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According to statistics, there are over 9 million online retailers worldwide and 2.5 million in the United States. Ecommerce has gone from a novelty to one of the most popular ways to shop for products around the world. These are some of the benefits of opening an online shop and some tips to help you get started. 

1. Weigh the Benefits of an Online Store

An online store can get your products on the market quickly since you do not need to find and set up a physical location. Running an online store is also less expensive than paying for a physical location. Many shoppers are already looking at products online before they go to stores, so an online store gives you the chance to make a sale right away. Online stores make it easy to collect data about your customers that you can use in your marketing efforts. 

2. Consider the Benefits of Off-the-Shelf Versus Custom Online Platforms

The main benefit of an off-the-shelf solution is that you can install it and start using it right away. If you choose a popular platform, many companies are probably already using it and have found most of the bugs and issues. There are usually also plenty of help guides to make it easy to learn the ropes. The downside is the limited customization options and the need to use plugins to make changes. 

Custom solutions are more flexible to fit your specific business needs. However, a custom solution may be expensive and time-consuming to implement. Since you will be the first company using it, there may be bugs that will have to be worked out. 

3. Work With a Freelance Marketer to Create a Solid Marketing Plan

Marketing is critically important for the success of your store. However, marketing can eat up a lot of your time. Consider hiring a freelancer to run your marketing campaigns for you. You can find a specialized marketing consultant on online job platforms and read reviews, check experience, and find rates to help you pick out the candidates you want to interview.

4. Find a Cost-Effective Packing and Shipping Solution

Packing and shipping costs can be one of the largest expenses for an online store. You can cut your shipping costs by reducing the weight of your packages, choosing the correct size packaging, using flat-rate shipping, and offering the option to pick up products locally. Some e-commerce platforms also have pack and ship options you can utilize.

5. Avoid Common Mistakes When Setting Up Your Store

Don’t forget to scope out your competition before you build your store. Avoid choosing a poorly designed website template. If you need help designing your store, consider hiring a freelance web designer. Learn how to take good photos of your products. Poor quality photos can ruin the credibility of your store.

Write product descriptions that are accurate and concise. Include all the useful information, but don’t write so much that customers don’t read it. Make sure you offer good customer service options. Give your customers plenty of ways to pay. If you don’t offer your customer’s preferred payment method, they may go to a competitor. 

CloudSwipe offers contactless payments so you can securely and easily accept payments from customers!

Opening an online store can be beneficial for many business owners. You can get yours off to a good start by implementing these tips, such as hiring a freelance marketer, finding cost-effective shipping solutions, and avoiding common mistakes.