It seems that quite recently the opportunity to buy something on the Internet brought people more questions than convenience. But the more users became customers of online-shops, the more clearly the benefits and benefits were outlined. Entrepreneurs also appreciated it.
After all, all you need to open an online store is a simple registration, activity planning and a relatively modest start-up capital. The accessibility of the entrance to the niche led to the fact that virtual points began to appear like mushrooms after rain. However, a convenient start does not guarantee further successful development. Aspiring entrepreneurs face the difficulty of choosing products for sales, finding competitive advantages, recruiting personnel and other important issues. Depending on how prepared the newcomer is at the beginning of this journey, the business can become a source of high income or only bring frustration.
If the last option isn't for you, then you've come to the right place. After all, all the basic information about the competent organization of opening your own online store awaits the reader.
Opening stagesonline store from scratch
No business can do without planning. The online store is no exception. Therefore, it is worth starting to move towards the implementation of the idea by drawing up a step-by-step algorithm.
- Choose which item you want to trade.
- Analyze the demand and competition of your chosen niche.
- Create a portrait of your customer. Based on it, highlight the USP (Unique Selling Proposition).
- Create a business plan with all the calculations on how to open an online store from scratch.
- Find a supplier and define your product range.
- Order the creation of an online store or buy ready-made.
- Complete the procedure for registering an individual entrepreneur or LLC.
- Conclude contracts with the right employees or enroll them in the state.
- Take high-quality photos of products and order the compilation of descriptions for them.
- Fill your website with products. Test the ease of navigation through the resource.
- Launch an advertising campaign that includes SEO optimization, contextual promotion and use of social networks.
- Grow your business. The first profits are inspiring, but it is better to spend them on scaling up activities, and not on your own whims.
All you need to open an online store is to conscientiously follow the instructions given. We will analyze the main points in more detail below.
How to choose a niche for online trading?
The first item that is included in the plan for opening an online store is the choice of a nicheproducts for sale. Use these criteria:
- Personal preference. The experience of many entrepreneurs has proven that the better you understand your products, the easier it is to grow your business.
- Product characteristics. It is worth evaluating the ease of delivery of parcels in advance. When you sell large or fragile items, you will have to pay extra attention and funds to create the right conditions.
- Competitors. It is very difficult for a beginner to enter a niche filled with competitors. To do this, you either need to have special advantages or a unique product.
- Demand. Some interesting ideas from the European experience, implemented in Russia, burned out due to low demand. The mentality of people makes them suspicious of something new. But there are a number of areas where sales are always high.
What documents are required for the store?
In fact, the only documents for opening an online store are the registration of an entrepreneur and a business plan. Since your activity will be profitable, you cannot do without registering an individual entrepreneur or LLC. Otherwise, you can get impressive fines for concealing income. In addition, most customers and suppliers will not want to do business with you.
Refusing registration is also not worth it because the savings from this decision will be scanty. The process itself is simple and fast. At least if you settled on the IP option, like the vast majority of online store owners.
UThis format has significant advantages. But you can not turn a blind eye to some cons:
| Benefits | Flaws |
| You distribute the profit from the business yourself. You can simply withdraw the necessary amount for your needs. | Does not allow obtaining a license to sell special products (drugs, alcohol, tobacco). |
| Simplified reporting for anyone. | Only one founder can lead. |
| Registration of IP is also a very simple process. | Some suppliers only work with LLCs. |
| The leader can make any decisions without meetings and minutes. | In case of failure, the entrepreneur will pay with personal assets. |
So the choice between an individual entrepreneur and an LLC should be made based on the specific situation and personal preferences.
But a business plan is recommended for every businessman. Even if an online store does not seem like a very serious object, planning on paper becomes an important help. You will be able to record analytical information, perform calculations, draw up a calendar plan for the implementation of the idea. Often, a business plan helped to identify errors and pitfalls that were invisible before.
How to choose the best product suppliers?
For those who are not the first to establishbusiness, an online store can be an addition to a fixed point. In this case, the question of finding a reliable supplier is not worth it. But where to look for partnerships for those who are taking their first steps in the world of entrepreneurship?
If we discard highly specialized products, there are several main delivery formats:
- Purchasing goods on Chinese and American sites "on order". This option is chosen by those who do not have start-up capital. When using this scheme, the buyer pays for the goods, the store owner buys it in China, only after that the supplier sends the package. One of the varieties is dropshipping.
- Buying wholesale quantities of products by an entrepreneur on American and Chinese platforms. This option requires a solid investment.
- Wholesale purchases from domestic manufacturers. Not all goods are more profitable to buy in Russia. In addition, most of the major suppliers only work with major market participants.
- Purchases from Russian intermediaries. The positive aspects of this option are lower risks compared to direct orders from China, small batches and fast delivery times. The downside is obvious - the dealer adds his percentage to the cost.
If you have decided on a specific supplier, you can evaluate the prospects for cooperation by the following indicators:
- Up-to-date data on commodity balances. The information must be constantly updated. Your reputation with customers may depend on this item.
- In addition to the previous paragraph, it is worthmark the reservation function. Good suppliers mark the goods intended for customers. This minimizes the chance that the desired product will suddenly be out of stock.
- Possibility of return. It is good if the supplier agrees to process the return of the goods that the online store did not sell. Otherwise, it will have to be sold at the purchase price and even lower in order to “recapture” at least something.
- Providing the necessary product information. Get ready for customers to ask a lot of questions. In order for an online store to “hold the bar”, managers must have all possible data about what is being sold. In addition, the lack of photos and text descriptions will have to be made up on their own. And that takes time and money.
How to choose staff for an online store?
Opening your own online store often happens on your own, and family members are also involved in the work. At first, such a team is really enough to keep track of the content, answer customer questions, control the purchases and dispatch of goods. However, a growing business will require more attention and participation. Therefore, you will have to think about increasing the staff.
The requirements for online store employees are not strict, you can even hire people with no experience. It is enough that they treat customers politely and patiently, be on "you" with a computer and diligently perform their duties.
The ideal staff for an online store might look like this:
| Position | Qty | Rate (RUB) |
| Sales manager | 2 | 15,000 |
| Courier | 1 | 30,000 |
| Copywriter (content) | 1 | Pay for the amount of work |
What kind of advertising will help promote the store?
A smart advertising campaign is what you need to open an online store if you want to achieve success quickly. Entrepreneurs who come from stationary trading sometimes do not understand what methods should be used in the virtual space. Consider the most effective:
- Site optimization. This work should be delegated to specialists. The cost of the service is rather high, but you will immediately notice the result of the work to improve the resource.
- Internet advertising (banner and contextual). Main ways of promotion. "Brings" your target audience and significantly increases store awareness.
- Catalogs. There are many directories of companies on the Internet, placement in which is often free. Do not ignore this opportunity to advertise online-shop.
- Business cards. Order a designer to create beautiful business cards. You can place them in stationary places of accumulation of potential customers. Or just invest in parcels with goods. Such a move will increase the chance of repeat sales.
- Newsletter. Create a form to collect customer email addresses. For example, you can offer membership to the Loyal Buyer Club, for which you need to go through a short registration. Use the data to send out special offers, personal discounts and sales. You can also congratulate clients on holidays. But don't be too pushy.
- Bonuses. Additional benefits can make a client choose you over competitors. It can be free shipping or a small gift with purchase.
How much does it cost to open an online store?
It's worth starting with the fact that the cost of opening an online store in any case will be less than if you organize a regular outlet. If we consider the costs of a stationary store, the lion's share will be the rent and maintenance of the territory. The Internet version is spared this item of expenditure. Even if you need to rent a warehouse, the price will still be more affordable.
Further figures depend only on your ambitions and expected business volumes. Some manage to open an online-shop for free! But for the rapid and active development of the business, some capital will have to be invested.
Let's consider the items of expenditure, for example, for opening a children's online store:
| Expense item | Amount (rub.) |
| Internet connection | 1,000 |
| Creation of a turnkey store | 50,000 |
| Registration of an individual entrepreneur or LLC | 1,000 |
| Domain registration | 600 |
| Advertising campaign (+logo) | 50,000 |
| Purchasing a cash register | 15,000 |
| Purchase prof. camera | 3,000 |
| Creating inventory | 500,000 |
| Total: | 620 600 |
As you can see, creating a large virtual store for children's goods will cost 620,000 rubles. If you were expecting less, don't worry. That's what the Internet is good for, which makes it possible to reduce costs based on one's capabilities and diligence.
How much should I invest in a business on a regular basis?
For those who are not afraid of the numbers, it is worth clarifying. In addition to what you need to open an online store, you will need to regularly invest some amounts to maintain and develop your business. For a period until the profit of the point covers the costs, it is necessary to have a monetary "airbag" for financing.
Recurring expenses may include:
| Expense item | Amount (rub.) |
| Payment for domain and hosting | 250 |
| Paying for internet usage | 400 |
| Warehouse for rent | 5,000 |
| Burglar alarm | 1,000 |
| Staff salaries | 75,000 |
| Mobile charges | 500 |
| Total: | 82 150 |
How much income does the online store bring to the owner?
Along with the cost of opening an online store, users are interested in the profitability of this undertaking. Some argue that a virtual point is a goldmine. Others advise not to take the idea seriously, but consider it as a side job.
Consider the approximate profitability of a children's goods store:
- business profitability – 20-50%;
- approximate markup on products - 30-40%;
- average check - 2,000 rubles;
- payback period - 1-2 years.
With such indicators, the owner can count on a turnover of 100,000 - 140,000 rubles. Gradually, this figure is growing and in a year it can be from 350,000 rubles.
The profit level is affected by:
- Golden mean in stock. The buyer should have a choice, but attention should not be scattered.
- The level of attendance. Everything is obvious here: the more visitors from the target audience you can attract, the higher the profit will be.
- Design. The better and more comfortable the design of the resource, the more time users will spend on it.
- Reviews. Word of mouth is the best methodadvertising. But not when you are wrong. One slip can ruin your image.
- Expenses. The better you optimize costs, the less money will be spent on unnecessary things. Maximalism is not always good, especially for a novice businessman.
The main mistakes that can "sink" your store
Mistakes when opening an online store directly affect its success. To identify the main problems that can harm the outlet, it is worth contacting the main experts - buyers.
- Customers are deterred by high prices. To exist, the store needs to make an extra charge of at least 20%. But if you step over the 40% mark, some buyers will go to competitors.
- About 5% of orders are returned due to size mismatch. It is worth taking a closer look at informing customers, as well as laying out tables of correspondence of dimensional grids.
- The lack of a mobile version of the site will scare away some potential buyers. The same can be said about the functionality, "collected on the knee."
- One of the problems of online stores customers call an ill-conceived search system. Involve experts in debugging the process and pay more attention to sorting.
- Those who were looking for how to open an online store from scratch often seek to save money on creating a stock. As a result, until the entrepreneur determines the most popular positions, some goods may quickly end. Believe me, there is little that depresses a client more than the message thatthe product in his order is out of stock. Keep track of running out of products and report it on the website!
Behind any success there is always hard work. Even with minimal initial investment, you can create a profitable business if you put your effort and time into it.
