Derek

March 9, 2018

Starting an ecommerce store is no easy feat, and it certainly takes dedication and thorough preparation. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be done efficiently.

5 Cost-Effective Tips For Starting an Ecommerce Store

With the right tools and tips, you can set up your ecommerce store in less than hour. And unlike businesses with brick and mortar locations, you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to do it. Here are our tips for setting up a cost-effective ecommerce store without breaking the bank.

Choose The Right Platform

The platform you choose for your ecommerce store can stifle or ignite your growth. If money is a major concern factor, it’s important to choose a budget-conscious platform. And there are plenty to choose from:

• Shopify,
• WooCommerce,
• Volusion,
• BigCommerce,
• Squarespace, and
• Magento

Each come with their own set of perks, but when it comes to lean budgets, you have to consider the cost factors, coupled with usability, for each.

Some online stores have transaction fees and sales limits. For example, the starting price for a BigCommerce plan is $29, but if the store owner earns more than $50,000, they’re forced to upgrade to the next highest plan.

On the other hand, a business account on Squarespace costs $26, but there are other costs associated that most people aren’t aware of. For example, Squarespace has a very limited roster of website templates, and if you don’t see anything that piques your interest, purchasing a Squarespace theme is pricey.

For budget-conscious individuals interested in starting an ecommerce store, Shopify and Woocommerce tend to be the best options.

Consider Drop-shipping

Drop-shipping isn’t always highly lucrative, but can help you get your foot in the door. Even if you don’t make a six-figure income, it will help you learn how to start, launch, and grow a business on a lean budget. Drop-shipping is the process of ordering existing product from various manufacturers, and selling them on-demand directly from that manufacturer as they’re ordered. Tools like Oberlo, which has a Shopify integration, make this easier than ever.

For example, let’s say you’ve decided to sell cosmetic products and source them from a site like Wish. You could easily select all the cosmetics you like, and important the entire bundle (including product descriptions and photos) within seconds.

Outsource Design & Copywriting

Unless you’re a graphic designer or have great writing skills, consider outsourcing these areas when starting an ecommerce store.

Platforms like:

• Fiverr,
• Upwork, and
• Freelancer…

…have a plethora of talent and are ideal for connecting with verified and reviewed freelancers.

This is not only a cost-effective way to pay for things like your logo without spending hundreds or thousands, but to support independent contractors who rely on new businesses to spread the word and help them grow. Be sure to evaluate each profile carefully, and shortlist candidates to better organize the decision-making process.

Start A Blog

Every ecommerce business needs a blog, regardless of your industry. A blog is one of the best traffic drivers, and doesn’t cost much. Whether you outsource your blog posts or take your blog writing into your own hands, it can help put your brand in a great position on Google’s search engine rankings.

It can also help increase brand engagement, allowing visitors to connect with the business in ways they wouldn’t have been able to otherwise. When you create copy that’s valuable to them, you’re also ingraining your brand as a reliable resource in your industry and/or niche. Before you launch, have at least 10 blog posts backed up and ready to go. If you’re really ambitious, shoot for 30. Use an editorial calendar to manage your content. If you’re using WordPress, try CoSchedule’s Editorial Calendar plugin.

Utilize Extensions, Apps, & Plugins

Another great way to launch on a budget is to take advantage of apps, plugins, and extensions that are free or cheap, and make your ecommerce store easier to build and manage. Here are some of the best plugins to use for WordPress:

• Yoast: Manage site-wide SEO seamlessly
• XL WooCommerce Sales Triggers: Display product countdowns to create urgency, display cost savings, share the most recent purchase time, and more
• WooCommerce Product Filter: Allow customers to quickly and easily sort through your product catalog using custom filtering options
• MonsterInsights: All the analytics you need at your fingertips
• Social Warfare: Provide your site with instant social proof
• Coming Soon Page & Maintenance Mode: Quickly create beautifully-designed “Coming Soon” pages to showcase what’s to come while you’re under construction

Additionally, here are some solid Shopify apps to consider:

• Oberlo: Import products directly from sites like Wish
• Order Printer: Quickly and easily print invoices, labels, product receipts, and packing slips
• Plug in SEO: This plugin evaluates your products and pages to ensure your SEO is up to speed
• AfterShip: Automatic tracking and delivery updates
• Yotpo: Generate an in-mail review that makes it easy to add reviews to your website

And there you have it! Your cost-effective tips for starting an eCommerce store!

Are you ready to start your online store today??

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