Want to Launch Your Own Online Store? Here’s What You Need to Know

OK, so’ve got the idea to join the online business revolution and get your hands into the eCommerce world. Running a successful online store can be an extremely liberating, flexible, and valuable business, but before you dive head first into the market, it’s important to make sure you’ve got a plan in place – and this will save you some serious time and money!

– Step 1: Decide on your niche – it’s the Achilles heel of first-time business owners: opting to back the first product or idea that comes to mind rather than weighing up the pros and cons. Make sure you selected product that you wish to sell fulfils a niche, but isn’t oversaturated with competitors. Also, ensure that you can attain the products at a reasonable cost price and sell at a fair mark-up in order to make a profit.

– Step 2: Choose between drop shipping or holding your own products – this could be crucial in determining the scalability and success of your online business. These days, many online retailers hold stock with distributors or sell on consignment for distributors, which eliminates storage and purchasing costs from the outset – allowing you to maintain your cash holdings without buying a ton of products from the outset.

– Step 3: Brainstorm a business name and register your domain name – opt for a catchy name that easily identifies what you sell. Don’t get stuck trying to use one specific yet arbitrary name; go for something that’s memorable, easy to use on branding material, and signifies what your business is and what you sell. You can then register your domain name on Digitise.

– Step 4: Select products to sell – identify the breadth of products you want to sell. If you want to sell one item that’s your main business, then great! But, if you’re looking to have a range of goods, try and keep your scale in mind. Perhaps start with a few and aim to grow as sales roll in.

– Step 5: Building your online store

When selecting your platform of choice to build your online store on, there’s a lot of names and confusing systems thrown around, which can often deter you more than anything. Using Digitise, South Africa’s very-own drag-and-drop web builder, CRM system, and marketing tool (which is delivered all in one package), you can create your own online store with ease.

Fleshed out with the ability to add tons of products, beautifully designed checkout processes, and full payment options, Digitise makes the daunting, complex, and often expensive task of setting up an online store an absolute breeze.

How much does it cost?

The team behind Digitise is aware that start-ups need flexibility, so when it comes to costs, there are no contracts or long-term commitments; and there are flexible pricing packages so that you can find the best option for you and your business.

The benefit of using the Digitise platform is that from the front-end of the webpage to the CRM and marketing tools in the background, your entire online toolbox is with the same provider, making the transition in the digital space a hassle-free one rather than a painstaking process of vendor selection and hunting down the right service providers.

Why not sign-up and get cracking on your business now? Check out Digitise here.