Your eCommerce Store – A Primer

Your eCommerce Store

Summary of the key points: (Link to the full document is at the bottom of the page)

Chapter 1: What is Ecommerce and Why You Should Take Notice

  • Ecommerce Definition: Refers to selling products online, typically through an online store like Amazon.
  • Importance of Ecommerce: The document emphasizes the rapid growth of ecommerce and its advantages, such as convenience, lower overheads, and broader market reach.
  • Why It’s the Future: Ecommerce is growing significantly, driven by consumer trust in online shopping and the convenience it offers.

Chapter 2: Introduction to Ecommerce Business Models

  • High Street Stores: Adding an ecommerce component to an existing physical store can increase turnover and expand audience reach.
  • Side Business: Ecommerce can serve as a supplementary income stream with minimal upfront costs.
  • Bloggers and Marketers: Bloggers can monetize their platforms by adding ecommerce stores, selling products that fit their niche.

Chapter 3: Creating Your Online Store – Part One: Your Website

  • WordPress Overview: WordPress is recommended as the preferred platform for building a website due to its ease of use, customization options, and professional support.
  • Setting Up: Instructions on setting up hosting, choosing a domain name, and installing WordPress are provided.

Chapter 4: Creating Your Online Store – Part Two: Ecommerce Platforms

  • Hosted vs. Self-Hosted Solutions: The document compares hosted platforms like Shopify and Bigcommerce with self-hosted solutions like WooCommerce and Magento, highlighting their pros and cons.
  • Setting Up: Step-by-step guides for setting up a Shopify site and a WooCommerce store are included.

Chapter 5: Designing a Store That Will Sell

  • Store Layout: Emphasizes the importance of an effective store layout to maximize sales.
  • Security and Trust: Discusses the need to create a secure and trustworthy site to overcome consumer hesitancy in shopping online.
  • Color Scheme and Design: The impact of color schemes and design choices on consumer behavior is explored.

Chapter 6: Generating More Sales with Pricing and Persuasive Writing

  • Pricing Strategies: Includes tactics like special offers, bundling, and high-ticket items to increase sales.
  • Persuasive Writing: Highlights the importance of focusing on the emotional appeal of products in descriptions to encourage impulsive purchases.

Chapter 7: Marketing Your Ecommerce Store

  • SEO and Content Marketing: Outlines strategies for optimizing your site for search engines and creating content that attracts and retains customers.
  • Social Media and PPC: Discusses the role of social media in ecommerce and the use of pay-per-click advertising to drive traffic to the store.

Chapter 8: Conclusion

  • Steps to Start: Recaps the essential steps to starting an ecommerce business, from choosing a business model and niche to setting up a website and marketing it effectively.

This document serves as a practical guide for anyone looking to enter the ecommerce space, offering step-by-step instructions and tips to maximize success.

You can download the full document HERE.