Start An Online Store Using These Simple Steps

Lack of finance to procure physical space and complex procedures are the key challenges to start a business. But now, starting your business has become more affordable with the help of an online store—where you get all the tools and features to generate your first sales.

The objective of running a successful online Squarespace store is to make every transaction count, help the customers easily navigate through the products, increase traffic, and result in more sales.

Whether you are setting your online store for the first time or have been here for a long, this blog is a step-by-step guide to set your online store.

Steps to set up your online store

1.Select a Website Template

The initial step to set up your online store is to select a website template. There are numerous templates available on Squarespace that support commerce features, but a “commerce template” is dedicatedly designed to cater to the needs of online stores. Once your website is set up, you have a domain name registered; the next step is to add a website template.

2.Add products

Squarespace allows you to sell gift cards, physical, digital, and service products on a one-time purchase or subscription basis. Regardless of whichever product you sell, add images that cater to the need of each individual. You can either add the products individually or import them from a .csv file or another eCommerce platform.

If you are going to deal in physical products, click pictures of individual pieces and add them to your website. This will make an immense impact. Otherwise, you can choose the “stock images” available on the website that aligns with your business goals and objective.

3.Add a payment processor

The most important aspect of customer experience is to offer them a seamless payment process that is reliable and secure. Squarespace allows you to add multiple payment modes for your online store —Stripe, Apple Pay, and PayPal. Make sure that the select payment mode works in your location or not.

4.Add a shipping method

You have to get physical products delivered to your customers, thus choose a shipping method that caters to your needs. Of course, you don’t need the option of shipping if you are selling online or digital products and services. The choice of shipping method depends on multiple factors like cost; benefits offered, kind of products you are looking to sell, the customer destination, etc.

5.Promote your online store

Your online store is ready, and you are all set to run a successful business. But before you do that, talk about your online presence on various platforms. Inform people on social media, set up a Facebook page, share the link of your products with people on WhatsApp, and ask them to check out. You can likewise create email campaigns and run promotions to make customers aware of your online store and the products you are about to offer.