Online shopping / buying / ecommerce

3 tips to start your e-commerce business

It’s hard to imagine a world without the internet. It has changed so much about daily life including the way people communicate, learn, and especially how they do business. Today, many people wouldn’t be in business if it weren’t for the internet. Yet, the internet is a crowded place, and it’s easy to get lost in the mix. With so much e-commerce competition, how can you make your business stand out? Here are a few tips that are sure to give you a step up in your industry.

1. A catchy business name

Every student of marketing understands the importance of a business name. A business name can make a statement, tell about the culture of the employees that work there, or describe the product being sold. Not only is a catchy business name easy to remember, but people also like them. Think of famous names like Fudrucker’s, 1-800-Flowers, Hobby Lobby, Priceline.com, and The Gap, just to name a few. Each title tells you something about the business behind the name.

Settling on a business name isn’t an easy task because once you use it, you’re pretty much stuck with it. Have no fear, because help is available. You can find a business name generator online to help you get started.

2. Online reviews

A common trick many businesses use to give a little push to the popularity of new products is to give their product away in exchange for reviews. The reviews don’t have to be all be fabulous. If your product is good, and it should be if you’re putting a whole business behind it, then your average rating should be able to hold its own.

If you sell your products on sites like Amazon.com, you’ll automatically generate reviews. If your products or services are coming solely from your own site, check with your webhost to see if they have any special widgets or code you can imbed in your site. You could also rely on Google reviews.

3. Ecommerce store

Many businesses rely solely on e-commerce sites like Amazon.com to generate sales. Whether this works for your business or not will likely depend on what you are selling. However, when you rely on another company to distribute your product, you’re also giving up a cut of your profits.

Getting traffic to your website is easier if your item is a one-of-a-kind product that can’t be found through anyone else but you. If that’s the case, it may benefit you to be the sole distributor of your product, and the best way to do that is to set up an online store with a shopping cart. People like easy, and if everything is there and readily available for them to choose and checkout, they are more likely to do it.

There are several good e-commerce platforms to choose from. Shop around and compare plans to find the one that is right for your business.

Standing out among the sea of online competition means you have to get noticed and you have to offer convenience. With a catchy name, reviews that back your product, and a store with inventory ready to go, you’ll be off to a great start.