e-Commerce is the most popular way for people to shop. Making your goods and services available online makes it possible to reach a wide audience. The result is being able to close more sales if you have a platform that can facilitate the entire process. Companies are looking for new ways to develop eCommerce businesses, but the truth is that there are specific, basic steps that you must take to be successful. In this editorial, we discuss the process of creating a highly-successful e-Commerce business.
Choose a Business Model and Revenue Model
The first step toward success is picking the right business model for your e-Commerce business. Every business idea has its strengths and weaknesses. You have to choose a model that works within your constraints and gives you the best chance for long-term success. There are five types of business models ranging from B2C to government programs. Choosing the business model mainly focuses on who you will do business with.
The revenue model determines how the business generates revenue. There are several options that you can choose from including:
Subscription
Subscription services generate money by having customers sign up for periodic product shipments. The benefit of this is that it generates recurring revenue streams. The biggest drawback is that you’ll have to manage a supply chain and keep up production on a defined schedule. It can also be difficult to pick the right products for the subscription service.
Dropshipping
Dropshipping effectively places you as the middle man in sales deals. You sell the product to the customer through your website, and the supplier handles the rest. The best part about dropshipping is that you can have any number of products without worrying about where you can store merchandise. The downside is that finding the right products can be difficult.
Wholesaling
Wholesaling is the process that you see in most brick and mortar stores. You buy the stock, then sell it online. The benefit is that you can function as a regular store and have complete control over the whole process. The downside is that it takes a lot of investment to get the products upfront, which you may not be able to sell.
White Labeling
White labeling is a process where a company sells you a generic product that you can brand for yourself. There are companies that thrive on creating generic products so that other companies can sell them as their own. The benefit is that you can get products similar to wholesaling but create your own branded product lines. The downside is that these products are usually low cost and difficult to differentiate from other options. Also, your product could exactly match other products on the market.
Manufacturing
Manufacturing means that you make your own product to sell. This method works well for anyone that has an idea for a great product and wants to make it. The upside is that you have a lot of control and a product that only you have. The downside is that the cost of manufacturing can be expensive and you have to invest heavily before you can try to sell the product.
Do Your Research
Before you begin setting up your e-Commerce business, do your research to see if it is viable. While you may think that a business can be successful, you always need to verify that first. Building a successful company means finding and servicing a niche. You need to understand that niche inside and out so that you can make informed decisions about how you direct your business. The biggest mistake many people who start a business make is not having a niche or overestimating how easy that niche is to work with.
Identify Your Target Market and Test Product Ideas
Your target market determines who you sell to. It is the core audience of your business. You need to know who is in that target market so that you can develop effective products and ads. Likewise, you need to know who to test products with. Target audiences have specific design preferences and you need to understand them before you can start to sell products reliable.
Legal Paperwork
Your e-Commerce business must be legal in every possible way so that you can avoid any legal issues throughout the project. The process for doing this is usually very simple. In many states, you can do the whole process online, and it is generally not cost-prohibitive. It is important to make sure that all of the legal paperwork is done, or else you can face legal action or fines. This also includes registering your business and getting a tax number.
Develop Digital Assets
Once you have all of the other steps out of the way, you should work with a business partner to develop your website, eCommerce store, or other digital assets. At KitelyTech, we can help you create and maintain any of these assets. Give us a call at (800) 274 2908 to schedule a consultation with our team.
