Starting an online store? Here’s some things people don’t tell you…

As the economy shifts, a lot of people are deciding to open online stores for a variety of reasons. A bit of extra money on the side, or completely replacing income due to redundancy and so on.

I have had my online business for 5 years and I have to say it’s one of the most fun, difficult and fulfilling things I’ve ever done. I taught myself and gained a multitude of skills and spent thousands of hours working on my businesses. I achieved so many things through sheer hard work and I was thinking about passing on the knowledge—and here we are! I've even started freelancing for other companies to help improve their marketing strategies and make their websites more profitable.

At the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey, it wasn’t easy in the slightest as there weren’t as many resources available. ‘Gurus’ were in abundance and lots of dreams were sold. For other beginners, it’s very easy to be swayed by information from people who are more concerned about making a quick buck off of you as opposed to giving quality actionable advice. I was moved to share some of the important things that no one really tells you because they want you to stay excited enough to buy their course or eBook. I want you to make an informed decision about whether eCommerce is for you. Here goes…

1)It’s not easy

As much as people like to make out that it is easy and easy to make profitable… it really isn’t! Especially if you are a solopreneur (as I was), it’s a lot to take on as you have to wear many hats. It takes time to get the results you want and there’s lots of trial and error. Sure, people may be showing off their results and successes—do NOT compare yourself to them. It acts as a distraction and interferes with your focus.

2)Don’t be discouraged by low sales in the beginning

As you’ve now learned that e-commerce isn’t easy—sales aren’t either. Do not beat yourself up if it takes a good while for people to buy from you. Think about it, there are thousands of websites with varying marketing budgets and clientele sizes within your niche. They are your competition. They’ve built up the trust and reputation that you are also trying to. It takes time to nurture your leads. In this day and age, we are inundated with scam e-commerce websites, so shoppers are very skeptical these days. When you’re the new kid on the block, you have to build up ‘street cred’ and this should be your focus at the beginning. Concentrate on offering value and building brand awareness.

3)Be professional

As you are trying to build up your ‘street cred’, remember that your potential clients are watching. They are watching how you present your brand, how you interact with others and how serious you’re taking your business. Show up as you would like to be perceived. If you want to be perceived as high end, your brand should reflect that. If you want to champion your customer service, let prospective clients consistently see that. If exceptional quality is your USP, show why it is. Once your reputation has been established, it’s very hard to change it. Start as you mean to continue.

4)You don’t have to get paid courses

Unfortunately, what happens with many desperate to make their online stores profitable, there are predatory ‘gurus’ who sell super expensive courses that make unrealistic promises. Oftentimes, these people never have actual retail businesses they’ve made profitable, it’s the course they’re selling that they use as an example which is very disingenuous. Many of them have never worked at reputable businesses or created established brands, so please be careful.

They caught me a few times because I was very eager to learn everything there was to learn. Nowadays you have Skillshare, YouTube, blogs (like mine) where you can learn the exact same thing and better for FREE or a small fee. In this economy, that’s the best and most justifiable option. Don’t minimise your budget where it could be better spent elsewhere.

5)It’s very expensive to compete with bigger stores

Paid social marketing, one of my best skills, is both very helpful for your brand but can burn through your marketing budget easily. More established companies have 6 and 7 figure budgets which can be very intimidating. There are a few ways to make your mark but that is also down to you understanding your target audience very well.

6)Understanding your target audience is imperative

Before you start anything with your online business, and I mean anything, you have to understand the people you’re selling to. Creating a customer profile is the best thing you can do as it will inform your strategy from then on and improve your chances of success. It is very important you do this as well as market research. With my business, I took the time to learn; the age group, interests, hobbies, most used social media platforms, times they are online and so many more things. These all add up to creating a solid foundation for your marketing campaign.

7)You don’t have to include your face

Very often, the ‘gurus’ will tell you that your business has to have your face and that’s not entirely true. You don’t have to put your identity out there if you don’t want to. You can either use models or influencers to create the same effect. Depending on which influencer you use, it could bring better results as well as very good brand awareness. Do what you feel comfortable with but also make sure your brand is interactive and relatable to your prospective clients.

8)Do not be afraid to outsource

Now, this is for the solopreneurs and small businesses. As much as we try to do everything ourselves, we have to admit that we are not strong with everything that’s needed to build and maintain a brand. For this reason, it’s better to hire someone who is stronger at a skill. The quality being consistent throughout your company is far more important. It’s okay to let others in to help you, plus you improve your professional network this way.

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I hope this gave you a lot more insight and reduces the surprises that you get when undertaking such a huge task. You've got this! Here’s some extra tips to make sure you win.

At the start of opening an online store, the vital things you should do are:

• Create a customer profile

• Choose your e-commerce provider

• Choose your payment provider

• Create your terms of service documents (Terms and conditions, privacy policy, return policy etc) as it is a legal requirement

• Set up your social media accounts

• Create your branding and marketing materials

• Choose a professional yet customised theme for your website
• Choose an email marketing provider, like Omnisend** or MailChimp.

Best of luck!

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Already started your online store? I can have a look for you and give you a comprehensive audit! My commissions are open here.

** This is an affiliate link and I may earn commission if you decide to invest in your brand and get a paid subscription. Always best to be upfront 🤓

What other topics would you like me to cover? Let me know in the comments below!