The e-commerce market is growing rapidly, especially during the pandemic. The lockdown has convinced many people that shopping online is convenient and hassle-free. Therefore, sales via electronic channels are increasing, and the potential of digital product distribution is enormous. Perhaps you, too, have started thinking about how to run an online store? Here's what you need to know!
Did you know that a staggering 73% of internet users in Poland shop online ? This is 11 percentage points higher than in 2019. This is largely due to the pandemic, which has forced consumers to use online channels. Many of them, once they've tried it, stick around. It's no wonder – shopping online is increasingly convenient and safer than visiting crowded shopping malls. Furthermore, Polish consumers can shop online even on Sundays, which are closed for shopping in Poland. As you can see, there are many reasons for the significant growth in the e-commerce market.
That's why now is the perfect time to start an online store , especially since the Polish e-commerce market isn't yet saturated. However, for everything to function as expected, you need to know what running one looks like in practice. Don't worry. While it might seem like a challenge at first—especially if you're new to the digital world—all it takes is a little determination and an open mind to master the basics and… learn how to run an online store.
How to set up an e-shop?
Before you start running an online store, you need to… set it up. What do you need to get started? Here are the essentials.
(The rest of the article can be found below the form)
- Business plan
The concept is absolutely essential. You need to know what you want to sell, to whom, and in what model. For example, an online store that's an extension of a brick-and-mortar business will function differently than a dropshipping model (where the online store doesn't physically distribute the goods, but after the transaction is completed, it transfers the order to a warehouse that is responsible for shipping it to the customer).
At this stage, it is also worth developing:
- brand name – and check whether it is not already taken in the domain registry. Remember: the most catchy are short addresses in .pl or .com domainsSo it's worth taking this into account when planning your store name. It needs to be easy for customers to remember;
- The visual identification system – including the logo, fonts, and colors associated with the brand. This information will be useful when creating the layout of the target website.
Of course, you should also define the budget for launching your online store. It's worth remembering that the greater the number of products you distribute and the more customers you plan to serve, the more advanced (and costly) technological solutions will become necessary and justified.
- Logistics facilities
Before you even begin building your online store , you need to carefully define what the purchasing process will look like. Make sure to:
- adequate stocks of products to be distributed,
- a place to store them (it may be necessary to rent a warehouse),
- completing business formalities (if necessary, setting up a business and a bank account to which payments from customers will be transferred),
- agreeing on the principles of cooperation with contractors,
- selecting payment methods available to customers (transaction systems such as Przelewy24, although they involve the payment of a commission, increase the conversion potential because they make it easier for the customer to make a quick payment),
- selecting delivery methods (it is worth providing at least several options, e.g. a choice between a courier and a parcel locker).
At first, you might be able to manage the e-shop on your own – especially since the first few months will be a time of investment, and profits will only come later.
- Technical background
These are all the issues related to setting up an e-commerce store from the "digital" perspective. In this area, you'll be tasked with tasks such as:
- purchasing a domain, i.e. the address of your online store – it is worth investing in related addresses to redirect from them to your e-store,
- choosing an e-commerce platform – you can choose between open-source platforms such as WooCommerce and a convenient (especially at the beginning) SaaS model, in which you purchase a package of services tailored to your needs,
- choosing a hosting server (when the store is based on an open source platform and not on the SaaS model),
- commissioning the design and implementation of an e-shop – so that its appearance is unique to the brand and clear to the customer, and the mechanics are intuitive and helpful to the buyer and you as the seller. It's best to entrust the layout and implementation to professionals who will ensure everything works as expected.
- Preparation of products
Once your online store is ready, it's time to fill it with products. You'll need:
- content – both on the website's home page and on category pages, as well as product descriptions,
- good product photos.
Do you sell goods from external manufacturers? If so, you likely received promotional materials from them. While using product photos is a good idea, when it comes to content… it's worth considering implementing unique content as soon as possible. Why? Because manufacturer-generated copies can potentially reduce the SEO value of your website . This will translate into lower visibility and poorer SEO results.
Finally, you also need to address legal issues – you'll need to draft store policies and develop a GDPR policy. An online store will process customer data, so a secure management procedure must be developed. At this stage, it's worth consulting a lawyer or seeking help from an online store operator. If you're choosing a SaaS e-commerce platform, you can usually count on support and a comprehensive package of guidance in this regard.
Ready? Then you can launch your store.
How to run an e-shop?
Running an online store, after fulfilling the basic responsibilities described above, requires constant work to provide customers with the most comfortable shopping experience possible . Remember that as demand for e-commerce services grows, so does the supply. Therefore, to outperform the competition, you simply have to be better than them.
What will impact the quality of customer service and the popularity of the website? There are many elements that must be taken care of.
- Efficient ongoing customer service
It's crucial that orders are dispatched within a set timeframe, and that the flow of information about each order's fulfillment status is transparent. This is where appropriate software is essential. It will largely automate the order processing process, thus avoiding errors and delays.
Efficient customer service also means quickly responding to inquiries. This process can also be partially automated, for example, with a chatbot that answers frequently asked questions.
- Treating customers fairly
Reliability and honesty are qualities highly valued by the modern consumer. What can you do to be perceived in a positive light? First, it's crucial to provide accurate information to customers about the features and properties of your products – promising pie in the sky will only result in disappointment and a negative review. It can also lead to a fine from the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK).
Secondly, how you handle customer objections, complaints, and returns is crucial. If a mistake occurs during the service process, don't hesitate to apologize in person and offer the customer a discount on their next purchase or a voucher. This will erase any negative impressions and help build your online store's image.
- Joining the Opinion Network
Customers searching for information about a given online store often turn to review portals like Opineo. Positive reviews on such sites strengthen the credibility of a given website and serve as "social proof" – the more reviews, the greater the trust of new customers.
Therefore, it's worth encouraging customers to leave reviews on review portals – this can be done using emails. It's also worth offering the customer an additional bonus for leaving a short review, such as a discount code to use on their next visit.
Remember that customers are increasingly motivated to purchase not so much by the product itself, but by what it communicates or the values behind a given brand. You can shape this however you like.
Marketing matters, so get noticed!
Good customer service, which leads to an increasing number of positive reviews, is just one side of the coin. The other is online promotion. Remember: your online store isn't the only one online, but one of many . Therefore, you need to increase its visibility. This should be done as part of a coherent marketing strategy, but implemented across multiple channels. What can you do to strengthen your search engine rankings and increase conversions?
Website optimization for SEO
Website optimization and positioning are the first important thing to consider. If you're thinking about your business long-term, this is definitely worth considering. In this regard, the following elements will be crucial:
- optimizing the website code and its operating mechanisms – so that the website opens quickly and works without delays and barriers,
- content and metacontent optimization – let’s remind you again about unique product content, but above all about content on category and subcategory pages, written in accordance with SEO rules (taking into account headings, keywords, bullet points, and above all, substantive content!),
- responsiveness of the website – i.e. the ability to use it also on mobile devices,
- good User Experience, i.e. a convenient store operation mechanism that guides the customer through the entire purchasing process and… makes the user stay longer on the website,
- URL optimization – so that they contain keywords relevant to each category and subcategory.
Advertising
You have a wide range of advertising tools to choose from. Which ones should you choose? The most popular solutions are:
- Google Ads – these include sponsored links that will appear in shopping suggestions after the user enters specific queries, or product ads – those mini photos with products and prices that you sometimes see next to or above the search results,
- remarketing advertising – banners displayed to recipients on various portals (both in the Google advertising network and, for example, on Facebook), referring to the products they viewed during a previous visit to your store,
- advertising on social media – you can use, for example, various forms of promotion available on Facebook.
Don't forget about generating leads for your newsletter – it can be a valuable tool for staying in touch with customers and keeping them coming back to your store. To encourage them to sign up for your newsletter, it's worth offering a perk at the start, such as a discount code or free shipping.
Image-building activities
It's a good idea for your online store to have a Facebook fan page and profiles on other social media platforms relevant to your target audience. For example, a beauty or fashion store might be featured on Instagram, while a B2B store, such as one selling spare parts for professional catering equipment, might be featured on LinkedIn.
Another good idea, with image and SEO potential, is to publish articles on valuable external websites with links to your online store. Larger online stores are increasingly collaborating with influencers. This is also a good way to increase interest.
In addition to everything described above, you will also have to complete monthly formalities related to running a business and settling accounts with the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) and the Tax Office, cooperate with contractors, including warehouse management and monitoring its condition, and similar tasks.
A lot of everything? On the one hand, yes, but on the other… you can benefit from expert help in many matters. Professional support will allow you to automate many processes, including marketing, and consequently, leave plenty of time for developing the core of your business.
Summary
The above article covers the following topics:
- the process of setting up an online store from scratch,
- effective e-shop management, including improving the quality of customer service, automating processes and building a competitive advantage,
- increasing the visibility of the store through a coherent marketing strategy.
