Getting Started Building an Online Store
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David
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February 28th, 2013
Website resources are so prevalent today that anyone can get confused trying to figure out what works best, particularly when building an online store. It's important to make sure that your store is built in such a way that people can view it, order your products, and make their payments without any major problems. You will also need to be prepared for customer feedback so that you can improve your overall services.
When you think about everything that needs to be done, it can be intimidating to consider it all. Don't let the big picture frighten you. You build an online store the same way that you build a regular store: one piece at a time. Let's talk about the basic steps in setting up your online store.
Components for Your Basic Store
The first thing that you need to do when building on online is to establish a domain name. Godaddy.com is one of best choices in this arena. They have risen to the top of the game in domain registry with excellent customer service and cheaper than industry standard add-ons, such as improving an SEO or search engine optimizer ranking.
Next, you will need a hosting account. Hosting is the business of keeping your website and online store up, running, and available 24/7. Hostgator.com is considered one of the best, particularly when you're just starting out. They also surpass industry standards, which is essential when you want to keep your website and store up and running around the world.
Hiring a Web Developer
Unless you are skilled with WordPress or Dreamweaver, you may want to hire on a web developer to put your store together. There are many free online website builders that provide a one stop shop or an all in one builder site. The risk with these is that you may not be able to create a site that actually reflects the personality and quality of your product. So, unless you are going to be sticking with a very basic template, you are more likely to get professional results if you hire a web developer to handle the work for you. The web developer will also help you to set up the payment systems and ensure that everything is in working order.
The benefit of having a web developer is that you will have a professional on your side who can help remove some of the burden. Otherwise, you're going to have to be learning all of the techniques for making sure that your site and store are accessible and navigable.
Adding Customer Service Feedback
After you have your store set up, you will need to find ways to allow your customers to provide feedback. This may seem like something you might want to put off. However, when you're just getting started, you'll find it's easier to respond to criticism and change course. You don't want to wait a full year before realizing that you have been annoying your customers since day one. Forums, surveys, and email are some of the best ways to keep in touch with customers and find out what you're doing well and where you could be improving.