The big step by step guide to start your own professional online store in 2024

The competition in the online market is intense! Numerous online stores are competing for customers' favor, not only on Google. However, fear not! You can surely enter the race with your online store and achieve success! The key is to select the right online store system, and fortunately, there are plenty to choose from.

The retail landscape has undergone a complete transformation: Shopping no longer solely revolves around traditional local stores but has significantly shifted towards online stores.

However, local stores still come with some awesome perks:

• Customers can directly view and try products in the stores before making a purchase. Trying out products remains one of the best incentives for buying!
• They can also seek advice from salespeople and be more effectively convinced about a product.
• Brick-and-mortar stores often have a special atmosphere and provide an experience that online stores cannot replicate in the same way.

So, why should you start an online store?

• You can offer a much wider range of products that customers can order from anywhere.
• Often, products are available at more affordable prices than in brick-and-mortar stores, as the goods don't need to be displayed and can be shipped directly from the warehouse.
• Online trading is open 24/7, allowing your customers to shop conveniently at any time!

One smart approach is for companies to expand their online presence by establishing an online store alongside their physical shop.

By doing so, they can reach customers who don't live near the local store or might face limitations in visiting in person. Furthermore, businesses can enhance customer loyalty through diverse marketing strategies such as social media campaigns or email advertising.
 

The brick-and-mortar store and the online store can complement each other seamlessly in their offerings:

For instance, the online store could offer a broader selection of products compared to the local shop, which may focus on showcasing highlights or selling large, bulky items directly. By integrating both channels and promoting cross-referencing, you can significantly boost both your sales and customer satisfaction!

When you run a physical store, expanding into e-commerce allows you to increase your brand awareness by establishing a presence in both the physical and digital realms. Moreover, it provides a safety net, especially during challenging times like pandemics, when your physical store might face temporary closures. By operating both local and online shops, you gain enhanced flexibility, enabling you to respond more effectively to dynamic market changes.

• While each sales channel has its own unique advantages and disadvantages, cleverly combining them creates an unbeatable synergy. The crux of the matter lies in comprehending customer needs and implementing tailored strategies to reach them. By doing so, you can achieve remarkable success, both in the online and offline domains!

Whether you already operate a brick-and-mortar store or not, these points apply equally to every company:

•  Greater Reach

A physical store typically has limited reach, as it can only attract customers from the local area or nearby regions. However, with an online store, you can break geographical barriers and reach customers from all corners of the world, thus significantly expanding your target audience. Embrace the opportunity to sell your products internationally!

•  24/7 Open

Unlike a physical store with specific opening hours, your online store remains open 24/7, allowing customers to place orders at their convenience. This way, you won't miss out on potential sales outside of regular business hours, ensuring a continuous flow of orders.

•  Better Advertising

Online marketing opens up vast opportunities to promote your store strategically and expand your presence on the internet. Leveraging techniques like SEO (Search Engine Optimization), SEA (Search Engine Advertising), or social media marketing, you can precisely target your desired audience and effectively promote your products. This enhances your visibility and drives more traffic to your online store, increasing your chances of making sales.

•  The personal contact is missing

In online commerce, the personal contact between you and your customers or employees is absent, which can lead to customers feeling uncertain and deciding not to make a purchase.

•  No testing possibility

Customers cannot directly test or try on your products on the internet. Therefore, many hesitate before making a purchase and may end up changing their minds.

•  Lower trust

Since customers cannot physically touch and test the products, there will inevitably be more erroneous purchases and a higher return rate, along with logistical effort and material waste.

A reputable reputation is of great advantage here, as can be seen with e-commerce giants like Amazon, Zalando, or AboutYou. Being present with your products on Amazon, for example, increases customer trust. Selling through various well-known channels adds to your credibility and can lead to greater sales.

•  More returns

Since customers cannot physically touch and test the products, there will inevitably be more erroneous purchases and a higher return rate, along with logistical effort and material waste.

•  Competition

The online market is highly competitive, and companies must compete against numerous competitors. Without a precise plan, entering the world of e-commerce can be challenging.