The first online shop is just around the corner and there is a lot to do? Don’t panic, we’ve collected the most important tips for entering the world of e-commerce for you here.

You want to build an online shop on a small scale and don’t want to invest a lot? Is that still possible today – and if so, how do small online merchants best approach the project? An overview of the most important tips for beginners in online trading.

Simple market research before the start of the online shop

Before you have a big outline, check if your product is popular. You don’t need a big budget, little infrastructure or huge stocks.

Pink biscuits made from gluten-free baking ingredients for pregnant women are, in your opinion, the hit? You need a startup and an online shop with Omni multi-channel ERP middleware connection right away? No, don’t do that. A simple off-the-shelf SaaS shop or an eBay account is enough for a first pilot. Then place Adwords ads, use a small advertising budget and see if anyone likes your product. This narrow-gauge market research also leaves room for change. Maybe it should be muffins, or muffins and cookies.

The best way to the Onlineshop is first of all no Onlineshop , says Onlinemarketing expert Karl Kratz, more Tipps to on-line marketing for unborn Onlineshops in our article on-line marketing: How one launcht with success a new on-line Shop ?

Look for the suitable Shopsystem to you to the start

All beginnings are difficult, so online merchants should not make their start even harder. A “thick enterprise solution” can be avoided at the beginning. A simple software-as-a-service solution or an open source standard software is enough for the start. For many complex solutions, an agency or its own IT is needed, which will even exceed a small start-up budget.

Nevertheless, the professionalism of the new online shop must not suffer, otherwise the shop will lose credibility and turnover. A middle way between a small budget and a professional appearance is the design of an individual shop template by a designer.

More information on choosing the right shop system can be found in the article “The way to the right shop system: the t3n expert talk [dmexco 2014]” and everything about the current trends in the e-commerce software world can be found in the series “E-Commerce trend at a glance: Frameworks, standard software and modular systems”.

Yes, you need a merchandise management system

Any online shop system can create invoices, that’s correct. Quite often, however, the fun ends there. An online shop rarely takes care of a transfer to an accounting software or even assistance with packing the consignments and setting up a warehouse – and if so, then often inadequately or laboriously and time-consuming.

A mail order solution should be integrated into the shop so that there is enough room to increase sales. A merchandise management system for online retailers that ensures that the organizational effort is kept within reasonable limits. Such software automates many processes: For example, with such a solution all delivery notes, invoices and delivery labels can be created, printed and processed in one go. Even if you don’t need this for your two or three parcels at the beginning, you will start to sweat as soon as two or three parcels suddenly become twenty or thirty. A retailer is better prepared for this.

No, you can’t write your own legal texts

Better no general terms and conditions at all, than legally questionable terms and conditions. This only leads to warnings. To formulate an imprint text is still reasonable, but already with the revocation instruction and many further, legally compellingly necessary references, it is recommendable to consult legal advice. Alternatively, there are also commercial providers who have specialized in legal texts and legal advice for online merchants. For example: IT Law Firm Munich, Protected Shops, Trusted Shops or Janolaw *.

Be for heaven’s sake not interchangeable

Actually, this is the online merchant’s first bid: “You must not be interchangeable”. No matter which business model you run, you have a big advantage over any competitor if you have an exciting story to tell. What makes you special, what makes your shop unique? Especially small merchants have to become a brand that will be remembered in order to survive next to the big top dogs. Otherwise, the returning existing customers will be missing once and for all.

Know your business model

Online commerce is highly competitive and there are only a handful of business models left that can be viable. It is important to realistically assess one’s own offer and possibilities and to choose the right business model.

Search range

Reach is turnover, so marketplaces should definitely be part of the sales strategy at the beginning. Amazon, eBay, Hitmeister or Etsy and Dawanda generate sales quickly and thus lay the foundation for growth and their own advertising budgets. For example, to carry out a product data marketing campaign in addition to SEO and SEM strategies.

However, marketplaces should only be part of your strategy, because you gain sales there, but only with difficulty existing customers. So check carefully how you want to act there: “Use Amazon or not? The final clarification of the marketplace question”.

Let your customers pay as they like

Cash on delivery, prepayment and end. If your payment methods look like this, you can close the shop right away. Customers want to be able to choose their preferred payment method, so let your customers pay the way they want. Direct debit, credit card and PayPal are the minimum. If your margin allows it, the German’s dearest child should not be missing: the bill.

If the preferred payment method is missing, then the purchase will be cancelled, as a recent study has shown once again: The cancellation rate with prepayment is more than twice as high as with a purchase on account.

Give your customer an experience with his delivery

Home delivery is an important moment for online merchants as it establishes physical contact with the customer. Dealers must use this moment to remember themselves and their brand to give the customer an experience while unpacking. This creates customer loyalty.

After the order is before the order

Customer loyalty can be established in many ways: A simple tool are enclosed vouchers for a follow-up order or newsletter registrations coupled with a discount offer. The so-called shopping cart cancellation e-mails are a somewhat more complex method, as is the option of offering certain product groups for subscription.