For all you beginner entrepreneurs and vets, what's some keys to success when starting out in the realm of E-Commerce.

 

Customer Service.

 

Focus on great service and a great platform. Have used Shopify.com in the past and it’s an easy way to both get started and scale your offering.

 

User experience and accurate product information are key.

 

Customer service - Focus on the user experience.
Test! Test! Test! - Never test in production and don't rush to launch
Security - Engage a good security analyst. On today's internet you can't spend too much on security
SEO - Search Engine Optimization...learn it...live it...build that google relationship
Be Social / Be Mobile - Continue to evolve with the changing platforms.
Collect information - Build solid customer databases

 

Depends on your product. But SEO or getting them to your site is key.

Each step from them seeing your link to purchase needs to be optimized to lower acquisition costs, and increase volume.

 

Sell good stuff

 

Be a decent human being all around

 

good online platform with publicity. You have to appear on first two page on google if it's your own site.

 

Make estimated shipping prices known before you get 3/4 through checkout. The amount of times I have gone to buy things from overseas and pulled out just before payment when I found out shipping cost more than the product....

And

 

I run several e-commerce businesses. IMHO keys to success when starting up are:

- Understand how you provide value to your client that is distinct or superior to everyone else, and communicate it. This is what makes your potential client buy from you instead of the competition. Whether it's offering unique products, largest selection, fastest shipping, best service, etc. You will have so many competitors. If you cannot distinguish yourself from them, don't even try. Everything else follows from this.

- Make peace with the fact that you are making a bet. You may lose all your money. But you may also make a fortune. Put boundaries around that bet in terms of time and money. Then go for it, do not hesitate.

- Structure your business to be profitable right away. If it cant, you either have a huge business idea that needs venture capital, or you need to go back to the drawing board

- Compete! Running a business is like swimming in a fast moving river. You need to swim hard just to stay in place.

From an operations perspective:
- Outsource everything you can so you can focus on growing the business. Use a 3PL, a call center, and hire a virtual admin. This will free up lots of your time. And it's not as expensive as you would think.

 

Think that's one of my issues now is acquisition costs!

 

Great advice, I've tried most of it, especially being great with customer service as so far that coupled with genuine appreciation for my customers has led to return customers!

I'm trying to get acquisition cost way down. I've spent more on advertising then I have made for sure, but maybe I'm being unrealistic in what I expect to happen?

Just about have everything I sell on hand already and all paid for, so fast shipping I think helps people buy.

For certain pieces I do let people know ahead of time when it will ship.

All shipping rates are flat, so order as much as you want. Your right about shipping at the end being a problem, so I moved to flat rate, I usually spend a little more then I charge for shipping, so in those cases I just take it out of the profit I see.

Margins are thin in comparison to most big name retailers, so right now I'm trying to build a following and get people interested even if I make less in the beginning.

I have my days, but I choose not to let it affect how I treat people buying from me. Sometimes Chemo in a sense affects my mood if that makes sense, but customer service is top priority for me being so small.

Sounds like some of this advice comes from first hand knowledge so thanks for sharing what's important to you as a customer anywhere.

 

Make sure your advertising actually converts. I used to spend a ton of money on FB and Reddit. But almost none of it converted. Total waste of time!

 

What gets more more sales is probably personally posting in other groups and such.

I admin on a page of 100k + and have access to several groups that are 20k+ for throwing info out there.

I think I'm done Facebook advertising for awhile, and now I'm trying out the Instagram game. Haven't been into social media too much until I started up.

 

Don't know what you're selling but, if what you are selling are products with regular supply be very careful with inventory costs, they could lead you downhill very quickly. And if the demand for your products (permantely or temporarly) reduces or the product you're selling became obsolete? What to do with the inventory in your hands and already paid?

Optimizing the supply chain and keeping the inventory at minimum levels is a big help to facing times of less demand when, and if, they come

 

I agree 100%, luckily what I sell can be used in any setting, not just as I sell it in the market I try and sell it in. With that said I will steer clear of tech for the very reason you posted.

I do wish that there wasn't a min to order as it puts me in a place to carry a lot of said products.

 

One thing about your website... what's your call to action? What's your competitive advantage? Why choose you over the same products from somewhere else, I don't see it.

Selling on lowest price just trains people to switch to whoever sells lowest.

 

Veteran owned, prior LEO, trying to get people that want to buy from and support that title per say. So far a lot of sales I have had come from people who are after that and low price points.

Social engagement you may get from my social media outlets. I've had a few say that because I was there to answer questions pretty much 24/7 is why they took a shot on my company.

I can't win all customers, because I'm a dime a dozen in the market but who I am and was will help me stand out. That's at least the goal.

 

That's the problem... dime a dozen... you need a competitive advantage.

Look at combat flip flops. Yes I know their manafactured in a "social justice" way but perhaps giving a percentage of profit to wounded warriors or Chris Kyles Foundation will help. 5% profit just means you have to sell 1 more for every 20 you sell to break even.


Another thing to do is call your local gun range and see what product they need and see if you can fill that hole. Odds are if they have a problem getting a product so do others.