What you need to open an online store: a step-by-step guide for beginners

It seems that quite recently the opportunity to buy something on the Internet brought people more questions than convenience. But the more users became customers of online-shops, the more obvious the benefits and benefits were outlined. Esteemed it and businessmen.

After all, all you need to open an online store is simple registration, activity planning and a relatively modest start-up capital. The accessibility of the entrance to the niche led to the fact that the virtual points began to appear as mushrooms after the rain. However, a comfortable start does not guarantee further successful development. Beginning entrepreneurs are faced with the complexity of the choice of products for sales, the search for competitive advantages, the selection of personnel and other important issues. Depending on how much the newcomer will be prepared at the beginning of this path, business can become a source of high income or bring only disappointment.

If the last option is not for you, then you have come to the right place. After all, the reader will receive all the basic information on the competent organization of opening their own online store.

Stages of opening an online store from scratch

Without planning, no business can do. The online store is no exception. Therefore, to begin to move towards the realization of the idea, it is worthwhile to compile a step-by-step algorithm.

1. Choose what kind of product you will trade.
2. Analyze the demand and competition of the chosen niche.
3. Make a portrait of your buyer. Relying on it, highlight the USP (unique trade proposal).
4. Make a business plan with all calculations, how to open an online store from scratch.
5. Find the supplier and determine the product range.
6. Order the creation of an online store or buy ready.
7. Complete the registration procedure for IP or LLC.
8. Enter into contracts with the right employees or enroll them in the state.
9. Make quality photos of products and order the preparation of descriptions for them.
10. Fill the site with the goods. Test the convenience of navigating the resource.
11. Launch an advertising campaign that includes SEO optimization, contextual promotion and the use of social networks.
12. Develop your business. The first profits inspire, but it is better to spend them on scaling activity, rather than own whims.

All you need to open an online store - follow the instructions given in good faith. More details of the main points will be discussed further.

How to choose a niche for Internet trading?

The first item that is brought into the plan for opening an online store is the choice of niche products for sales. Use the following criteria:

• Personal preferences. The experience of many entrepreneurs has proved that the better you understand your products, the easier it is to develop a business.
• Product characteristics. It is worthwhile to estimate in advance the simplicity of delivery of parcels. When you sell large or fragile things, you will have to pay extra attention and money to create the right conditions.
• Competitors. A newcomer to enter a niche filled with competitors is very difficult. To do this, you need or have special advantages, or a unique product.
• Demand. Some interesting ideas from European experience, implemented in Russia, were burned out due to low demand. The mentality of people makes them suspicious of anything new. But there are a number of directions, sales are always high.

What documents are required for the store?

In fact, the only documents for opening an online store - is the registration of an entrepreneur and a compiled business plan. Since your activities will be profitable, you will not get by without issuing an IP or LLC. Otherwise, you can get impressive penalties for concealing income. In addition, most customers and suppliers will not want to cooperate with you.

To refuse registration is not necessary also because the savings from this decision will be scanty. And the process is simple and fast. At least, if you stopped on the IP version, like the absolute majority of online store owners.

This format has significant advantages. But you can not turn a blind eye to some of the disadvantages:

So the choice between IP and LLC is worth doing based on the specific situation and personal preferences.

But it is recommended to make a business plan for every businessman. Even if the online store does not seem too serious, planning on paper becomes an important help. You can record analytical information, perform calculations, create a calendar plan for the implementation of the idea. Often, the business plan helped to identify mistakes and pitfalls, which previously were inconspicuous.

How to choose the best suppliers of products?

For those who are not the first year to build a business, an online store can be an addition to a fixed point. In this case, the question of finding a reliable supplier is not worth it. But where to find partnership for those who are taking the first steps in the world of entrepreneurship?

If we discard highly specialized products, there are several main delivery formats:

• Purchase of goods on Chinese and American sites "on order". This option is chosen by those who do not have starting capital. When using this scheme, the buyer pays for the goods, the store owner buys it in China, only then the supplier sends the parcel. One of the varieties is work on dropshipping.
• Purchase by the businessman of wholesale parties of production on the American and Chinese platforms. This option requires a solid investment.
• Wholesale purchases from domestic producers. Not all goods are more profitable to buy in Russia. In addition, most of the major suppliers cooperate only with major market participants.
• Purchases from Russian intermediaries. The positive side of this option is lower risks, compared to direct orders from China, small lots and fast delivery times. The minus is obvious - the dealer adds his percentage to the cost.

If you have decided on a specific supplier, you can evaluate the prospects for cooperation on such indicators:

1. Actual data on trade balances. Information must be constantly updated. From this point, your reputation for customers can depend.
2. In addition to the previous point, it is worth noting the reservation function. Good suppliers mark the goods intended for customers. This minimizes the chance that the desired product will not suddenly be available.
3. Possibility of return. Well, if the supplier agrees to issue a return of the product that did not sell the online store. Otherwise, it will have to be realized at a purchase price and even lower to "repulse" anything.
4. Providing with the necessary information about the products. Prepare that customers will ask many questions. In order for an online store to "hold the bar", managers must have all possible data about what is being sold. In addition, the lack of photos and text descriptions will have to be filled in on their own. And it takes time and money.

How to choose personnel for an online store?

Opening your own online store often happens on your own, and family members are also involved in the work. The first time such a command is really enough to keep track of the content, answer questions from customers, control purchases and dispatch of goods. However, a developing business will require more attention and participation. Because you have to think about increasing staff.

To the workers of online shops, the requirements are not strict, you can even hire people without experience. It is enough that they politely and patiently treated customers, were on "you" with a computer and diligently performed duties.

The ideal staff for an online store can look like this:

What kind of advertising will help to promote the store?

A competent advertising campaign is what you need to open an online store, if you want to achieve success quickly. Entrepreneurs who come from a stationary trade, sometimes do not understand what methods should be used in the virtual space. Consider the most effective:

• Website Optimization. This work should be delegated to specialists. The cost of the service is rather large, but the result of work on improving the resource you will notice immediately.
• Internet advertising (banner and contextual). The main ways of promotion. "Brings" your target audience and significantly enhances the recognition of the store.
• Catalogs. On the Internet, a lot of catalogs of companies, accommodation in which is often free. Do not ignore such an opportunity to advertise online-shop.
• Business cards. Order the designer the creation of beautiful business cards. You can place them in stationary places of congestion of potential clients. Or just invest in packages with the goods. This step will increase the chance of repeat sales.
• Newsletter. Create a form to collect e-mail addresses of customers. For example, you can offer membership in the "Club of a regular customer", for which you need to pass a brief registration. Use the data to send out special offers, personal discounts and sales. Also you can congratulate clients on holidays. But do not be particularly intrusive.
• Bonuses. Additional benefits can cause the customer to choose you, not competitors. It can be free shipping or a small gift to buy.

How much does it cost to open an online store?

It starts with the fact that the cost of opening an online store in any case will be less than if you organize an ordinary outlet. If you consider the cost of a stationary store, the lion's share will be the rent and maintenance of the territory. The Internet version is free of this expense item. Even if you need to rent a warehouse, the price will still be more affordable.

Further figures depend only on your ambitions and anticipated volumes of business. Some manage to open online-shop in general for free! But for a rapid and active development of business, some capital will have to be invested.

Consider the items of expenditure, for example, the opening of a children's online store:

As you can see, creating a large virtual store of children's goods will cost 620,000 rubles. If you were counting on a smaller amount, you should not worry. And the Internet is good, which makes it possible to reduce costs based on their capabilities and diligence.

How much should you invest in business regularly?

For those who did not frighten the figures, it is worthwhile to clarify. In addition, what you need to open an online store, you will need to regularly invest some money to maintain and grow your business. For as long as the profit point does not cover the costs, it is necessary to have a monetary "safety cushion" for financing.

The list of regular expenses can include:

What income does the store bring to the owner?

Along with the costs of opening an online store, users are interested in the profitability of this venture. Some argue that the virtual point is a gold mine. Others advise not to take the idea seriously, but to consider it as part-time work.

Consider the estimated level of profitability of the store of children's goods:

• Profitability of business - 20-50%;
• Approximate mark-up for the products - 30-40%;
• Average check - 2 000 rubles;
• Payback period - 1-2 years.

With such indicators, the owner can count on a turnover of 100,000 - 140,000 rubles. Gradually this indicator grows and in a year can make from 350 000 rubles.

The level of profit is affected by:

1. The golden mean in the range. The buyer should have a choice, but attention should not be spattered.
2. Attendance level. Everything is obvious: the more visitors from the target audience will be attracted, the higher the profit.
3. Decor. The more qualitative and comfortable the design of the resource, the more users will spend time on it.
4. Reviews. Sarafanne radio is the best method of advertising. But not when you were wrong. One mistake can greatly impair the image.
5. Costs. The better you optimize costs, the less money will go to unnecessary things. Maximalism is not always good, especially for a novice businessman.

The main mistakes that can "sink" your store

Errors when opening an online store directly affect its success. To identify the main problems that can harm the point, it is worth turning to the main experts - the buyers.

1. Customers are deterred by high prices. For the existence of a store, you need to make a margin of at least 20%. But if you step over the mark of 40%, some buyers will go to competitors.
2. About 5% of orders are returned due to a size mismatch. It is worthwhile to approach the information of clients more attentively, and also lay out tables of correspondence of dimensional grids.
3. The lack of a mobile version of the site will scare off a portion of potential buyers. The same can be said about the functional "assembled on the knee".
4. One of the problems of online stores customers call an ill-conceived search system. Attract experts to debug the process and pay more attention to sorting.
5. Those who searched how to open an online store from scratch, often seek to save on the creation of stock. As a result, while the entrepreneur does not determine the most popular positions, some goods can quickly end. Believe me, there is little that depresses the client more than the message that the product from his order is not in stock. Track the end products and report it on the site!

For every success there is always hard work. Even with minimal initial investment, you can create a profitable business, if you invest in it your diligence and time.