Create an E-commerce Website

Seven steps to an effective e-commerce website

Thinking about expanding your website to an online e-commerce store front? If you are, here are 10 steps to help insure that you create a successful and effective e-commerce solution.

1. Catalog Software: Creating an effective and successful e-commerce website starts with the software you decide to use. You will need, at a minimum:

• Database driven content / product management
• A process for building a sitemap / HTML based web pages pulled from the database of products and information.
• A built-in Froogle / Google Base feed
• All the basic marketing features:
  • Items on sale
  • Featured items
  • Associated items
  • New items
  • Specialty product lists 
  • Coupons
  • Quantity discount
  • Automated registration, order and shipped customer emails
  • Customer favorites / wish list
  • Email link to a friend
• Opt-In email management
• Flexible customer, order and product reports

2. Merchant Account: If you are going to invest in creating an e-commerce web site you should have your own merchant account. Trust is the biggest issue with most online shoppers and having your own merchant account gives you that little added "validity" factor. Most retailers are familiar with merchant accounts. What you may not know is that some retail merchant accounts do not allow mail order or online purchases to be processed through those accounts. Before you start looking at an online e-commerce account check with your merchant account bank or financial institution. If not we have a number of possibilities that can possibly save you some money.

3. Payment Gateway: Payment gateways are simply interfaces between your online e-commerce site and your merchant account. You don't have a payment gateway, however, they will reduce the amount of time it takes you to process your online orders. 

4. Prepare your product data: The most time consuming part of creating your online e-commerce site is entering the product data. There are four basic types of products and the time needed to create and enter the product information varies widely for each.

• Well known products or commodities - These are universally understood products that require a minimal description. The buying decision is generally based on price and convenience.
• Common distinct products - These are common products that most people are familiar with but have distinct features / benefits that require a more detailed description. These products may require multiple images and longer, more descriptive copy.
• Distinctive and expensive products - These are products that are highly distinctive and/or expensive. This type of product generally requires a more detailed description with justification for the higher price. The use of a good, marketing focused copywriter is often required.
• Technical products - These products are highly technical and require a great deal of detailed technical information, charts and/or illustrations. Most of this information will be provide by the manufacturer but may have to be re-written for the buying audience.

5. Create a marketing plan: Once your e-commerce website is published you need to generate visitors...the more the better. Visitors to your website most often come from one of four primary sources.

1. Traditional Advertising - Radio, Television, Newspaper, Trade Magazines and other traditional advertising can be used to point the buyer to your website.
2. Online Advertising - Online banners, ads, news releases, directories and links from other sites provide direct links to your website.
3. Pay-Per-Click Search Engine Advertising - Google, Yahoo, MSN and other search engines offer "Sponsored Listings" where you pay for placement. Payment is determined by how many users click on the listings to get to your site...in other words, you pay per click. While expensive, this method can generate a high volume of traffic immediately.
4. Natural Search Results - Almost everyone uses one of the three major search engines, MSN, Google and Yahoo, to locate web sites. A high listing (top 10) for a search phrase (words use to search for a website) is the most effective way of generating traffic. However, with millions of pages on the web competing for top placement for each key phrase, it is difficult to get those top positions and may take months of work.

6. Set up the processes to support online sales: This is the customer service side of your online e-commerce website...how will orders be processed and who will manage it. Here are a few things that will be required on a daily basis.

1. Checking the site daily for orders and emails from customers.
2. Printing, routing, packaging, checking and shipping orders.
3. Managing returns and damaged products.
4. Managing and updating products, inventory levels and pricing.
5. Updating sales, specials, new products, coupons and other marketing duties.

7. Continue Planning and Changing: The one constant in your e-commerce website should be change. New, updated products, promotions, special offers, descriptions, pricing, merchandising...keeping your site fresh and enticing.