If you would like to join the thousands of Australians who quit their day job to become a digital nomad, setting up an e-commerce website could be the answer. If you’re not the best with tech solutions, this might sound like a real challenge, but actually, it isn’t difficult at all if you outsource. For anyone who would like to sell products online, your first challenge is to find the right line of products, and this will take a lot of market research to be sure that the products are in sufficient demand.
Web Development
Of course, your website will very much be your shop window and this demands a professional approach, and with a good web developer, you can get the following services:
• Web design & build
• Web hosting
• Domain name registration
Your website needs to be professional looking, with great product images and description, plus pages need to load fast, as today’s online consumer expects a lot. If you are unable to manage the website, the developer would manage the platform on your behalf.
Funding
Obviously, you will need access to adequate funds and by crunching the numbers, you can calculate how much you will need. The leading Australian online lender,
Nimble can help you out with a short-term business loan that will enable you to start trading, but do make sure you borrow enough to see you through the first 6 months.
Digital Marketing
This is most definitely not an optional extra, indeed, you must regard digital marketing as an essential part of a successful e-commerce business. The best time to make contact with a digital marketing agency is at the very outset, as the SEO specialist will be able to put together an aggressive digital marketing plan that will drive traffic to your website. Without digital marketing, potential customers will not even know that your website exists, that’s how important it is, and this is a service that needs to be ongoing, so you should factor this into your monthly budget.
Click here for a government website that explains how to register your business.
Suppliers
You will be relying heavily on your suppliers, so it makes sense to do your research, checking that they have a good name in the industry and can handle a high volume of orders. You will need prompt service and hopefully, you can set up a line of credit (most suppliers will give you a 30-day credit line), which will help with expenses. Here are a few more ideas on
how to make money without any capital, which might be worth reading.
Logistics
The final piece of the jigsaw, you will need to outsource your logistics to a third-party logistics specialist, which means your orders will be promptly picked, packed and despatched. Once you have found an established local 3PL company, send them your product range and your branded packaging and all orders are simply emailed to your logistics provider, who fulfils in a timely manner. This is a critical step of the customer experience, and today’s online consumer expects prompt delivery, and you can’t afford anything less.
With a lot of planning, hard work and determination, there’s no reason why your online store will not be successful, and by enlisting the aid of a good digital marketing agency, you can reach the right people.