How to Set Up an E-Commerce Store: All you Need to Know

If you are getting
disheartened with your 9-5 job and you would like to join the many UK citizens
who now make a living online, this article was written with you in mind. It
might sound more than a little daunting to do everything that is necessary, but
with outsourcing, anyone can do it, and in this article, we will explain the
process step by step.

Choosing your
products

The most important
decision of all, you must be absolutely sure that there is an adequate demand
for what you are planning to market, which might take some market research, and
if you have some prior knowledge of the products, so much the better. You are
advised to move into the hi-end product range, as cheap, inferior products
simply won’t take you where you want to go, plus you must be price competitive.

Web Design and
Maintenance

Once you have
chosen your line of products, you can approach a web design company, preferably
a leading company such as Move
Ahead Media,
who happen to be an established UK SEO provider with web design, maintenance
and digital marketing services, which you most certainly need. Most e-commerce
platforms run on Magento, and your website then must have a domain name,
something the web designer can handle on your behalf, plus they will provide
essential web hosting services. Unless you happen to be a whizz with IT, you
should outsource site management to your hosting provider and they will update
the site and manage cyber-security, another essential service you will require.

Digital
Marketing

It is essential
that you enlist the help of a leading digital marketing agency, one that
specialises in small businesses, and they will compile an effective digital
marketing plan that will provide you with your sales. If you are interested in business risk protection, here is a great article that offers ways
to protect your enterprise against a number of risks.

Some of the SEO
services you might need are:

• Search
  Engine Optimisation – By
  boosting your site’s rankings within a Google search, this will enable many
  potential buyers to find your e-commerce platform. There are millions of consumers
  that use search engines to source products online, and by employing a number of
  strategies, your website will creep up the rankings until you reach that
  coveted first page. Once you are at the top of the tree, it will require
  ongoing SEO work to retain your top spot, due to the ever-changing nature of
  the World Wide Web.
• Social
  Media Marketing – SMM is a
  very effective way to make the best use of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and
  with an SEO expert handling all your SM accounts, you will soon enjoy a
  considerable following. If you find any real issues, here is a UK government
  site that offers business support for entrepreneurs.

Third-Party
Logistics (3PL)

If you outsource all of your picking, packing & deliveries to a reputable 3PL company, all you have to do is send your products and packaging to the logistics expert, who is geared up for fulfilling orders, then you can email your orders as they come in.

All of the above
information should help you make all the right choices and hopefully, your new
business will enjoy sustained growth.