E-Commerce for Dummies – Beginners Guide 2023

The internet has changed the world we live in today. It has changed the way people communicate, the way information is received and shared, and even the way businesses are run. E-commerce has opened the door to a much larger market than the general market. With an estimated population of 7.8 billion people worldwide, about 25% of the world's population shop online. Some surveys show that this number is growing rapidly and will exceed 2.14 billion in 2023.

To begin with, e-commerce is a shortened version of e-commerce, which is actually online commerce. Another term to clarify is an e-commerce store - a store that sells only one company's products, like Timberland, for example.

Types of E-Commerce

There are a few types of e-commerce for businesses and people who want to work with online sales.

B2B or business to business. This type of e-commerce is used by businesses that create e-commerce to sell products to other businesses. For example, Printify. It is a seamless print-on-demand platform that makes it easy for companies to work with print providers to deliver products to their customers. If you want, you can read more about the benefits of printing on demand with Printify.

• B2C or Business to Consumer is the model adopted by companies that sell products to the end consumer. Adidas, Levis, and Ugg are examples of B2C.
• C2B or Consumer to Business is a model where the consumer offers their services to the business. For example, one freelance platform is Upwork.com.
• C2C or Consumer to Consumer – It connects buyers to most marketplaces and forums, such as eBay, Etsy, or AliExpress.

How to build an e-commerce

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to create an e-commerce for dummies.

Buy a domain.

While choosing a domain, it should be related to the product you are going to sell on your online store. Keep in mind that your name should be simple and easy to remember. If you're struggling to come up with an idea yourself, there are plenty of domain generators out there to help you out.

Watching a competition is also great for motivation. Don't copy their name and keep everything original. Otherwise, you'll have to deal with copyright laws later.

Choose an e-commerce tool.

If you don't know how to code, just use online e-commerce tools. Services like Wix or Shopify and others offer creative solutions for building your own online store. Analyze these websites and choose the best one for you. You can always ask for advice on services and their pros and cons in e-commerce groups on Facebook.

Select a payment method.

You can set up payment options for your products on the e-commerce tool, including direct deposit, PayPal, or credit card. Offering your customers a variety of payment methods is key to making their shopping experience easy and enjoyable.

Choose the product type: digital or physical

One of the most important steps in building your e-commerce business is deciding what type of product you are going to sell. This will later affect the logistics and distribution stages. Physical products often sell because they dominate many people's lives. These are clothes, shoes, furniture, books, accessories, etc. As for digital products distributed online, they are usually educational in nature such as e-books, software, online courses, online tools, etc.

Logistics

When a customer buys a physical product from a store, they no longer know when or if their purchase will be delivered. This does not apply to digital products you receive immediately after you purchase them online. This is why it is so difficult for an e-commerce business owner to find distribution logistics that work perfectly. You need to consider whether there will be inventory for sale, how much of the product you sell will be available there, or maybe you decide to work with order products. do The final logistics decision is which shipping options you will use. Whether it's USPS, UPS, or FedEx, or the option to pick up an order at a physical store, you have to decide.

E-commerce on social networks

With so many users on social networks, Facebook or Instagram allows companies to build their e-commerce on their platforms. Its advantages are: it's free, it reaches a large number of users, and the purchase steps are very easy to follow.

Social media platforms are also great for marketing. You can collaborate with influencers, organize contests and prizes, and gradually build awareness of your brand. Keep in mind that word of mouth is very important these days. Consumers are more likely to buy from brands they already know or have heard of.

Marketing

Customers won't come to you on their own. You have to market. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, social media is great for attracting more buyers. But marketing campaigns don't have to end with Facebook or Instagram.

Organic traffic is very valuable because customers will land on your landing page after typing relevant keywords into a search engine. Consider optimizing your website for SEO.

PPC and email marketing methods are also effective, although you will need to work on them for a while. Pay-per-click is especially important because it involves constant testing, trying to figure out which keywords and ads are most effective.

Client satisfaction

Once the business is up and running and you have customers, don't neglect to give them the best possible experience. Reward your best customers with a loyalty program. Invest in customer support for faster response times. A satisfied customer is one who will return and spend money on your online store.

Result

If you decide to start e-commerce, this article on e-commerce for dummies will really help you take the first step. Are you looking for an e-commerce platform that will help you with everything? Click here to get one.

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