Perhaps you are a long established online trader with a successful website that’s just looking for a refresh. Maybe you already have your digital storefront and it’s just fine, but you want to open another for a totally different product or service. Or maybe you are just starting out and are yet to have any kind of online presence at all, or perhaps you have the website but want to add eCommerce to give customers the ability to buy easily from you. Whichever category you fit into, eCommerce development services are ideal and possibly custom application development too.
Back to basics
Starting with the basics, make sure you have the domain name, or names, registered that you plan to trade under. Don’t make them too complicated, long or tricky to spell as this will only irritate customers and potentially lose sales. Also, don’t think you’ve got to have the whole kit and caboodle up and ready before you can launch your website. Have a holding page and some contact details up whilst you work on your eCommerce site is acceptable. This way you can begin any planned SEO campaign or marketing strategies to generate early interest in your products. Interested customers will contact you to request more info and you can be in touch when you are ready to take orders.
Plenty of people make the mistake of thinking that everything has to be perfect and all their ducks in a row before they start online trading. That it might damage their reputation or customers will not return if they don’t have all the bells and whistles ready to go from the outset. In reality, the opposite is true. If you can take the time to get at least one page up to capture the interest and details of your future customers, then you have already started your online sales strategy and will have orders to fulfill as soon as you are able.
When to engage with others
If you are reading this as someone who is at the start of setting up their online trading adventure, then you’ll know just how much time and consideration it takes to set up a site. Carefully considering the content, how it is displayed, individually loading each product. Not to mention the prior negotiations with any third parties whose items or services you might be stocking. It can feel like a long and complex process at times. This is when it can save you a whole lot of pain and deliberation by engaging with a company that specialises in eCommerce development services and custom application development. Using their skills, wisdom and resources can free up yours to get back to your own zone of genius and do what you do best.
Do your due diligence and check to see if your developer has experience with other clients in your sector. Ask around for recommendations from other trusted colleagues who have been through the same process and follow up on those they give glowing reviews about.
Once you have settled on a top ecommerce website design company that has ticked all your boxes, ask them how long it will take to get to the stage where your site is ready to go live. You don’t want to embark on the process only to find they cannot get to your work until sometime way beyond what suits you and your timeframes.
Developing with your developers
Whilst you closely liaise with your developers to get your site built, there are other things you can be getting on with too. Like, for example, your payment gateway. If you are wanting to take recurring billing or mobile payments, ensure you select a provider that easily and cost effectively offers these options. Make sure you have all your paperwork ready to be approved. Now’s the time to also get your Returns Policy and Privacy Policy sorted out, as well as your shipping and delivery pathways. You’ll need to be clearly available for any customers with order issues, so make sure you get those contact details ready too.
If you are shipping a product, note if there are any restrictions about where and how the product can be moved, some things don’t fly well. Consider if you wish to add any promotional material to your packages and also the sizes of boxes you are going to need. You will need to decide if you wish to use drop shipping or store your stock in a warehouse or even at your home, if that is an option.
As you can see, it is a detailed process to get your online trading idea off paper and in to a fully-fledged website, which is why engaging a specialist provider of eCommerce development services and custom application development can really pay dividends.
