Opening an online shop: ideas and important aspects

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Smartphones, tablets, laptops, computers - all of these are now not only tools for studying or working, but also a way to shop online. There is no need to leave the house, to spend a long time in a shopping centre or in a specialised shop looking for the necessary goods, to stand in line. It is enough to choose a suitable online shop, find the necessary goods and place an order with a few clicks. Then all you have to do is wait for your purchase to be delivered to your doorstep.

Fincraft Capital s.r.o. provides you with ideas for creating an online shop and a number of important aspects to consider when organising it.

Before you start
Starting an online business requires less money than many offline business options. For example, there is no need to spend money on a showroom or warehouse when you start. You don't need to buy a lot of products at once. Order a few units to see which items are most in demand. As long as the goods are small, they can be stored in your garage or on your balcony. You can also save money on hiring staff. In the early stages, you can be a manager, administrator and courier all in one. Hire staff when you can no longer handle the volume of calls, customers and sales on your own.

However, as with organising a normal business, there are a number of steps you should take to ensure that your start is not a failure.

What to do before opening:
1. Choose a niche to trade in. Before you start the process of creating an online store, you need to decide which segment you want to work in. There are many directions, so you need to research the market situation. Make sure that the chosen business sector is promising. For research you can use Google Trends, study information sources with quality analysis or order an analysis from specialists.

2. Study your target audience. You need to understand who you will be selling your products or services to. Analyse your target audience. Consider their gender, age, professional activities, etc. Find out as much as you can about the needs of your potential customers.

3. Assess your financial capacity. Your start-up capital should be sufficient to get the project off the ground and through the first few months of operation. During this time, you will probably work without making a profit. If you do not have enough funds, it is better to postpone the launch of your online shop.

4. Analyse the competition. Study the competition in your chosen niche. It is necessary to find out what makes you stand out among them. You also need to understand whether you can compete in terms of advertising and promotional budgets. Keep an eye on your competitors. If you don't, even a successful start is no guarantee that you won't eventually become an also-ran.

5. Find suppliers. Analyse possible suppliers in your niche, study their prices and conditions. Select several companies that are willing to work with you on a mutually beneficial basis.
Dropshipping
One of the best ways to start an online business is through dropshipping. This is a direct delivery system where a customer buys goods from an online shop that are actually in the supplier's warehouse. The customer places an order on the website. After receiving the money from the customer, the dropshipper transfers it to the supplier or manufacturer. In effect, the dropshipper only works to attract customers, and the supplier already takes care of delivering the order. This saves you the cost of maintaining a warehouse and organising delivery.

Website creation
A website is the face of your online store. Of course, when you have a limited budget to start with, you want to spend as little as possible. To save money, you can create an online resource yourself with the help of website builders such as Tilda, Wix, Mobirise, WordPress. However, most of the ready-made templates that builders offer are quite 'heavy'. This can make the site slow to load. If it does not quickly give the necessary information to the consumer - he, most likely, will not wait and will leave to look for another shop.

If you expect the online shop to be your main source of income, it is better to pay for the services of specialists and create a unique site that is as convenient as possible for the customer. Another important point is the server. It is worth choosing a more powerful one so that the site works quickly and does not annoy visitors. Besides, promotion of a unique site with high technical characteristics will be more effective than one created with the help of a template.

Ideas for a start
You can trade anything. However, it is better to start with products that are more likely to be profitable. For example, products that are functional, discreet and versatile sell well. Here are some ideas you can use in your business strategy.
Smartphone accessories
Almost everyone has a mobile phone. The vast majority of gadget owners want to keep it working and looking good for as long as possible. Cases and protective screens are essential. Children and teenagers also want their smartphones to look good. And this is impossible without original accessories.

Clothing
Quality clothing will always be in demand. You can narrow down the niche in which you work, for example by selling travel or sports clothes. If business is good, you can expand your range.

Goods for motorists
There are a lot of car owners in every country, so there are a lot of potential buyers. You can sell first aid kits, fire extinguishers, air fresheners, car washes, phone and tablet holders, etc.

Each of these products makes life easier for the motorist in its own way. Another advantage of such a niche is that these products are usually universal for cars of all brands, which means that every driver is a potential customer.

Home textiles
Plaids, blankets, bedspreads, bed linen, towels - it is hard to imagine any family's life without them.

Coffee and tea
The idea will always be relevant because they are the most popular drinks in the world. To make a better statement, you need to experiment and combine. The traditional range is unlikely to make a big profit right away. Add original varieties. And always keep an eye on quality.

Fincraft Capital Experience
We started in 2019 by selling popular electronics from well-known brands such as Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, LG and Lenovo. Gradually, we expanded our range of consumer goods. Now we successfully cooperate with manufacturers, distributors, suppliers of international level. A customer who turns to us can be sure that we will find any product. For this purpose we use an innovative information and search system, which allows us to find the necessary goods at the most favourable conditions.

We share our business experience and help businesses grow. Whether you want to enter the European market or are looking for a quality manufacturer from Asia, Fincraft Capital will help you find reliable partners and increase your income.