10 Things to Know Before You Create an E-commerce Website

E-commerce has revolutionized retail, and India’s online market is no exception. Over the past decade, the sector has seen explosive growth, fueled by increasing internet penetration, a young and tech-savvy population, and widespread smartphone adoption. Digital payment systems, such as UPI and mobile wallets, attractive discounts, and doorstep delivery have further enticed millions of consumers to shift from traditional retail to online platforms.

Creating an e-commerce website can open new markets, boost brand visibility, and reach a growing digital audience. However, managing a successful site comes with challenges, such as choosing the right e-commerce website builder, managing logistics, and providing customer support. Here are 10 key things to consider for a successful e-commerce website.

1 – Choose the Right E-Commerce Platform for You

One of the most important decisions when creating an e-commerce website is selecting the right platform. The type of platform you choose will greatly affect your site’s functionality, scalability, and ease of use. Common platform types include:

Hosted Platforms such as Shopify and BigCommerce are user-friendly and provide all-in-one solutions with many add-on features to support omnichannel selling.

Open-source Platforms such as WooCommerce or Magento offer more flexibility but require some technical expertise. Also, consider whether you’ll use self-hosting or opt for cloud hosting solutions such as AWS or Google Cloud. Self-hosting offers more control and customization but comes with higher maintenance responsibilities.

To ensure that your platform meets your needs, evaluate factors such as transaction volume, customization options, and budget. You might also need a good developer or web development services if your e-commerce needs include custom design or advanced features. Make sure that the developer has experience with your chosen platform and industry.

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2 – Know Platform Fee Structures and Your Budget

When choosing an e-commerce platform, it’s important to consider their fee structures and how they fit your budget. Pricing models vary across platforms and typically include:

Subscription Fees: Platforms such as Shopify charge monthly fees.

Transaction Fees: Some platforms take a percentage of sales.

Add-ons: Additional apps, themes, or integrations can incur extra costs.

As your business grows, so do costs. Some platforms offer scalable pricing, while others charge a flat rate. For example, Shopify’s fees rise with sales, while BigCommerce provides more features at higher tiers without transaction fees. The chosen e-commerce website builder should align with your financial goals both short and long-term.

3 – How to Design a Responsive Website with Great UI/UX

A responsive, user-friendly design can drive e-commerce success in today’s mobile-first world. Ensure that your site works seamlessly on smartphones, tablets, and desktops by focusing on:

Responsive Design: Use themes from e-commerce website builders such as Shopify and WordPress to ensure your site functions well on all devices.

User-Friendly Navigation: Organize products intuitively, with clear menus and a simple search feature.

Mobile Optimization: Prioritize fast load times, streamlined checkout, and mobile payments such as Google Pay. Consider adding push notifications and a mobile app for an improved user experience.

4 – Know Your Target Audience

Understanding your audience is key to creating a personalized shopping experience. Start with demographic research to segment by age, gender, and interests. Tools such as Google Analytics provide insights into customer behavior, device use, and navigation.

Additionally, it’s important to understand your audience’s shopping preferences and the content formats that resonate most with them. This includes:

Shopping Behavior: Some audiences prefer shopping on smartphones, while others might use desktops.

Content Preferences: Determine if your audience prefers reading detailed product descriptions or watching product videos.

Engagement Channels: Whether it’s through email, social media, or customer reviews, understand where your audience interacts the most and leverage those channels for communication and promotion.

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5 – Know Your Product Range

Choosing the right product range is another crucial factor in building a successful e-commerce website. Understanding your product range and how to present it effectively can make a significant difference in conversion rates and customer satisfaction. Consider the following factors:

Main Sellers vs. Add-ons: Identify which products will drive the most sales and which can be sold as add-ons or complements.

Competitor Research: Analyze competitors to identify trends, gaps, or untapped markets.

Product Variations: Manage variations such as size, color, or material to improve user experience. Certain e-commerce website builders and platforms such as WooCommerce offer plugins that make handling product variations seamless.

6 – Choose a Secure Payment Gateway

A secure and reliable payment gateway is non-negotiable for an e-commerce business. Payment integration options should match the platform’s capabilities and offer easy setup. They should also support multiple payment methods and comply with PCI-DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) regulations to ensure data security.

There are several types of payment gateways to choose from, including:

Hosted Gateways: They redirect customers to a third-party page. E.g. PayPal.

Integrated Gateways: Integrated gateways keep customers on your site during the payment process, providing a more seamless experience. E.g., Stripe

Bank Gateways: Traditional payment processing options from different banks.

7 – Shipping and Fulfillment Options

When deciding on shipping options, consider different carriers based on their rates, reliability, and delivery times. Shipping is often a dealbreaker for customers, so it is crucial that you plan your logistics carefully. Consider the different components of shipping:

Shipping Carriers: Compare carriers such as HL, FedEx, and India Post based on cost, speed, and reliability.

Inventory Management: Decide whether to manage inventory in-house or use drop-shipping, which lowers costs but limits control over stock and shipping times.

Transparent Shipping Policies: Clearly communicate shipping policies, including free shipping thresholds, return policies, delivery times, and costs to reduce cart abandonment.

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8 – How to Do SEO for Product Listings

When it comes to product listings and descriptions, effective SEO is essential for getting discovered and driving organic traffic. Consider the following steps to optimize your product listings:

Keyword Research: Use tools such as Google Keyword Planner to find high-traffic, relevant keywords for your product titles and descriptions.

Optimized Product Descriptions: Incorporate keywords naturally into descriptions and ensure they’re informative and engaging.

Image Optimization: High-quality product images are key, but it’s also important to follow image SEO guidelines. Image SEO improves a website’s visibility on search engines.

SEO-friendly URLs: Use clean, descriptive, SEO-friendly URLs that are aligned with the keywords being targeted.

Optimizing product listings can help boost a website’s search rankings, making it easier for potential customers to find your products.

9 – Build a Robust Customer Support System

A strong customer support system is crucial for building trust and enhancing the shopping experience. It boosts customer satisfaction while reducing cart abandonment and negative reviews. Some of the ways to incorporate a well-rounded customer support system are:

Live Chat Integration: Integrate live chat on your website to offer real-time assistance and immediate answers to customer questions.

AI Chatbots: Implement AI chatbots for routine inquiries, handling FAQs, and providing 24/7 support.

Multiple Contact Channels: Offer multiple communication channels, including email, phone, social media, and WhatsApp, as customers expect to reach you through various methods.

10 – How Browntape Can Simplify Your E-commerce Journey

It’s important to have systems in place to simplify inventory and order management for your e-commerce website. Browntape is a leading multichannel order management system with a comprehensive suite of tools and services for inventory management, order management, and web development.

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Building a successful e-commerce website requires careful planning. From selecting the right e-commerce website builder to managing logistics and customer support, there are many factors to consider before launching. Simplify your e-commerce journey to scale and manage your business across multiple platforms. Contact Browntape today.