0%
In This Article:
Build an E-commerce Website from Scratch: 2024 Guide
For any seller in 2024, establishing an online presence is more critical than ever. An e-commerce website opens up a wider market for your company and allows you to sell 24/7.
Many business owners see the need for creating an e-commerce site, but getting started can be daunting. If you want to build an e-commerce website in 2024, rest assured – it is achievable.
Below are the main components that those building online stores need to consider. This guide is meant to be an overview, and we are happy to help coach you along any specific questions you may have.
Benefits of Creating Online Stores
Transitioning from brick-and-mortar stores to online stores brings many advantages to your business operations. Some key benefits include:
- Global reach – an e-commerce website allows you to reach customers anywhere in the world.
- Lower costs – Online stores typically have lower startup and operational costs than brick-and-mortar stores.
- Convenience – Customers can buy from your business from the comfort of their homes.
- Personalization – E-commerce platforms allow you to collect valuable data about your customers, enabling you to personalize their shopping experience.
- Scalability – Easily expand your product range and adjust inventory without significant overhead costs.
- Enhanced marketing – Digital marketing such as search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, and email campaigns all allow for precise targeting and immediate feedback on performance.
Having an online store propels your business forward in today's competitive marketplace.
8 Steps to Build an E-commerce Website
When you build an e-commerce website, there's a lot to consider. Breaking it down into manageable steps makes the process straightforward:
1. Choose the Right E-commerce Platform
Where your e-commerce business's website lives is called web hosting. Two general options include self-hosted platforms or hosted platforms.
Self-hosted options, like Magento, offer the most control. However, they often require more technical expertise to set up and maintain.
Hosted platforms like Shopify handle all the backend infrastructure, making it much easier to get set up and start selling. Your e-commerce business is dependent on the hosting platform, and you'll be locked into their ecosystem of themes, features, and plugins.
When debating on platforms such as Magento vs. Shopify, you'll need to balance features like mobile-friendliness, reliability, and security. Make sure the platform you select has the back-office tools and supports the selling channels that your business needs.
2. Design Your E-commerce Website
Once you have selected a web hosting platform, turn your attention to design. The first step is selecting a theme or template that fits your business. Evaluate theme options based on both aesthetics and features to make sure they will work with your portfolio of products. Consider the technical side of your site, and make sure to optimize your theme for performance.
Think through the impression you want to make. Do you want customers to think of your business as playful, serious, modern, or classic? What colors, fonts, and types of images fit into your branding?
As you make decisions on style and design, also think about navigation. How can you best categorize your products to make them easy to find for customers?
3. Create and Optimize Product Pages
As you nail down the design of your e-commerce website, the area you'll need to spend the most time on is product pages. These pages are where customers make their buying decisions.
Start with a clear and descriptive name for each product. Generally, it's best to be direct versus creative. You want customers to know exactly what the product is before even clicking on the page.
The next important element is product descriptions. Make sure these cover the key features, benefits, and unique selling points of your products. Make descriptions easy to read with bullet points. Incorporate relevant keywords to improve SEO.
Arguably, for many products, the photos are more important than the words. Take clear, well-lit, high-quality images of your products. Include photos from multiple angles and of key features.
As your sales grow, incorporate a product review system into your site. Highlighting these reviews prominently will help increase conversions.
One often-overlooked part of a product page is adding cross-sell and upsell opportunities. Mentioning other complementary products on the product page will help boost the average order value on your site.
There are many ways to optimize e-commerce product pages. The more attention you pay to the details, the more likely you are to persuade visitors to make a purchase.
4. Set Up Payments
The most important technical step of online stores is setting up a payment system. Choose payment gateways that are known for security, efficiency, and reliability. Make sure your payment processing partner can handle all the major credit cards, digital wallets, PayPal, etc.
5. Establish Shipping and Delivery
Selling goods online involves shipping. Determine your shipping policies ahead of time to avoid any unforeseen issues getting your product to your customer. Will you offer flat-rate shipping, or will it be priced variably? Options like UPS, FedEx, USPS, and DHL may all seem similar at first, but each cater to different needs and areas. Evaluate shipping partners based on cost, reliability, and speed to the geographic areas where your customers reside.
Consider offering free shipping or in-store pickup. These options add value and convenience to customers, but they add a logistical burden to your e-commerce business.
6. Choose and Connect Your Domain Name
Selecting the right domain name can make or break your online presence. Your domain name should be memorable, easy to spell, and end in a popular extension like .com or .net. If you already have a website, it's possible to connect the domain to your new e-commerce platform.
7. Test and Launch Your E-commerce Site
Before launching your e-commerce website, thoroughly test it to ensure a smooth customer experience for all your visitors. Try to visit every page from multiple devices, including computers, tablets, and smartphones.
Go through the entire purchase process step by step. Add products to your shopping cart, and complete the purchase with a credit card. Make sure the payment processing goes through correctly.
Once you're sure everything is set up correctly, you're ready to publish your site and start promoting it!
8. Market and Promote Your E-commerce Website
Once you build the site, the fun work begins. You'll need to get the word out about your e-commerce business via a robust marketing strategy. Integrate various marketplaces and social media platforms to build a cohesive brand presence across all available channels. This ensures the highest number of people possible begin finding your site.
On social media platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok, develop engaging content that captures your ideal customers' attention. Showcase products, and don't be afraid to interact with your customers on these platforms. This forward-thinking interaction builds excellent customer service right from the start.
Look at syncing third-party channels with your e-commerce site. By syncing with Amazon, eBay, Etsy, or other platforms, you can expand your reach even further.
Transform Agency's Custom E-commerce Website Development Services
At Transform Agency, we specialize in providing custom e-commerce website development services. We have over 14 years of experience, and our staff of certified specialists offers comprehensive solutions to quickly get your e-commerce business running.
Our core services include:
- Custom web development. We tailor web solutions to your business, creating responsive and mobile-friendly sites that perform across devices.
- Site and extension customization. Maximize revenue with custom modules designed specifically for your business's needs.
- PWA development. Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) provide the speed and reliability of a native app, creating a smooth mobile shopping experience.
- Payment method integration. We integrate all the popular payment systems to offer seamless transactions, no matter how your customers want to pay.
- Third-party system integration. Consolidate internal systems to make managing third-party tools easier.
- Data migration. Securely transfer data with zero loss, so you keep your product information, customer data, and order histories.
- Support and maintenance. We provide ongoing maintenance to address any issues and keep your site running smoothly.
Ready to transform your online store? Request a quote today, and let us take your e-commerce business to the next level.
FAQs
Can I Make My E-commerce Website?
Yes, you can create your own e-commerce website. However, having an expert by your side speeds up the e-commerce development time and lowers the chance of technical difficulties hurting your revenue.
How Much Does It Cost to Build an E-commerce Website?
The cost of starting online stores varies wildly depending on the platform chosen, design complexity, and any unique features that your business may require. Basic costs include:
- Domain registration. Ranges from as low as $1-$15 a year for many domains to thousands of dollars for a specialty domain.
- Web hosting. Ranges from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars a month, depending on the size of your site and the amount of traffic.
- Platform fees. The e-commerce platform will likely have a fee (e.g., Shopify plans start at $39 a month).
- Additional expenses. These can include the cost of premium themes, plugins, marketing tools, or custom website development.
How Do I Start an E-commerce Website?
Start by picking an e-commerce web hosting platform like Magento, Shopify, or WooCommerce. Select a domain name, and design your site using the available themes. Add product pages, set up the payment gateways, and establish shipping options. Test your site, then launch it.
A seasoned product manager specializing in e-commerce, Helen excels in market analysis and strategic marketing for Magento platforms.
A seasoned product manager specializing in e-commerce, Helen excels in market analysis and strategic marketing for Magento platforms.
