Every year, ecommerce sales soar. With brick and mortar stores experiencing more and more closures, now is a better time than ever making your move to the ecommerce world. However, when you’re just starting out, knowing what steps to take can be confusing. There’s plenty of information out there and with so many resources to turn to, navigating the basics can make your efforts even more difficult. There are several myths associated with ecommerce, and understanding how to maneuver them can help you avoid catastrophic decisions. Here’s what you need to know:
You Don’t Need Startup Capital
Like any business, there is some logic to the saying, “you need to have money to make money.” Even though online businesses don’t have to cost an arm and a leg, it still goes without saying that you have to have some sort of startup capital to get you going. There is a cost associated with hosting, logo creation, and other marketing efforts purchasing your ecommerce platform of choice, payment processing fees, and more. You need to take all of these overhead costs into account.
Every Search Engine is the Same
Nowadays, it’s easier than ever to create a website and simply add a search feature with the click of a button. But not all search engines are created equally when it comes to ecommerce. For example, with BigCommerce site search users are able to benefit from an intuitive, smart search solution that gets them comprehensive results they may not have otherwise. For instance, when a user searches for something like “lavender candle,” you want your results to show every lavender candle or similar alternatives—you might even benefit from having pictures appear alongside your results.
If You Build It, They Will Come
One of the biggest myths about ecommerce is that once you build the website, your visitors will come. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. After you’ve built the website, you need to market it, and this takes time and money. You’ll need social media PPC ads and you’ll likely benefit from hiring some influencer marketers. No one knows your website exists until you tell them. Send out an email marketing campaign to your current roster and reach out to your family and friends.
You Need the Lowest Prices to Compete
As a new ecommerce business, you may be inclined to set low prices—especially when you’re just starting out. But pricing your products low isn’t always the best strategy to employ. In fact, in some cases, it might even hurt you. Pricing yourself below the competition means you could lose out on business building profit—even when you’re making revenue. It’s important for you to realize that there’s so much more behind the buyer psychology than lower prices. Delivery options, premium products, availability, branding, and return policies all play an important role in the buyer’s decision making process.
It’s Okay to Use Manufacturer Pictures
To help keep costs down, you might have made your foray into the dropshipping world of ecommerce. Dropshipping is the process of putting products on your website that aren’t your own and having the manufacturer ship that product directly to the consumer when a purchase is made. This way, the ecommerce owner never has to deal with the product themself.
However, this doesn’t mean that you should always use the product photos that are provided to you. Manufacturer photos are designed to be straight forward rather than branded and professional. Even as a dropshipper, it’s important for you to order some of your own products and take your own updated product photos.
If you’re not dropshipping, it’s still important for you to rethink the photos that you’re taking and using to reel in your customers. Professional photography should be an important part of your strategy. You can place a local listing to work with budget-friendly photographers in your area.