More and more Australian citizens are turning to self-employment in an effort to get ahead of the game and make enough money for a secure retirement. Of the many ways to make a living online, setting up a shopping cart website ranks up there with the best and in this short article, we outline the various steps you need to take to set up and manage your very own shopping cart website.
Web design, build and administration
Of course, your digital platform is your portal to the business world and the good news is a single company can design, build, host and manage your website. From domain registration to debugging the finished site, a single provider can handle all your web needs, including site management and, of course, cyber security. Payment gateways need to be set up, the more, the merrier and your site should have a valid SSL (Secure Socket Layer) Certificate. Consumers are reluctant to give out their financial details on an unsecured website.
Product line
Your choice of products needs to be on point; choose a line of goods with high demand and a future; current trends are for green products and healthcare using natural ingredients. Either way, you need to offer something that other suppliers do not and your products should stand the test of time.
Logistics
Every e-commerce business has to deal with order fulfilment; there are warehouse trolleys for sale from a leading Australian materials handling equipment supplier, should you decide to pick and pack yourself. The best solution is to connect with a leading 3rd party logistics (3PL) company, as they have the skills and resources to fulfil a high volume of orders. If your digital marketing is on point, you will enjoy high volumes of traffic and you will need a 3PL warehouse to process and deliver orders. You might be able to secure a deal with manufacturers whereby they pack and deliver on your behalf.
Online marketing
Search engine optimisation is a service you will need; consumers can find you with a Google search easier if the site has been optimised and a high Google ranking is critical to drive users to your platform. Set aside a monthly budget for SEO and you will be glad you did! If you are selling a wide range of products, that’s a lot of SEO work and over a period of a few months, you should see a lot of organic traffic from the world’s number 1 search engine.
Business registration
Gone are the days when you can operate on the fly; create a name for the business and register with the Australian government, which can be completed via the Internet. You will need some form of general liability insurance to cover against any compensation claim that may arise, while you need to keep records and eventually file a tax return.
We hope the above information helps you to have a better understanding of what is involved in setting up an e-commerce business.