. Use the Template Creator and easily adapt the visual setting to your design idea.

At the beginning of your e-commerce adventure, your funds are limited. Therefore, the Offerer Template Creator feature has been included in every subscription package, at no additional fees. When your store will start to bring profits, you can think about individual graphics project that will improve your brand awareness.

Read more about graphics HERE

 

4. You don’t need a programmer

Offerer store platform is user-friendly. That’s why you can easily navigate in the administration panel.

Functions are divided into logical groups, and each option has a special button with a ‘?’  to help you with navigation. Check for yourself that even without IT skills, you can manage your shop online.

Please note that the administration server, updates, and security are on our side. We are always available for you, our emergency line is available 24/7, so you can contact us whenever you need. It’s all included in a subscription package.

5. Benefits package

At the beginning of your on e-commerce journey,  it can be difficult. First, you are proud that you have your online store but with this comes an overwhelming amount of responsibilities, for example negotiating contracts or planning promotions.

In order to help you to enter the market, we have prepared a special Benefits Package. In this package, you will find attractive offers e.g Google AdWords.

Learn more about Benefits Packages HERE

As you can see, opening an online store does not have to be expensive or difficult. In the case of using the subscription platform, you limit the costs of entering the e-commerce market. You can develop your e-business peacefully over time and with low costs. And what is the cost of running a store? Find the answer below ????

6. How much does it cost to run an online store?

You have already learned about the costs of e-shop, and probably you are wondering how to plan a budget for the functioning of e-business. The cost of running an online store depends on several factors.

Remember that it is not enough to just set up a website – to make your store profitable, you should promote it intensively. The cost of doing business will highly depend on the advertising methods you choose.

Entrepreneurs beginners usually invest in positioning, Google AdWords campaigns, comparison websites, and Facebook Ads.

Another factor that determines the costs of running an online store is the type of industry in which you operate. Some e-businesses need more money in order to start.

The costs of running an online store also depend on the logistic model. The main point is whether you will have a warehouse and what fees you will pay for it.

To minimize these fees, beginner entrepreneurs often decide to run a warehouse at home and sell in the dropshipping model.

What else is important when it comes to the budget of running your online shop?  Fixed costs, such as bills for telephone or internet.

Remember it’s important to specify all expenses and prepare financial resources for the first 6 months. At this time, your e-business should start earning money, and the cost of running your online store will be balanced according to profit.

Best of luck and we keep our fingers crossed for you! ????

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us: info@offerer.com

1. What is an open source system?

The open source is a generally available software for online stores. Each user can download them for free from the website and install it on the server. The most popular free software are:

• PrestaShop,
• Magento,
• WooCommerce.

2. Is the open source for online stores really free?

 As previously mentioned, downloading the software for the online store is free. However, there are significant hidden costs that the beginning entrepreneur is not aware.

It will be necessary to find a person or company that will take care of technical service, updating the store’s inventory, and also will be watching over the stability of your store. Of course, nothing is for free, which means you will have to properly pay, and their services are not cheap. Depending on the year period, this person will have to work on your online activity from one to several dozen hours. At the same time, the cost of such a service can reach up to 150 euro net per hour. This expense can significantly burden your budget, so it is worth considering whether investing in this kind of software is a good solution, especially in the early stages of running the e-business.

You can not forget about additional functions or modules. Any function, even basic, which normally occurs in the shop platform, may not exist in the open source, and this will require an additional payment. Unfortunately, they are often old or not updated at all.

Another cost that incurs is buying the server and domain. Prices vary depending on the individual needs of clients regarding the hosting. Unfortunately, you can not always choose the right and tested solution. Because after a while it may turn out that the number of products and traffic in the store may be larger than you expected.

It is different with the subscription of Offerer shop platform. With us, you have unlimited web hosting, and price packages are prepared based on our many years of experience in working with clients.

In summary, despite the seemingly free functioning of your online store on open source software, the additional costs that you will have to pay for each functionality or change on the site, can reach up to 1000 euro net a month, and often more! However, if you use the SaaS software, you will pay from 100 to a maximum 190 euro – it depends on the subscription option you choose. The difference is enormous, right?

3. The configuration of a free online shop

Every software for online shop should be adjusted to your own individual needs before start selling. All software for online stores must be adapted to their individual needs before selling. However, the configuration process for the open source model is very long, time-consuming and requires a lot of programming knowledge.

If you want easily manage your website and give your customers user-friendly experience in your store, you need to install plug-ins, create functions and design integrations.

In case you do not have advanced IT skills, you will have to look for information on forums and discussion groups. Implementation of the collected data will cost you a lot of working hours, which will delay the start of your e-business.

Hence, when you have programming knowledge, you will be able to adjust the open script to your individual needs. In addition, the configuration of the e-store should go smoothly.

However, the e-commerce industry is dynamically changing, that’s why installing application once for a long-term won’t be enough. You need to follow trends on a regular basis and change the integration parameters, which may result in incorrect operation of the store’s mechanism.

If you are overwhelmed by the configuration of a free online store, you can commission work to a programmer or specialists from a company or agency. However, before you invest the money, you need to find a trustworthy person who will meet your expectations, which is also not easy. Then you will have to wait for your request to be completed and often pay not a small sum. 

It looks completely different when it comes to the configuration of the online shop for a subscription. With Offerer.com you have more than 1200 functions and extended help system.

From the store’s administration panel with a few clicks, you can integrate with the price comparison engine, payment gateways, and couriers. Thanks to this, you save time and energy.

Nevertheless, in case of doubts or problems, you can always contact the technical support team. In addition, specialists from Offerer.com continually develop the software, update and control its proper service.

4. Will you pay additional costs?

Unfortunately, in the case of a free online store, you pay a fee for each new integration, function or the smallest graphic element. Developers of open source software often do not keep up with the introduction of new changes in line with market trends. So will you pay additional costs?

That’s why launching the function and integration on the website involves programming them, which is time-consuming and very expensive. This step is a must, you will not skip this process. If you want to succeed in the e-commerce market, you must meet customers needs and expectations.

Free online stores often do not offer free templates, so buying a ready one and implementing it exposes you to additional fees.The same is when it comes to graphics.

What does it look like in the SaaS model? With Offerer you do not pay additional costs. Integrations, applications and current updates are included in the pricing of software subscription. In addition, you can use the free RWD graphic template, which you can adapt to your ideas using a webmaster’s editor.

5. Advantages and disadvantages of open source software and shop platform

Advantages of open source:    

• open and flexible source code
• community support on the web
• free installation
• high efficiency for many products

Disadvantages of open source: 

• the requirement to finds and buy a server
• paid additional features
• lack of free graphic templates
• time-consuming configuration and creation of new integrations / functions
• a need for high programming skills or to hire an external company

Advantages of online shop software subscription:

• hosting and server administration included in the subscription price
• additional features included in the subscription fee
• free RWD graphic design templates
• a fast configuration of the online store
• technical support and software development

Disadvantages of online shop software subscription:

• limited source code
• no adjustment to specialized online stores
• subscription fee method

6. Which software should you choose for your e-store?

Consider your options and analyze your budget, evaluate your programming skills objectively.

Free open source platforms have a lot of fans and supporters. But they are mainly recommended to people with IT skills who can devote a lot of time to configure the online store.  They are also a better choice for large e-businesses with a wide and specific range of products.

Whereas, having a shop on the Offerer platform gives you a wide possibility not only in terms of features and functionalities but also provides excellent technical support, and all of this at a subscription price. This system is recommended for beginning entrepreneurs as well as medium, and small online stores.

 Think carefully about the best option for you. Take into consideration mentioned above factors and start your adventure with e-commerce!

How to open an online store?

In the era of new technologies, to have your own e-store is simply easy! First, you should choose the product you want to sell. Then make sure you have stable internet access. Also, set up a company. Finally, book your domain, select software and configure the online store. Deciding on the Offerer platform you get an advanced tool for managing your own store and eBay, along with professional Customer Service.
The advantages of Offerer are:

• 14 days completely free trial,
•  Payments on a monthly basis,
•  A lot of customizable functions and configuration of your own online store,
•  Free store template creator,
•  Efficient and stable software,
•  Integration with over 209 online wholesalers,
•  Integration with couriers, payment systems, price comparison   websites,
•  Extensive reports and statistics,
•  24/7 technical support,
•  Software stability at 99.98%

You don’t have to spend a lot in order to start! Even with a small budget, our simple and easy-to-use platform gives you the opportunity to bring your ideas to life and to immediately start selling. We provide you with the necessary tools for you to concentrate on your goals and passion.

So where do you start? How do you set up an online shop? What will your online shop sell? Follow just a few simple steps and you’ll be on your way to achieving your entrepreneurial dreams.

Ideas for online store

Think about your passion, what you are interested in and what you want to sell. Find out what are the market trends, what other online stores offer and what is a great business opportunity. It’s very important to analyze the competition in order to be able to offer your future customers something your competition can’t.

Or maybe you can offer your clients something innovative or unique? Any products that can be sent by mail or sent by courier can be sold online. Think carefully- if you hit a niche, you may have a winning ticket!

It is worth deciding at this stage whether you intend to buy goods and store them in a warehouse, which would allow you to sell your products to the customer much faster, consistently, while controlling the availability of goods and planning deliveries on time. But wouldn’t it be even better to do all of this without the costs or responsibility of maintaining a warehouse? This is now a possibility.
You’ve just read about the first step of how to open a store online, more can be found below!

Computer and Internet access

Henceforth the computer will be the most important tool of your work, as well as access to the Internet. All this will allow you to make changes in the e-store and fast contact with the customer.

Remember that your store is open 24 hours 7 days a week. However, you do not have to spend so much time in front of the monitor-information about new orders will be sent to you by e-mail.

Domain and name of the e-store

Think about the name of your online store. Your domain must be catchy, it’s also worth associating with your company’s activity – so that the client will remember it and easily enter it in a browser. Check if the domain with the name you have chosen is available.

Software for your online shop

Are you wondering how to build an online store? The easiest and fastest way to open your own online store using the services of a company that provides the right tools. Choose a good online platform, especially if you are not a programmer yourself. You will reduce learning from mistakes – your failure could quickly discourage customers – start immediately with proven solutions.

There are many software option on the market to run a store, some companies offer access to a fully working demo version of the store and an administration panel. Often, you can There are many programs on the market to run a store, some companies offer access to a fully working demo version of the store and an administration panel. Often, you can set up a trial version of the store for a limited time. You can check the Offerer software for 14 days for free and without any obligation!

Remember that our administration panel is simple and intuitive to use. In addition, there is a hint system in it, which makes navigation much easier. Our goal in creating the Offerer software was to combine functionality with usability.

While setting up an online store, take into account the choice of software that will allow you to integrate with couriers, and all types of payment systems, while being affordable. This will help you to manage your online store in a simple way.

Graphic design of the e-store

Your site should first of all be useful and transparent. If you have an original idea that stands out among others, it is definitely worth taking a risk. Remember that all graphical elements from colors, menus, access to promotions or leading products should encourage the visitor to shop.

If you feel that you need help with the design, you can contact us and we will prepare an individual project for you. In addition, a shop template creator is available at Offerer, and it’s included in the subscription price. Thanks to this, in a simple way, based on the available modules, you can design the visual setting of your online store.

You can learn about The Offerer store template creator in the following video.

Fill virtual shelves with goods

Regardless of what you plan to sell, you must do so by responding to your customers’ needs. Your e-store should be attractive and well-equipped.

Before you invite people to your shop, make sure that your products look desirable. Good-resolution photographs, as well as interesting descriptions, will be essential. Remember: your customers are not able to touch the goods, so the more information they receive about them, the better. Also, do not forget about the price of each product and updating the product availability.

Sort products in your online store so that it’s easy to find them. Suggest goods that also might be interesting to your customers – this may encourage them to continue shopping.

Many wholesalers offer integration with stores and with better software these days, easy integrations between these two groups make setting up an online shop faster. The Offerer store platform offers an integration module with all wholesalers. This system, in addition to price and inventory updates, allows you to automatically download photos and product descriptions.

Try to ensure that EVERY product has a comprehensive description – this will also be essential for search engines. There is nothing worse than products without descriptions. Search engines, such as Google, treat such subpages as local Duplicate Content (subpages do not differ except the name and price) and remove from the index. As a result, your entire store may disappear from Google.

If your preferred warehouse does not provide a mechanism for updating the product database and you do not want to change the warehouse, look for information about paid databases and product descriptions.

How to send products from the e-store?

You can invest in a van, but it will certainly be easier and faster if you work something out with shipping companies. Cooperation with couriers will certainly pay off with la arger number of shipments.

If you have the option of creating a delivery point at the company’s headquarters, it is a good idea to provide customers with the possibility of the collection point. The customer will save money on delivery fee and you will gain precious value: closer contact with the client, which may have an impact in the future.

Payments in the online store

The more payment options you give to the client, the better. You can decide to send packages on delivery, activate the option of transfer to your account or pay with a credit card, as well as using electronic payments. Remember that when it comes to money, the security of customers who trust you is extremely important. Take care of it.

To provide customers with a sense of security, install an SSL certificate in your e-store.

Currently, a very good solution is signing a contract with PayPal, which offers a number of different online payment methods and almost every store software has integration with this system.

Promote your online shop

How to gain customers on the internet? You can order marketing activities from an advertising company or take care of it yourself. Traditional advertising still works well, but if you want to get a network, you should pay special attention to: positioning on Google, advertising on internet portals and social websites, whisper marketing, links to the store on other websites, price search, online catalogs, paid advertising in Google search engine (AdWords) or newsletter. New clients will also be attracted by promotions and contests that are worth organizing.

If you will be positioning the store yourself, remember that the store’s software must be search engine friendly (just like the Offerer) and the product descriptions should be rich, lack of it is unacceptable.

You should also create your brand and communicate your values clearly so your customers can identify with your company. Thanks to this, you will build a community around your online store and create a group of loyal customers. Remember that they will provide you with a steady income.

Profits from the Internet

If you have already done each of the above steps and you keep an eye on the business, making profits is just a matter of time. Remember, it’s not a sprint–it’s a marathon. It will not happen in a month. The end of the calendar year is considered as the best period to start with an e-business. It may take up to a year or two before you build a solid customer base who love your brand and product offerings.

We hope this article will help you consider opening your first online store. Do you need more information? Read our blog and you will learn the secrets of e-commerce!