E-commerce offers buyers and sellers an opportunity to interact without physical presence. This fact means that as a seller, it is vital to have a responsive e-commerce website that allows for easy exchange of goods and services. A successful e-commerce website can be built in ten easy steps, which include deciding on what to sell, setting prices, determining shipping options and prices, outsourcing a competent site builder, and settling on the brand, business, and domain names. It is also vital to build the actual website, select a payment method, secure the system, test and publish the site, and promote the e-store.

• Deciding on what to sell. The first step in starting any business is choosing the product. The same process applies to building an e-commerce website. The product, in this case, should be a good or service that can be exchanged without the buyer and seller interacting physically. This fact means that the location of the buyer should not influence service delivery.
• Setting prices. It is important to consider the amount of money to charge customers for products sold online. The cost should cater for various factors, such as suppliers’ fees, shipping charges, and profit margin. Therefore, it is important to indicate whether the prices charged on items are all inclusive or there are additional payments, such as value-added tax and shipping costs.
• Determining shipping options and prices. In the case of selling tangible goods, they have to be transported from the buyer to seller. This fact means that it is vital to form an alliance with shipping companies to enable efficient delivery. The shipping options depend on the location of the target and potential customers. The price of shipping products is also determined by the selected medium. For instance, air transport is normally more costly, as compared to road and water.
• Outsourcing a competent site builder. A good website builder should be able to listen to the client’s needs. Therefore, in order to build a responsive e-commerce website, it is vital to look for a competent person or company that is able to capture all the requirements of the client. The website builder should communicate with the customer regularly in order to capture all the specifications.
• Settling on the brand, business, and domain names. The owner of an e-commerce website should be able to come up with their preferred brand, business, and domain names. They should also pay for any registration fees and get required certifications from concerned authorities. This step in vital in fulfilling the legal aspects in building an e-commerce website.
• Building the website. The main task after meeting all the legal aspects is building the actual site. It is the role of the website builder to come up with the required tools and templates that meet the client’s specifications. The customer can also be useful in this stage by availing their inputs.
• Selecting a payment method. There are many available options for receiving money online. The most popular ones include wire transfer, PayPal, and pay-on-delivery. The selected method depends one the needs and convenience of both the buyer and seller.
• Securing the system. A good e-commerce website should be secure. This fact means that security measures should be taken to minimize fraud and unauthorized access. Cyber security regulations should also be followed.
• Testing and publishing the site. It is vital to test the functionalities of a website before publishing. Testing involves ensuring that all the parameters are functioning as per the client’s requirements. Any malfunctions should be corrected at this phase.
• Promoting the e-store. Marketing is an important concept in any business. Therefore, after publishing an e-commerce website, it is vital to use promotional tools to make it known to the target audience. The promotional methods used depend on the needs and liking of the website owner.

E-commerce reduces the distance between buyers and sellers. In order to build a responsive e-commerce website, it is important to decide on what to sell, set prices, determine shipping options and prices, outsource a competent builder, and settle on the brand, business, and domain names. The next steps include building the website, selecting a payment method, securing the system, testing and publishing the site, and promoting the e-store.

Joshua Omolo

Founder and Managing Director at JO&AL-Knowledge Experts, which is a knowledge-based company whose clarion call is to “help people and businesses get out of the cubicle and create wealth.” The company has combined different methods of making money to create effective resources for beginners and experts. The focus is to conform to the global changes brought about by information technology. JO&AL’s commodity of trade is “Knowledge”. We are a reflection of a transformation that is taking place in our national and global society. Currently, learning is continuously being redefined for formal and lifelong learners in both public and private sectors. Consequently, we deal with affiliates, advertisers, agencies, and entrepreneurs. Our private fora coach individuals interested in leveraging their careers for business.