The moment you've been tirelessly working towards has arrived. After pouring countless hours into crafting and perfecting your online store, the exhilarating moment of launch is on the horizon. It's an incredible feat, one that deserves celebration and recognition. However, amidst the excitement, it's crucial to remain vigilant. As much as we strive for perfection, oversights can occur.
Here are nine crucial elements that often slip the minds of website owners as they embark on the journey of launching their e-commerce platforms.
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9 Things You Might Forget for Your Online Store
1. Payments
Testing payment options is crucial yet often forgotten. Make a test purchase via your integrated payment providers as if you were a buyer. Make sure you receive an email confirming the payment to ascertain it has gone through. If there are any issues, talk to your credit card company or online payment provider to resolve them ahead of time. The worst thing you can do for your online store is stop a potential buyer from making a payment.
2. Stocking items
Your inventory should be ready for the launch regardless of whether you’re using your home as a warehouse or renting one. As you try to make a name for your business, delivering the right products on time is critical. You can imagine what failure to do this can result in.
3. Contact information
Your customers need a fast and reliable way to get in touch. An email address or a contact form is the most common way. Before the launch, test whether your contact forms are working and whether you are receiving emails and messages. Send yourself several test emails and messages to make sure people can reach you across these channels.
4. Basic SEO tags and images
Google and other search engines should index your pages. If they don’t contain optimized elements, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Your meta titles, meta descriptions, and especially the names of your images must contain the relevant keywords for your niche. SEO is critical for traffic to your online store. All your pages need unique Title and Description tags.
5. Website marketing
Paradoxically, many e-commerce platform creators take a lot of time building an online store but very little marketing it. Writing blogs and creating social media pages for your store is a good idea, even before you start selling products on it. People need to learn about your ecommerce store and what you’re selling ahead of time.
To this end, don’t forget the social and sharing buttons. By using social networks and people’s innate need to share and communicate, you will get more traffic to your website. Converting visitors will also be more likely.
Set up visible sharing buttons throughout your site. The best location is the header because this part of the site is easiest to see.
6. Warm relationships with suppliers
The supplier decides whether a product will be shipped on time, so you should have built a good relationship with them by the time your store opens. Even a one-day delay is enough to lose a customer. Prepare the paperwork needed to make sure things run smoothly.
7. A valid phone number
If you have a phone number on your contact page, make sure it is valid and directed to the person responsible for taking the calls. If you expect customers from overseas, add the international dialing code.
8. Consider delivery terms
After the product, most potential customers will look at the delivery terms. They might decide not to buy from you if they are undesirable or cumbersome. Find answers to the following questions:
- What will be the cost of delivery?
- How are you going to wrap the goods?
- How will you deliver the goods you’re selling?
- Can people return the items they purchased?
- If so, what are the terms of return?
The answers to these questions should be clearly visible on your site, ideally in your dedicated FAQ section.
9. Check that your links are working
It’s quite frustrating to click on a link that takes you to a nonexistent page or a page different from the one you wanted to see. This is a cumbersome process, but it needs to be done: go through your entire site and check all internal and external links. Check links in the footer and your social share buttons as well.
10. Mobile Optimization
With a significant portion of online traffic coming from mobile devices, ensuring your website is fully optimized for mobile users is essential. Test your website's responsiveness across various devices and screen sizes to guarantee a seamless browsing experience for all potential customers.
11. Legal Compliance
Don't overlook the importance of legal compliance for your online store. Ensure that your website includes necessary legal pages such as Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Refund Policy. Compliance with regulations such as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is crucial to protect both your customers' data and your business.
Conclusion
As you prepare to launch your online store, it's vital to remember that success lies in the details. While the excitement of unveiling your e-commerce platform may be overwhelming, overlooking essential elements can lead to costly setbacks. By meticulously reviewing and addressing each aspect outlined above, you'll not only ensure a smooth launch but also lay a solid foundation for the growth and success of your online business. Stay vigilant, stay prepared, and embrace the journey ahead with confidence.