Download - Using an Online Store Builder
Using an Online Store Builder
Online store builder software enables you to rapidly create a website to sell goods. As Julian Barkat,
the director of e-commerce and online marketing of the Philadelphia-based marketing agency, Eggs
to Apples, put it: "They can take the hassle and headache of hard coding, hosting and doing
maintenance on a server of your own out of the online store equation.”
The new kid on this particular block www.yourdreamstores.com which costs a whole dollar a month
with no set-up, transaction, hosting or bandwidth fees. The template designs are responsive, the
system is easy-to-use and the company is passionate about problem-solving and committed to
excellence. Product development is ongoing. The company claims to purvey the most efficient
online store builder on the market. You can upload your product catalogue, set up customer
shopping carts, accept payments securely and handle order fulfilment. No knowledge of HTML or
CSS is required.
You choose a storefront layout from a selection of templates and customise the fonts, colour scheme
and product image sizes. You can upload brand logos and backgrounds of your own.
You can promote your online store on social media, principally Facebook, Reddit, YouTube, Twitter
and Pinterest. Updating these several times a day drives traffic to your door, so you may wish to
provide daily deals. Search Engine Optimisation improves your Google ranking.
The better online store builders, of which yourdreamstores is one, offer customer relationship
management services. You could even establish a live chat facility, but only if you're able to
maintain it on a 24/7 basis.
As Barkat pointed out, "Online shoppers don't get to see, touch, feel or smell your product.” As a
result, product images must be crisp and clear. There's no need for a professional, but as Barkat
advised, you will have need of a 16-megapixel DSLR camera and a light box to illuminate your
products.
Product description need to be short yet sufficiently rich – containing details so interesting that they
pique customer interest. Use compelling adjectives and phrases that evoke an emotion. Beyond the
price, you should mention the product's uses, dimensions and other relevant features. Don't just use
the descriptions provided by the original manufacturer, or you'll be the same as hundreds of other
online stores.
An added incentive for customers is free shipping for orders over a certain amount. This becomes
an urgent requirement if direct competitors provide free shipping.
Allowing customers to comment on your products and give ratings can improve people's confidence
in your enterprise. Negative comments can be deleted, although you should take heed of them.
The provider of your online store builder should offer free self-service analytics to track your store's
performance. This will include the URLs that brought traffic to your store and the locations of
buyers.
Getting an online store off the ground grows ever tougher, but these tips will help you on the path to
sales success.