10 Things to Do Before Starting E-Commerce

E-commerce has become an indispensable part of the world we live in. Especially after Covid-19, with its
significantly expanded target audience and increased global traffic, e-commerce — while being its own separate sector — has also become a platform where all sectors need to have a presence. 

We wanted to create a guiding article for those who want to start somewhere in e-commerce and succeed in this field. We have compiled the essential preparations for those starting in e-commerce under 10 headings.

Make Sure You’re Making the Right Decision

Your idea may seem perfect to you and those close to you at first. However, things don’t quite work that way
in e-commerce. Have you done a thorough and comprehensive analysis? Do people have a need for what you’ll offer? Is my capital sufficient for this? What are the risks? Ask yourself these questions again, and if your answers satisfy you not just emotionally but also
financially, continue to stand behind your idea. If you need to change some things and start over, realizing this before you’ve started anything at all is quite advantageous for you.

Don’t Hesitate to Spend Money on Your Site

You may be right that at the very start of the process a highly professional site isn’t required, but the site component should definitely
not be where you cut costs. On the contrary, you should use software that you can modify later and that won’t cause you problems down the road. For this reason, if you trust your developer, don’t have doubts about investing in the site.

Know Your Target Audience

Make sure you know who you are producing the product or service for, and who you want to buy it. This
will be a very important detail in all advertising and communication efforts when introducing yourself. Don’t start anything without knowing this.

Don’t Neglect SEO

We live in an era where people even ask search engines what time it is. If you’re going to make money online, you must rank high in search engines, because this is what will make you the preferred choice.
For this reason, don’t forget to include the right keywords on your website and blog. If necessary, consult an expert for this.

Be Careful When Determining the Payment
System

The payment system used on your site must be secure and functional both for you to receive payments and for your customers to make payments. If you want to sell by credit card,
don’t forget to apply to banks for a virtual POS; if you want to sell via alternative payment systems (PayU, BKM Express, etc.), bank transfers, and EFT, don’t forget to set up the necessary accounts.

Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Social Media

In recent years, where social media usage has reached incredibly high rates regardless of age, social media is an
invaluable opportunity for e-commerce sites. As much as it’s an opportunity, it also poses a great danger if you make wrong moves. Therefore, don’t underestimate social media, show your followers what makes you different from your competitors, and make sure to
measure the returns there with professional help.

Create a Mobile-Compatible Site

As much as we want to
avoid clichés like “this is the year of mobile,” the truth is that at the end of 2019, the number of transactions made via mobile surpassed those made via desktop. This means that your site’s mobile appearance and ease of use are just as important as the desktop
version. Build your software with this in mind.

Conduct a Thorough Competitor Analysis

You want to enter
e-commerce in a given field, but someone has certainly started selling something similar before you. Conduct a thorough analysis of all your competitors, big and small, and focus on your strengths over theirs. Focus on why people should choose you over them, and make
sure to highlight these qualities in the right places.

Keep Your Customers Happy

Anyone who does business,
from street vendors to large-scale commerce, knows that customers must be kept happy. The goodwill gestures made offline — with intentions like “let them get used to coming here” and “let them be satisfied with their experience” — need to be reflected online as well.
The simplest examples include free shipping, gift vouchers above a certain amount, or access to discounts and deals through special clubs. You can of course be even more creative — it’s entirely up to you…

Don’t Skip Security

We mentioned that your software’s infrastructure needs to be solid and that it’s right not to hesitate to spend money on this. At this stage,
cybersecurity must also not be forgotten and preventive measures should be taken from the start. This is of course again a topic you need to discuss with your developer first. Net İnternet’s solutions will help you. 

Above, we explained the things
that must definitely be done before starting e-commerce. We hope this article inspires you and that you can pursue the business you’ve always dreamed of. We wish our readers success on their e-commerce journey from the start.

Abdullah Altunbaş

Content Writer

Netinternet Bilişim Teknolojileri A.Ş.'de teknik konularda liderlik yapıyorum. 15 yıldır bu alanda çalışıyorum ve özellikle sistem yönetimi, ağ teknolojileri ve yazılım geliştirme konularına odaklanıyorum.