What do I need to build an ecommerce website?
Ecommerce website design take time. They require preparation because there is a lot of elements you need to have ready before the web designer can even start building your site for you. I'm talking about setting up accounts, deciding on shipping, product inventory etc.
So to that end this article is really a check list to help you get organised to create an ecommerce website.
Website Name Registration
First you need to need to register a website address name for your website. There are many domain registrars but I usually use cheapdomains.com.au. You will must have an ABN for a .com.au and they usually cost $38 for a two year period.
Website Hosting
I provide web hosting and help for my clients as part of building their web sites. A quick search will give you plenty of options to choose from otherwise.
Accepting Payments Online
Almost every ecommerce website I create uses PayPal to takeonline payments. PayPal is a secure and trusted payment gateway that allows us to accepts payments on your ecommerce website.
You will need to register a Business PayPal account. You can register one here https://www.paypal.com/au/webapps/mpp/merchant or call PayPal direct on 02 9258 7359.
Getting your PayPal business account created and verified can take a couple of weeks so it's best to get this done as soon as possible.
PO Box Address
If you are going to have a work from home scenario you may not want to use your private address on correspondence. Registering a PO Box is a great way to receive post for your business while keeping your private residence address private. Ensure the PO Box you rent allows for product returns.
Shipping
Shipping is one of the dilemmas many new ecommerce web site owners face. You need to understand how you want to post products before you start building your website. Here are the typical options to choose from:
- Free Shipping: This is easy to configure and business owners usually add a little extra to each item to cover shipping costs.
- Flat Rate Shipping: A one off charge is made for all orders.
- Free shipping if you spend X amount: This is a combination of Flat Rate Shipping & Free Shipping and asks visitors to usually spend a little more to qualify for free shipping.
- Weight Based Shipping: Shipping costs based on weight, volume and dimensions. Using this method means there's more work as you will need to add the weight, volume and dimensions for each and every product in your store. We usually use Australia Post to calculate prices.
- Pick From Store: Customers come to your store to collect their goods.
Terms & Conditions
Having your T&C's constructed professionally by a solicitor is going to be cash well spent. Ideally you want your T&C's indisputable so clients understand where both parties stand when it comes to returns, cancellations, refunds, shipping costs, handling costs, guarantees etc.
Product Inventory
Using Excel to create a product inventory is a good method to see your product categories a products at a glance. Here is a link to a product inventory Excel spread sheet I give to my clients. The sheet contains columns of data required for each product that you want to add to your online store. Please feel free to download the Excel Spreadsheet for your ecommerce website.
Social Media
Once you have your new website emails set up go about creating the various social media pages you need for your site. Bear in mind you don't need to be on every platform - just the platforms that work well for your products and target market.
These platforms are the usual suspects:
- AudioBoom
- Spotify
- Youtube