To navigate the world of online selling without feeling overwhelmed, this convenient eCommerce 101 checklist equips you with everything necessary to establish your own digital store.
In simple terms, eCommerce refers to any business or financial transaction conducted over the internet. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, an increasing amount of commerce takes place online. According to the Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce, retail e-commerce sales in the second quarter of 2018 surpassed $127.3 billion, accounting for 9.6 percent of total sales. Additionally, Census Bureau Insights reported by Boomtown reveals that online sales growth is outpacing overall retail sales, with a year-over-year increase of 17 percent compared to 6 percent. These statistics underscore the significance and rapid growth of eCommerce within the contemporary retail industry.
Selecting the Appropriate eCommerce Platform
Every business has its own distinct requirements when it comes to establishing an e-commerce website. Factors such as company size, whether it's a large enterprise or a small boutique, as well as the nature of the business, such as being in the quick-service restaurant or retail industry, play a crucial role. Additionally, determining whether you'll exclusively operate online or need synchronization with a physical store, along with deciding on the payment processing method, are essential considerations.
Rest assured, with just a few answers to these questions, you'll be well on your way to launching your online sales presence in no time. All you require is the following comprehensive eCommerce checklist.
The Checklist
✔️ Domain
To establish an eCommerce store, the first step is securing a hosting platform for your website. Additionally, you need a domain name to enable customers to find your site. Think of the domain name as the address of your online "house" that people use to navigate to your site.
The cost of a domain name varies depending on the size of your business and the type of domain you choose. It can range from as low as $10 per year to hundreds or even thousands of dollars. However, most small businesses can expect to pay around $10-15 per year for a new domain, depending on the registrar and top-level domain (TLD) chosen.
The registrar is a service that allows you to officially register your desired domain name, ensuring its uniqueness and preventing others from using it. While there used to be only one company responsible for domain registration, you can easily create your own business website with DizLog.
✔️ Hosting
Web hosting is the term used to describe the location where all the files of your website are stored. To put it simply, if the domain represents the mailing address of your home, web hosting is the physical house to which it points.
The cost of web hosting can vary, starting from relatively low prices for shared hosting. However, these costs can add up quickly. On a standard shared hosting plan, you can anticipate paying approximately $90 to $150 per year.
✔️ Security
When conducting online business, it is essential to provide potential customers with the assurance that your website is secure and their sensitive credit card information is protected. To achieve this, you need to establish an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) connection.
SSL is a standard security protocol that establishes a secure connection between a web server and a browser during online transactions. By using SSL technology, all data transmitted between the web server and the browser remains encrypted, ensuring the safety of customer data.
To create an SSL connection, an SSL certificate is necessary. Typically, the cost of an SSL certificate is around $250 per year.
Ensuring security should never be overlooked. Nowadays, customers expect to see that a website is secure, and a lack of security measures can deter online sales. With DizLog's managed eCommerce package, all of this is taken care of for you. When you create an online store that syncs with your current point of sale system, you automatically receive an SSL certificate and an encrypted, secure website to conduct your business.
✔️ CDN (Content Delivery Network)
CDN is a network of distributed servers that deliver web pages and other online content to users. The content delivery is based on factors such as the user's geographic location, the origin of the webpage, and the content delivery server. This system is particularly beneficial for websites with high traffic or a global audience, as it helps accelerate content delivery.
The costs associated with CDN services can average around $200 per month, which may pose a challenge for small businesses with limited budgets.
✔️ Content Management System
Managing your content is a crucial aspect of your ecommerce site. It involves uploading and regularly updating images and descriptions of your products and services. Content management systems (CMS) are designed for this purpose, but they can be complex and often require costly backend development that consumes a significant amount of time.
The cost of a CMS varies depending on several factors, including the specific functionalities you require and the size of your website.
By utilizing DizLog, the synchronization of web content from the Back Office is automated, eliminating the need for manual uploads, tagging, or additional descriptions. Both your point of sale software and ecommerce store will utilize the same content, requiring you to update it only once in a single location. This streamlined approach significantly reduces the overhead required for establishing an online store.
✔️ Payment Processing
Having a reliable method to process credit card payments is essential for selling online. However, deciding which payment processor to use can be overwhelming, especially if you lack prior experience in this area. Fortunately, with DizLog's managed eCommerce package, this aspect is already taken care of for you, allowing you to allocate your resources to other important aspects of your business.
DizLog seamlessly integrates with popular payment processors such as Authorize.net, PayPal, and Stripe. These three options cover a wide range of merchant processing needs, ensuring that you can effortlessly process payments between your online store and your point of sale system.
✔️ SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Congratulations on establishing your online presence! However, it's crucial for people to be able to find your business, and appearing in Google search results is key.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the most effective and cost-efficient approach to achieving this. Numerous online resources are available that focus on business SEO, providing valuable insights and strategies. While certain patterns become apparent as you delve deeper into SEO, many business owners find it challenging to dedicate the necessary time and resources to manage their digital marketing efforts alongside other responsibilities.
Small business owners frequently seek assistance from professionals to analyze their content, identify target keywords, and develop effective strategies for search engine optimization (SEO). However, the costs of hiring these professionals can quickly add up. If you're in need of web content optimization but don't have the budget to engage a third-party consultant, a managed ecommerce solution could be a valuable option for your business.
When you create an online store with DizLog, our team of digital marketers takes care of optimizing your site to ensure its visibility in search results and establish best practices for your online presence. This way, you can benefit from professional SEO support without the need for additional financial resources.
✔️ Terms of Use
For e-commerce site owners, it is crucial to have a well-crafted set of Terms and Conditions agreement prominently displayed and easily accessible throughout your online store.
The Terms and Conditions agreements serve multiple purposes, including legal protection for you and the establishment of guidelines for both you and your customers during a purchase. They also help limit your liability in case of product failure and provide a framework for addressing conflicts, ensuring a clear course of action.
✔️ Sync Inventory with POS
If you're an ecommerce retailer, it's likely that you don't solely rely on online sales. You may have a physical brick-and-mortar store or participate in face-to-face selling at trade shows and expos. Regardless of the sales channel, it is crucial to maintain accurate and up-to-date inventory records. This is why synchronizing your inventory with your point of sale (POS) software and online channels is of utmost importance.
By syncing inventory across platforms, you can ensure that inventory levels are consistent and reliable, regardless of where the sale is recorded. Additionally, shopping cart plugins can help isolate inventory from other stores or marketplaces where you sell, providing accurate and real-time inventory reports.
Conclusion
DizLog's eCommerce solution takes care of the entire checklist for you, relieving you of the work and concerns associated with setting up an online store. This saves you valuable time and money in a straightforward manner.
If you were to handle each checklist item individually, launching an eCommerce store could cost as much as three to four thousand dollars. However, DizLog offers a comprehensive integrated platform at just a low price encompassing all the checklist items. This includes cloud-based hosting, SSL security, CDN services, domain management, system monitoring, backups, and dedicated customer support. Furthermore, it seamlessly syncs with your physical point of sale, ensuring a smooth and integrated experience.