Whether you’re selling physical products, digital goods, or services, starting an online shop requires a multifaceted strategy. You need to choose the right platform, ensure your shop is visible, and convert customers once they arrive.

Having a strong ecommerce presence is more important than ever. For example, online purchases are projected to comprise almost a quarter of retail transactions worldwide by 2026, for a total market value of over $8 trillion.

Below, we cover what you need to know to get started, from building the store to closing sales, as well as tips for conversion, search engine optimization (SEO), payment, and shipping.

What’s in this article?

• What you need to know before starting an online shop
  
• How to create an online store
  
• How to design an online store that converts
  
• How to refine your online store for SEO
  
• What payment and shipping options should you include?
  

What you need to know before starting an online shop

Before creating an ecommerce presence, you need to lay the groundwork for success. Consider the following before you start:

• Audience: Decide who you’re selling to and what gap your product or service fills. Research what your competitors are doing and determine how to set yourself apart, whether through pricing, product variety, or customer experience.

• Budget: Consider the costs of goods, domain names, web hosting, platform fees, shipping materials, and marketing. Be realistic about how long it might take to recoup these up-front costs, and plan accordingly.

• Legal requirements: From business licenses to taxes, ensure you’re compliant with local regulations. You might also need to think about privacy policies and terms of service for your site, especially if you’re collecting customer data.

• Inventory: Create a plan for sourcing products and managing inventory to avoid running out of items.

• Fulfillment: Decide how you’ll handle shipping to achieve timely delivery, whether you’re drop-shipping or overseeing it yourself.

• Customer experience: Before launching, ensure your shop provides the customer experience you’re aiming for. Think about how you’re going to handle customer service, returns, and feedback.

How to create an online store

Building your online store requires choosing a platform, getting your domain name, and more. Here’s a step-by-step guide to launching your online store:

Choose your platform

Platforms such as Shopify, WooCommerce, and Squarespace present different pros and cons. Spend time choosing a platform that fits your business needs, including shipping integrations and payment options. Consider your tech savviness, business scale, and budget in the process.

Get a domain name

You need a domain name that’s short, easy to remember, and brand-specific. Many ecommerce platforms can help you purchase one, or you can use domain registrars such as GoDaddy and Namecheap.

Design your store

Design your store to be efficient, easy to use, and mobile-friendly. Most ecommerce platforms provide templates or themes to get you started. Customize the layout, color schemes, and images to match your brand’s style.

Add your products

Add your products to the store by creating straightforward product pages, uploading high-quality photos, writing compelling descriptions, and setting prices. Insert relevant details such as dimensions, materials, and sizing charts. If you’re offering services rather than physical products, clearly define what’s included.

Configure payment and shipping options

Make it easy for your customers to pay. Integrate multiple payment gateways (e.g., Stripe) or credit card options. You also need to decide how you want to handle shipping, whether through flat-rate, real-time shipping quotes or free shipping above a certain amount. Establish shipping zones, rates, and delivery times.

Test your store

Before launching, test everything. Place test orders to ensure the checkout process works smoothly. Check your product pages for typos, broken links, or image-loading issues. Test on different devices to affirm that your store looks good and functions well.

Implement analytics and tracking

To keep improving, you need to track your store’s performance. Use tools—such as Google Analytics and the analytics dashboard within your platform—to monitor traffic, sales, and customer behavior. This data can help you refine your marketing tactics and make better business decisions.

How to design an online store that converts

Once customers find their way to your shop, you need to convince them to make a purchase. Here are some tips that can help:

• Categorize your products: Organize site categories intuitively so customers can easily find what they want with a few clicks. The search bar should be prominent and fully functional so customers can filter products by size, color, price, and more.

• Design your store for mobile users: Create a mobile-friendly design. Ensure that your store looks good on all devices and that pages load quickly.

• Upload high-quality images: Use crisp, high-resolution photos that show your product from multiple angles. Include zoom options and videos where relevant to build trust and reduce uncertainty.

• Write compelling descriptions: Write persuasive product descriptions that focus on benefits rather than just features. Keep your copy short and vivid, and avoid jargon.

• Facilitate checkout: Ensure your checkout has minimal steps, simple instructions, and multiple payment options. Avoid asking for unnecessary information, and allow guest checkout for a frictionless experience.

• Drive action: Use prominent calls to action (CTAs) with contrasting colors and wording, such as “Add to Cart” and “Buy Now.” Create a sense of urgency with limited-time offers or low-stock indicators.

• Build trust: Display trust badges (e.g., Secure Sockets Layer [SSL] certificates, payment processor logos), customer reviews, and testimonials to build credibility. Include clear return policies and customer support options to increase confidence.

How to refine your online store for SEO

Prioritize strong SEO so customers can find your shop among the many online options. Here are some ways you can enhance your web presence to increase your site’s rank on search engines:

Start with keyword research

First, understand your audience’s search habits. Use advanced tools such as Semrush, Ahrefs, and Google Keyword Planner to discover both high-volume and niche, long-tail keywords that align with your products. Long-tail keywords help your site rank for more specific queries with lower competition that often signal more intent to purchase. Beyond product names, think about how your audience searches for solutions or benefits.

Improve your product pages

Improve each product page by integrating your primary keyword into the URL, title, and meta description in a way that feels organic. Make your product descriptions informative and engaging: write for humans first, but keep SEO principles in mind. Place keywords strategically without overdoing it. Ensure descriptions are unique, rather than identical to those from the manufacturer.

Design an intuitive site structure

Your site’s architecture impacts both SEO and user experience. Ensure it’s intuitive for shoppers and easy for search engines to crawl. Organize your categories logically; keep your product pages within three clicks of the homepage; and remember to use breadcrumb navigation (i.e., helping users keep track of where they are in the site structure). Internal linking between related products, collections, and blog content strengthens your site’s relevance according to search engines.

Optimize your images

Images are important for conversion, but they can slow down your site if they’re not fine-tuned. Rename your images with descriptive, keyword-rich file names, and always include alt text for accessibility and to give search engines more context. Compress your images using tools—such as TinyPNG and ImageOptim—to reduce load times.

Improve site speed

Google considers site speed a ranking factor, so identify bottlenecks with tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix. Compressing images, using browser caching, minimizing JavaScript, or upgrading your hosting can increase site speed. A few seconds can determine the success of a sale, so affirm your site isn’t slowing.

Fine-tune your site for mobile

Your site’s mobile experience directly impacts SEO rankings. Ensure your store is responsive and performs well on all devices. Minimize desktop elements as needed, and prioritize ease of use and fast load times on mobile networks.

Craft unique meta titles and descriptions

Every page should have its own meta title and description, customized to both the searcher and the algorithm. Incorporate your main keyword, and make the text compelling. Meta descriptions don’t impact rankings directly, but they do influence click-through rates. These, in turn, can improve your rankings over time.

Encourage user-generated content

Search engines favor fresh, relevant content, and user reviews can provide that. Reviews build trust with potential buyers and introduce valuable keywords organically. Encourage customers to leave detailed reviews to improve your rankings and boost your credibility.

What payment and shipping options should you include?

Providing several payment and shipping options that cater to various preferences improves the user experience and increases your chances of closing a sale. Here’s what you should consider:

Payment options

Customers expect to have a choice between multiple payment methods. Here are a few to focus on:

• Credit and debit cards: These are the most widely used payment methods, so integrate them into your checkout process. Platforms such as Stripe make it easy to accept card payments and handle the security side. This helps maintain compliance with regulations such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS).

• Digital wallets: Incorporating digital wallets (e.g., Apple Pay, Google Pay) can speed up your store’s checkout process and increase convenience for mobile shoppers. Stripe allows you to integrate these options effortlessly into your store’s payment flow.

• Buy now, pay later (BNPL): Installment plans or BNPL services can increase conversions, particularly for higher-priced items. These options enable customers to spread out their payments and make it easier to commit to larger purchases.

• Direct bank transfers: Some customers prefer direct transfers for higher-value items. This option provides additional security for those who don’t want to share card details online.

Shipping options

Shipping can significantly influence conversions. Include options that balance cost, speed, and reliability.

• Standard shipping: This should be your baseline option. It should be affordable and provide delivery times that suit most customers. Clearly outline expected delivery times based on location.

• Expedited shipping: Faster shipping options—such as two-day or next-day delivery—can capture last-minute or urgent buyers. Ensure the pricing for these options is transparent to avoid cart abandonment.

• Free shipping: If you can incorporate free shipping—either for all orders or above a certain threshold—it’s a great incentive for increasing cart sizes. Many customers will add more items to their carts to hit the free shipping threshold.

• International shipping: If you plan to sell globally, include international shipping options. Remember that customers are sensitive to high international shipping costs, so consider subsidizing part of the costs to stay competitive.