How hard can it be to set up an online store, really? Isn’t there article after article on the Internet telling us how easy is is? Aren’t there several platforms dedicated to providing you with the infrastructure you need?
Starting an online store is often made out to be much easier than it actually is. It is, in fact, something that requires a lot of hard work. But we have a culture of desire for instant gratification. This is being exploited by companies who want you to pay them to get an online store set up.
Be aware that this article is not designed to put you off the idea of starting an online store. On the contrary, it’s a great idea! But to get the most out of it, you need to go in with no misconceptions. Here are the things that newcomers learn quickly. If you play your cards right, you can overcome the following and find great success in the world of e-commerce.
It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme
This is one of the biggest misconceptions about starting an online shop. The thinking is, because everything is online, that there are next to no overhead costs. As long as you get a Twitter account and go viral for maximum exposure, you’re guaranteed quick and big profit! Right?
If you want to set up a reliable store with plenty of stock, then you’re looking at quite a high cost. It may be less than with brick-and-mortar businesses, yes. But many still consider taking out a loan when they want to start an online store.
The ready-made options won’t take you very far
There are a number of platforms out there with ready-made shopping infrastructures. All you have to do is sign up for an account, modify your page, and away you go. They’ll take a percentage of your revenue as well as charge a recurring fee. But these options are severely limited when it comes to bandwidth and pricing.
For some people, this works just fine. For very small-scale desires, it can work wonderfully. But if your ambition is to take the world of e-commerce by storm, then you’re not going to get what you need from prefabricated platforms.
There’s a lot to set up
You need to register your business with the government. Report your new income to the national revenue service. Buy a domain. Design and develop a web page. User-test that page. Set up a merchant account. It’s a lot to do!
This is why it’s important to go with set up your infrastructure with trustworthy companies. You have a lot of choice when it comes to setting up your features, so it’s important to do your research. Help is available for whatever you need, from getting the domain set up to accepting credit cards online.
Don’t be discouraged
The point of this article is to highlight that starting an online store is much like starting any other business. It will cost you time and money and require a lot of perseverance. But, just like any other business, it can bring you tremendous success if you do it right. We wish you the best of luck!
