Every year the number of people using the Internet is increasing. So, there are many types of earnings on the Internet. And some people even run their business over the Internet. What is needed for this? How to create an online store? What products are in great demand? You will find answers to these questions in this article.
Online store
What is needed for an online store? This question worries many aspiring entrepreneurs. Let's get it right. First you need to decide on a niche or, in other words, with the specialization of the store. As practice shows, children's goods and clothes are sold well through the Internet. Because mothers on maternity leave, as a rule, do not have time to go shopping and choose clothes for the baby. And it is growing by leaps and bounds. That is why they prefer to order new things to their baby on the Internet.
What is the best selling in online stores? In addition to children's products, online stores that sell equipment have been very popular lately. This is due to the fact that there is no extra charge. Accordingly, the product is cheaper.
In addition, it is necessary to provide additional services that your customers may need. Delivery is the most popular service. In addition, if you are selling disassembled goods, your customers may need a build service. It is important for many buyers that they can order all the services from one seller and not waste time searching. This increases customer loyalty and increases your profits.
Satisfied customers are the foundation of your business and the best advertising. Because if a person liked the service, he will tell his friends about it. And it is very likely that acquaintances will use your services and will be satisfied. And, in turn, they will tell their friends. And so on. The principle of word of mouth will work.
Based on this, it is clear that much attention needs to be paid to the quality of the goods. And also to establish a service so that customers can easily order additional services.
It is important to receive feedback. Listen carefully to customers, often they can offer some ideas for improving the business that will increase your sales at times.
How to open an online store? Step-by-step instruction
Congratulations! You have decided to create an online store. The decision made is a major step in the business. But what to do next?
- Choose a niche.
- Analyze competitor sites.
- Evaluate their stores. Write out their advantages and disadvantages.
- Create a pivot table.
- Thanks to this table, you can create your own store. It is necessary to take into account all the key advantages of competitors and implement them. And also eradicate all the shortcomings that rivals have.
- As a result, you will get the best online store in the city, which means a big profit.
- Paperwork. You can register as an individual entrepreneur or as an organization.
- Search for suppliers and conclusion of contracts.
- Website creation. What is needed for an online store site? Interesting content!
- Congratulations, your store is ready!
- If your business requires a warehouse - find it.
- But that is not all! The next step is the promotion of the online store. On your own or take the help of professionals.
- Have you decided to start promoting the online store yourself? Fine! It will be necessary to find free time and study information on this issue.
Are you done? Take orders! Successful work.
In what cases will you need to rent a warehouse and can you do without it?
There are several options for online stores. Let's look at each of them.
- The classic model. To do this, you will need to remove the warehouse. (At first, when sales will be small, you can allocate a place in your apartment and store goods there, if the area allows). In the future, with an increase in sales, look for a warehouse. How does an online store warehouse work? You store the goods on it until you sell it to the buyer.
- The most popular model in our time is dropshipping. In this case you do not have to spend money to the warehouse. Delivery to the buyer will be carried out by the supplier on your behalf.
- Goods to order. That is, you order the goods from the supplier, receive it and send it to the customer. But in this case, the delivery time of the goods, time resources increases.
Online Store and Law
What are the requirements for an individual to open such a business? What is needed for an online store in Russia? What do you need to know? What tax system to choose? Do I need to register an online store?
First, let's figure out which codes for OKVED you can choose. In the All-Russian Classifier of Types of Economic Activities, it is better to choose code 52.61.2, which is called "Retail trade through television shops, computer networks." In addition, you may need the code 72.60, which allows you to conduct other activities related to the use of computer technology and information technology.
Which tax system is better to choose?
There are 2 options, either a general tax system or a simplified one. Which one you will apply is up to you. However, practice shows that it is better to use simplified. But it’s better not to rely on statistics, but to make an approximate calculation and, based on the numbers, understand which system is right for you.
Promotion of an online store, what you need to know?
At the first stage, it is important to decide whether you have the financial capabilities in order to entrust the promotion of the store to professionals, or if you want to understand this yourself. Both that and another option takes place, however if you choose the second, much more time for advancement will leave.
Everything is clear with the first option; you need to find a professional, get familiar with his portfolio and price list. And if everything suits you - conclude an agreement and wait for the first orders.
If you decide to take the second path, set aside a lot of free time. You will need it to study the detailed information about the promotion, and implement it. Since you are still new to this business, it may take you more money to promote it. However, do not despair, it will all pay off in the future. Since you yourself will understand how it works, and timely adjust the strategic plan for promotion.
Speaking of the plan, have you studied all the information? It's time to make a promotion plan. It should be very detailed and include all aspects. Over time, you will adjust it a little. But despite this, it will be your guideline. Will set the direction for your action. And this is very important, you will know where to move, what goal you want to come to and how you will achieve it. Planning guarantees 50% success.
Where to promote an online store?
So, the promotion plan is ready. But on what platform to spin the store.
- The most basic are search engines. As you already read, the search is carried out by keywords. It is important for you to write a text with the necessary search phrases and place it on the site, observing certain requirements. So the page will rise in the search results and more people will be able to see your store.
- Popular applications for ads or special sites. This is a free platform to promote your business. Thanks to these resources, you can create free online store advertising.
- Social networks. This is currently the most powerful promotion platform. And this is no coincidence. Every day more and more people use social networks. As a rule, for this they indicate basic information about themselves. And, with the right approach, you can choose among them the target audience that is right for you, and show them targeted advertising.
The main thing, when using targeted advertising, is to correctly configure the target audience and write a marketing headline. But that is not all! Choose a catchy picture so that it definitely stops the look of a person on yourself, interests him.
It’s clear that not all people who see ads go to your site. But, nevertheless, the more people see it, the more they will go to the site and buy our products. Thus, the sales funnel is gradually reduced, and at the exit we get the desired result.
Online store design
How to make an online store? Which design to choose? These questions concern many aspiring entrepreneurs. Here, as in the promotion option, there are 2 possible ways. Or you hire a professional and pay him money for a beautiful design. Or learn it yourself. Choose which course is more important to you: either time or money.
Money is important - study the information yourself, try different designs. Go ahead! There is a lot of information on the Internet on this subject, and anyone can learn. If you have chosen money, find a competent specialist in this matter. Compare your financial capabilities and be sure to evaluate the level of skill of the designer. In addition, it is important that you enjoy his work style. And sometimes it happens that the master is good, but you have different ideas about the final result. And in the end, your cooperation does not work out. Look for the person whose work you are completely satisfied!
Online Store Contacts
It is very important to indicate the store’s contacts so that people can contact you, ask all your questions, and get feedback. It is best to write the contact number of the online store. It is advisable that it be free for buyers.
If you specify the phone number of the online store, this will immediately raise the status of your resource in the eyes of customers. People will note that you are a serious company and will be more willing to cooperate with you.
Store extension
At first, you will be able to independently manage the work of the store. However, as you expand, you will need helpers. The more sales you have, the more work you will have. Delegate her! And the freed time is better spent on store development, automation and modernization. And also on vacation.
If you do everything right, then after a while you will be able to delegate absolutely all the powers. And that means getting passive income. And this will open up many opportunities. You will not be attached to any particular place, you will be able to travel.
Due to the fact that Internet technologies are very developed, you can manage your business remotely.
What is the advantage of an online store?
Such a store has several advantages. For buyers:
- Prices are lower due to the fact that the total cost is lower.
- No need to spend time and money traveling to the store.
- You can make a purchase at any convenient time and from anywhere in the world.
And what are the advantages of sellers?
- The absence of expenses for the rental of the store, respectively, the price of the goods is lower, which means more buyers.
- Great audience reach. Buyers are not limited to the region where the store is located.
- The lack of a large number of employees.
- The ability to work remotely.
In addition, it is in the online store that we can not spend a lot of time searching for the necessary items, but sort them by the necessary parameters and immediately choose exactly the thing that you need. In an offline store, this is not real. You will spend a lot of time searching to find the things you need according to the relevant parameters.
For example, you need a swimsuit 42 sizes of red color not more than 1000 r. How will you search?
- If this is an online store, then you will put 3 filters, namely: size - 42, price - not more than 1000 rubles and color - red. You can simultaneously compare offers in several stores without leaving your home and without wasting time on the road.
- If you prefer an offline store, then you will need to go to the shopping center. Go around all the points where swimwear is sold. Remember them visually, compare by price. For other characteristics and based on this, choose the one that is right for you. But this is not very convenient, because even if you pick up 5 swimwears, it is not a fact that you will remember which one you liked more. You will not have before your eyes all the options with prices and you will not be able to create an objective opinion.
Deal with the merits. Are there any disadvantages of such a store?
There is no perfect store. The online store 1 has a significant drawback - you can not see a thing in reality before buying. It is important for many people to touch, touch, inspect a thing up and down, and sometimes measure it. And it is such people who are very rarely customers in the online store. And even a lower price for them is not the most important criterion.
Such people are better at overpaying for a thing, but they will be completely confident in its quality, the required size, as well as in consumer properties and quality characteristics of the products.
Conclusion
This is a profitable business. What is needed for an online store? The main thing is to think over the design well, design the site beautifully, indicate all your contacts, add various payment systems. Do not forget to provide additional types of services. As well as a convenient navigation system.