Practical guide to setting up your e-commerce
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2025 4:31 am
Are you thinking about how to set up an e-commerce business, but still don't know where to start? This is one of the biggest challenges faced by many entrepreneurs who want to be part of the digital world.
In fact, the process may seem complex at first — there are several steps and details that need to be taken into account in order to successfully expand your business to the online world. However, with planning and organization, the mission becomes much easier.
Thinking about helping you on this journey, we have created a very complete guide that even includes a step-by-step guide to help you set up your e-commerce. Keep reading and find out more!
Why set up an e-commerce?
E-commerce — or electronic commerce, as it is also known — is currently one of the biggest sales forces in the market and continues to grow . In the first quarter of 2021, for example, online stores saw an increase in sales equivalent to 57.4% compared to the same period in 2020, according to the NeoTrust report.
Given such expressiveness, it is natural that entrepreneurs greece mobile phone number who do not yet have a presence in the online environment want to secure their share. For consumers, buying from e-commerce has already become a habit, since it is possible to take advantage of the convenience and acquire services and/or products at any time and in any place.
For retailers, on the other hand, this is an excellent opportunity to close new deals, after all, the sector makes it possible to sell more and build loyalty among its target audience, who live anywhere, since it is a "borderless" business. However, before understanding how to set up an e-commerce — step by step — it is essential to master its concept and understand how it works.
The concept of e-commerce
E-commerce is a business model that has gained popularity mainly because it offers fully digital operations. In practice, the owner of the online store can use a personalized electronic address to market their solutions and better serve their audience.
In addition, e-commerces have several features, such as digital payment services and integration with social networks and marketplaces. In short, in this format, buyers browse the sales platform looking for the product and/or service they need, add the item to the cart and complete the transaction with payment — in other words, for the public, an e-commerce is limited to this purchasing process.
For entrepreneurs, however, this model involves much more. After all, anyone who wants to sell online (or exclusively) must structure a business. This, in turn, encompasses everything from marketing planning , finances, sales , logistics and inventory, to receiving orders and managing them on the chosen platform. Therefore, there is much more work "behind the scenes" than consumers see.
How does e-commerce work?
To understand how e-commerce really works, it is interesting to analyze this model considering two different perspectives: that of the buyer and that of the seller. Buyers generally associate e-commerce with a large shopping mall, where it is possible to visit several stores, look at each of the windows, research the desired solutions and compare prices — all without having to travel.
So, when you choose an item, you need to put it in the cart (or shopping bag) of the online store, as mentioned, and complete the process at checkout . At this point, you enter your personal data, address and payment information to complete the payment and, later, according to the defined deadline, receive the product in hand.
Sellers, however, must open an online store, insert the products sold — dividing them into categories, preferably, to facilitate user navigation —, create menus, work with creative images and detailed descriptions of the solution offered and organize the page layout in order to deliver a positive shopping experience for the consumer.
The main advantages
Although setting up an e-commerce business involves several challenges and requires good management, just like any other business model, there are also advantages associated with the format that make the work worthwhile. Below, we list the main ones!
Increase in the number of sales
In e-commerce, it becomes possible to sell your products and/or services both to people who live, for example, 10 km away and to those who live on the other side of the world — if your business makes international shipments, of course. This is why it is often said that e-commerce has no borders.
Therefore, you have the chance to take your solutions to a much larger number of people, increasing your sales.
Reduction in operating costs
Especially when compared to physical establishments, e-commerce allows for a reduction in operating costs, which are essential for maintaining a business' operations. After all, with an online store, you don't need to spend money to pay for the rental of a space or bear all the other expenses that a physical point of sale involves, such as energy, water, etc. In other words, it is possible to manage a leaner operation, with minimal costs.
Promoting a more positive experience for the target audience
It is no secret that we live in an era of digital transformation. In this scenario, consumers already expect to have the convenience of shopping online, if they so choose, however and wherever they are, as long as they have access to a device with an Internet connection.
Therefore, not offering this alternative can lead to frustration and drive potential buyers away from your brand. On the other hand, if these customers can visit your online store, choose the items they want easily and complete the purchase quickly, the experience will be much more positive and, consequently, winning them over and keeping them loyal will become an easier mission to accomplish.
How to set up an e-commerce?
Understanding how to set up an e-commerce business from scratch means understanding the entire planning and strategy definition process to effectively open your online store. Throughout this process, it is necessary to take into account some essential steps, such as establishing clear — and achievable — objectives, selecting a good platform, choosing a good digital payment solution, promoting your business through marketing actions, etc.
In this section, we detail each of these steps (and a few more) to help you in this endeavor. Let's take a look?
Choose a market niche
Giant e-commerces and marketplaces sell different types of products and, with their more robust structure, are able to serve different audience profiles. However, unless you want to be one of them, it is advisable to prioritize a specific market niche and select one or a few categories that represent good sales opportunities.
In fact, the process may seem complex at first — there are several steps and details that need to be taken into account in order to successfully expand your business to the online world. However, with planning and organization, the mission becomes much easier.
Thinking about helping you on this journey, we have created a very complete guide that even includes a step-by-step guide to help you set up your e-commerce. Keep reading and find out more!
Why set up an e-commerce?
E-commerce — or electronic commerce, as it is also known — is currently one of the biggest sales forces in the market and continues to grow . In the first quarter of 2021, for example, online stores saw an increase in sales equivalent to 57.4% compared to the same period in 2020, according to the NeoTrust report.
Given such expressiveness, it is natural that entrepreneurs greece mobile phone number who do not yet have a presence in the online environment want to secure their share. For consumers, buying from e-commerce has already become a habit, since it is possible to take advantage of the convenience and acquire services and/or products at any time and in any place.
For retailers, on the other hand, this is an excellent opportunity to close new deals, after all, the sector makes it possible to sell more and build loyalty among its target audience, who live anywhere, since it is a "borderless" business. However, before understanding how to set up an e-commerce — step by step — it is essential to master its concept and understand how it works.
The concept of e-commerce
E-commerce is a business model that has gained popularity mainly because it offers fully digital operations. In practice, the owner of the online store can use a personalized electronic address to market their solutions and better serve their audience.
In addition, e-commerces have several features, such as digital payment services and integration with social networks and marketplaces. In short, in this format, buyers browse the sales platform looking for the product and/or service they need, add the item to the cart and complete the transaction with payment — in other words, for the public, an e-commerce is limited to this purchasing process.
For entrepreneurs, however, this model involves much more. After all, anyone who wants to sell online (or exclusively) must structure a business. This, in turn, encompasses everything from marketing planning , finances, sales , logistics and inventory, to receiving orders and managing them on the chosen platform. Therefore, there is much more work "behind the scenes" than consumers see.
How does e-commerce work?
To understand how e-commerce really works, it is interesting to analyze this model considering two different perspectives: that of the buyer and that of the seller. Buyers generally associate e-commerce with a large shopping mall, where it is possible to visit several stores, look at each of the windows, research the desired solutions and compare prices — all without having to travel.
So, when you choose an item, you need to put it in the cart (or shopping bag) of the online store, as mentioned, and complete the process at checkout . At this point, you enter your personal data, address and payment information to complete the payment and, later, according to the defined deadline, receive the product in hand.
Sellers, however, must open an online store, insert the products sold — dividing them into categories, preferably, to facilitate user navigation —, create menus, work with creative images and detailed descriptions of the solution offered and organize the page layout in order to deliver a positive shopping experience for the consumer.
The main advantages
Although setting up an e-commerce business involves several challenges and requires good management, just like any other business model, there are also advantages associated with the format that make the work worthwhile. Below, we list the main ones!
Increase in the number of sales
In e-commerce, it becomes possible to sell your products and/or services both to people who live, for example, 10 km away and to those who live on the other side of the world — if your business makes international shipments, of course. This is why it is often said that e-commerce has no borders.
Therefore, you have the chance to take your solutions to a much larger number of people, increasing your sales.
Reduction in operating costs
Especially when compared to physical establishments, e-commerce allows for a reduction in operating costs, which are essential for maintaining a business' operations. After all, with an online store, you don't need to spend money to pay for the rental of a space or bear all the other expenses that a physical point of sale involves, such as energy, water, etc. In other words, it is possible to manage a leaner operation, with minimal costs.
Promoting a more positive experience for the target audience
It is no secret that we live in an era of digital transformation. In this scenario, consumers already expect to have the convenience of shopping online, if they so choose, however and wherever they are, as long as they have access to a device with an Internet connection.
Therefore, not offering this alternative can lead to frustration and drive potential buyers away from your brand. On the other hand, if these customers can visit your online store, choose the items they want easily and complete the purchase quickly, the experience will be much more positive and, consequently, winning them over and keeping them loyal will become an easier mission to accomplish.
How to set up an e-commerce?
Understanding how to set up an e-commerce business from scratch means understanding the entire planning and strategy definition process to effectively open your online store. Throughout this process, it is necessary to take into account some essential steps, such as establishing clear — and achievable — objectives, selecting a good platform, choosing a good digital payment solution, promoting your business through marketing actions, etc.
In this section, we detail each of these steps (and a few more) to help you in this endeavor. Let's take a look?
Choose a market niche
Giant e-commerces and marketplaces sell different types of products and, with their more robust structure, are able to serve different audience profiles. However, unless you want to be one of them, it is advisable to prioritize a specific market niche and select one or a few categories that represent good sales opportunities.