If you’re looking to start your own online business, knowing how to build an ecommerce website from scratch is essential.
Statista estimates that U.S. online sales will grow from an estimated $768 billion in 2017 to more than $1.3 trillion in 2020. Building an online storefront gives you a shot at the booming retail industry.
You have a working product and company plan. Your online shop is almost ready to go live. You should know exactly what your company need from an e-commerce website before you begin constructing it.
There is only one last question to resolve: how to build an ecommerce website from scratch?
This alone may seem like a huge task. For all, learning how to launch an online shop from beginning involves juggling a large number of minute details, pieces of research, and design decisions.
A distinctive and expert website might be difficult to create, but this guide covers all the basics.
Step 1: Choose the right CMS platform
The foundation of every website is a content management system (CMS). It can be either readymade or self-created.
Self-hosting a website grants complete control but is time-consuming and costly. When you host your own site, you’re also responsible for its creation, upkeep, and protection. You should engage a specialist if you lack technological expertise.
Open-source platforms like WordPress and all-in-one website builders like Shopify and Squarespace are just two examples of the many CMS options available today. Which one is best for your online shop depends on your skills, finances, and the specifics of your business.
The most widely used content management systems (CMS) for online stores are as follows:
- WordPress: The world’s leading CMS is also one of the most customizable.
- Shopify: An ideal e-commerce solution for building a dropshipping business.
- Squarespace: One of the best website builders for beginners who want to build a professional website without previous web design experience easily.
- Square Online: Best for existing retailers looking to sell in-person and online.
- Wix: An all-in-one website builder that is both easy to use and highly customizable.
Choose which one works best for your website design plans.
Step 2: Create a web hosting account
After determining which content management system (CMS) you want to use, the next step is to establish an account for it, unless you opt to go with WordPress.
The next thing you need to do is sign up for a web hosting package if you want to use WordPress to construct your e-commerce website.
The best web hosting services include a free domain name, a free SSL certificate, and one-click WordPress installation, eliminating the need to link your domain manually and hosting to WordPress. In addition, the finest web hosting services also come with a free domain name.
Whether you are choosing a website builder like as Shopify, Squarespace, Square Online, or Wix, all you need to do to create an account is visit the website of the supplier and fill out the registration form.
Registering your domain name directly through the CMS you’ve chosen can help you avoid going through the tedious process of manually configuring your domain name.
In the event that the CMS of your choice does not provide you with the opportunity to acquire a domain name, you should make use of a domain name registrar to register your domain.
Step 3: Select a theme and start customizing to build an ecommerce website from scratch
The consumer experience begins and ends with the products sold in your online shop. It is crucial to choose the appropriate theme to bolster your business’s image and direct customers toward the appropriate actions once they have arrived on your website.
Whether you’re selling clothing, home furnishings, food, or something else entirely, it goes without saying that you’ll want to choose a motif that corresponds in some way to the type of goods that you’re peddling.
You will be modifying your header and footer here, as well as arranging your site’s navigation, and building out pages, starting with your homepage and going all the way down to the page that explains your refund and return policy. Sort through the available themes on the eCommerce platform that you are using.
Think about important aspects like:
- Images: To get the best results, upload your own product photography, including shots that aren’t directly related to the product but nevertheless work well as headers, backgrounds, or lifestyle photos.
- Text Font Style: Choose a typeface and colour scheme that matches your online store’s identity. Verify that your writing is easy to read and the buttons are obvious.
- Homepage Design: On your homepage, emphasise the key offers, messages, and/or products you must offer. You could even add product reviews that demonstrate the sincerity of your brand or link postings from your Facebook or Instagram feeds.
- Navigation: Customers should be able to find what they’re looking for in no more than three clicks. In order to help your clients find what they’re looking for as quickly as possible, you should implement a site search, sorting tools, and filters into your pages.
Step 4: Create product listings
Product listings are essential to any successful e-commerce website. Product pages should not be hurried. If you get them right, you’ll promote sales, cross-sells, and upsells that could result in more expensive transactions.
After you finish developing your website, you may move on to making your product catalogue with detailed listings for each item. Be sure to sort and save your entries in logical groups for future site users and your own convenience.
Remember to include high-quality photos, descriptions, prices, and other critical information in your product listings to assist shoppers in decisions.
Adding new and popular products to your product catalogue regularly keeps your website fresh and attracts return visitors.
Step 5: Step up payment and shipping tools to build an ecommerce website from scratch
In today’s market, consumers count on a variety of payment methods. Some people only use plastic for purchases. While some people favour paper money, others favour digital wallets.
Some prefer mobile payment apps. To please your customers, offer as many payment ways as possible.
Your online store should include setup instructions for your chosen payment processor. Most will want you to specify your company’s nation of origin before showing you localised payment and currency alternatives.
It is preferable to have shipping capabilities built right into your e-commerce platform if possible. It will streamline operations so that you may devote more time to sales.
But before you start integrating shipping, you need to decide on shipping rules like whether to charge a set rate, a variable fee, or offer free shipment. While you’re about it, set up a return/refund policy.
Your e-commerce platform should help you easily set up rules and integrate your most important apps to give excellent customer assistance and track shipping expenses.
Step 6: Connect domain after you build an ecommerce website from scratch
Linking an existing domain or registering a new one will get your online shop up and running. People who want to visit your website will enter your domain name into their browser.
Since it helps SEO and brand awareness, your domain name should be trustworthy and easy to find.
Companies like GoDaddy, Bluehost, and Wix sell domain names. Simply enter your domain name into your online store’s settings page if you already have one and wish to use it. You’ll need to confirm ownership of your domain through the service that registered it.
In rare circumstances, the verification procedure usually takes only a few minutes but may take as long as 48 hours. Once your domain is approved, it will be linked to your storefront.
Step 7: Test and run after you build the ecommerce website from scratch
It is essential that you devote sufficient time and effort to performing exhaustive testing of your website before launching it to the public.
It is imperative that each and every link and button on the site be operational. Even web pages that indicate a 404 error should be built in accordance with the theme.
Do tests to determine whether you can add items to the trolley and complete the payment. The majority of platforms will provide you the opportunity to practise processing payments without actually using your credit card.
After a transaction has been made or denied, it is important to double-ensure that all associated emails are delivered to the appropriate inboxes.
Start with a product search and finish with a purchase to simulate the full user experience. After everything on your online storefront looks and functions exactly as you want, it’s time to push the “publish” button and go live.
And finally, but certainly not least, you should test how your website appears and operates on mobile devices. If you have the opportunity, you should evaluate how well the website works in various web browsers.
Closing Thoughts
You are prepared to roll out your new website when you have validated and verified everything, including product descriptions and category pages.
Post about your e-commerce site’s launch on social media, write guest posts for popular retail blogs in your niche, use influencer marketing, and email your mailing lists.
You can also purchase advertising space on Facebook, Google, and various other platforms if you have the financial means. If you’re wondering about an estimate of the cost of ecommerce website development, we can help you keep it in your budget!
Notion Technologies can help you from the very beginning step-by-step, to build an e-commerce website from scratch. So, visit our website and contact us to start making your website today!
