Online shopping, also known as online retailing is a form of electronic commerce that allows consumers to buy products and services from the comfort of your home with the help of the internet. The online shopping portal retail refers to the website that allows consumers access to purchase these goods and services. Since its inception, this form of e-commerce has become a craze around the world and more and more consumers are getting addicted to the idea of shopping online rather than take the trouble to go to a store to go shopping. Due to the large increase in demand, these online portals require excellent web systems to ensure that they are always readily accessible and face little or no downtime. The importance of web development companies use e-commerce for online shopping portals The main reason to choose a suitable web development company, specialized for ecommerce portal is that these companies provide website owners with excellent designs for their websites that are not only attractive to the eye, but also provide easy access for the user. These companies also undertake regular maintenance of these sites to ensure that all faults are addressed immediately and that the portal faces very little downtime. Moreover, in the business of fierce competition from online sales, it is very important to have effective and engaging websites that provide quality services, as these websites are the only major difference between online portals for other.

1. E-COMMERCE
ONLINE STORE
Starting an online store has advantages over having a physical storefront:
there's no rent to pay, and you can reach millions of customers from the
comfort of your own home. To have a shot at success, however, it's a good
idea to put as much thought into starting an online store as you would any
other business. You'll need a great product, a user-friendly website, and a
solid marketing plan.

2. DEVELOPING YOUR PRODUCT AND BUSINESS PLAN
Decide what you want to Sell :
If you want to start an online store, you probably already have an idea for a
great product to sell. Keep in mind that certain things are conducive to
selling well online, while other items may be more difficult to sell when they
can't be viewed in person. In any case, you should believe passionately in
the value of your product - otherwise, it will be hard to connect with
customers. Here are some questions to consider.

3. Is it a physical product that needs to be shipped, or is it a digital product
that can be sent through the Internet?
Are you going to have an inventory (more than one) of each product, or
will they be one-of-a-kind (e.g. artwork, vintage items)?
Are you going to want to sell a wide variety of products, or do you plan to
specialize, like selling just t-shirts or books?
Are you creating the product yourself? If so, make sure you'll be able to
keep up with demand. Form a relationship with a reliable supplier.
If you don't plant to make the product yourself, you'll need a good
manufacturer. Research different companies to find the one that works
for your business idea.
Decide how your product will be shipped. Create a plan to ship the
product from your home efficiently, or work out a storage and shipping
plan with a warehouse. You could also look into drop-shipping if the
product is being manufactured by a third party.

4. FIND A NICHE
Knowing what product you want to sell is only part of creating a
successful online store. You'll need to figure out what differentiates your
services from all the other similar services people can choose, both in
person or online. Why should a customer buy your hand-knit sweaters
when they have 100 other online shops to choose from?
Size up the competition. Don't just jump into selling a certain product line
until you've looked at the websites you'll be competing with. Consider the
main online marketplaces you plan to advertise your products; and check
out the competition within those portals.

5. Offer something truly original. If you're selling handmade crafts or works of art,
the originality of your work may itself be the draw that sets your product apart.
Try to strike a balance between something that is highly original and also has
general appeal.
Offer expertise. Perhaps the quality that sets your company apart from the rest
will be your expertise on the type of product you are selling. Maybe you're a
former baseball pro selling a line of baseball gloves, for example. Make your
passion and expert knowledge part of the package.
Offer a user-friendly purchasing process. Even if your product is very similar to
other things for sale online, you can set your store apart by making the
shopping experience fun and easy. Make sure your website is easy to
navigate and fun to share. Be responsive and provide great customer service
where others don't.

6. TEST THE ITEMS ON A SMALL SCALE
In the real world, it'd be wise to try selling your products through
other, low-commitment avenues (consignment, flea markets, craft
shows, etc.) before taking the plunge and starting an entire store.
The same is true for selling online. Try selling your items individually
on eBay, Craigslist, Half.com and the like. Here's what you'll want to
look for: Who is buying your product? Offer a discount coupon or
free gift if they answer a brief survey. Find out where else they shop
online.
How much are they willing to pay? Experiment with different prices.
How is customer satisfaction? This is a good time to test how well
you can get your product to the customer. Are you using good
packaging? Is the shipping method reliable? Are they happy with
their product? Did you describe it well?

7. MAKE A BUSINESS PLAN
Before you start the process of opening your online store, take the time
to draw up a detailed business plan, whether or not you're planning on
getting outside funding from investors. It will help you plan the steps
you'll need to take to make your business successful. Figure out your
cost of operation and map out a marketing strategy. You'll want to take
these factors into account:
Production costs, whether you're creating your product
yourself or contracting with a manufacturer.
Shipping costs.
Taxes.
Employee wages, if applicable.
Fees for reserving your domain name and web hosting service

8. REGISTER YOUR BUSINESS
According to your state's laws. When you're ready to make things official,
you'll need to come up with a business name and fill out the necessary
legal and tax paperwork to register your business.
BUILDING AN ONLINE STORE:
Choose a name that's short, catchy, and easy to remember. It should also
be unique, since the most obvious names are already taken. Look up a
domain registration company and try different names until you find one
that satisfies you and isn't already in use.
If the name your heart is set on is already taken, get creative. Spell
numbers out, add a small extra word or try hyphenation.
The domain registration service will provide suggestions for close
alternatives if the name you want is taken.

9. CHOOSE A WEB HOSTING SERVICE
It's worth finding a good service for your website, since the site is the
backbone of your online store. If it's finicky, sales will certainly suffer.
Free web hosting services are available, but since you're selling products
online, you'll need to pay for a service that offers the options you need.
You'll need enough space for growth if your business does well.
Choose a hosting service that allows for customization if you're planning
on doing your own programming.

10. DESIGN YOUR WEBSITE
Either design the website on your own or hire a web designer to create it
for you. The emphasis should be on showcasing your product and
making it as easy as possible for customers to make a purchase. Don't
fall into the trap of making the website too flashy - the more
straightforward, the better when it comes to online shopping.
Include a way to gather email addresses, so you can send advertisements
and special offers.
The customer should have to make no more than two clicks to check out
with a product.
Choose just a few colors and fonts to use.

11. SET UP A MERCHANT ACCOUNT
You'll need to set up an account with a bank financial institution so that
your customers can pay with credit cards. Going with a bank can be
pricey, so many small online storeowners go with PayPal as a less
expensive option.
Using All Inclusive E-Commerce Services
If you don't have the inclination to set up your own website from scratch,
there are plenty of services that offer a platform for an online store you
can set up in just a few hours, for a very low cost.
This way you will not have to learn how to code or hire a web designer,
and you'll have all the tools you need to start selling your product right
away.

12. CONTINUED
All-inclusive services usually take a small cut from each sale
you make.
The services have benefits, but there are also limitations, since
you have to operate within their systems.
Get familiar with the different services before choosing one. If
you don't find one that suits the business model you have in
mind, reconsider starting a new online store on your own.

13. GENERAL E-COMMERCE SERVICES
Companies like Flying Car and Yahoo! Stores will allow you to set
up professional-looking online storefronts when you ship your own
inventory. Hosted e-commerce solutions go further to provide
storefront design, secure payment, hosting, mailing lists, selling
statistics, customers support. This is a good choice for those who
don't want to do their own programming. Check out the following
companies:
Flying Car
Yahoo! Stores
Miscake Stores
Volusion
Shopify

14. THE PROFITS
Affiliate store services such as Amazon eStores or Zilo allow you to
resell products carried by Buy.com and other merchants by writing
reviews of products and focusing on a theme that makes
consumers' lives easier. Amazon eStores and Zilo stores allow you
to get in the game fast, but do not allow you to carry your own
physical inventory.

15. TIPS FOR GENERAL SALES
Tips is an online marketplace where you can post one item or
create an entire catalog for free. You upload some photos, describe
the items and price them to sell. It's free to post goods for months
without having to update the listing. When the item sells and is $35
or less, it's a 5% fee. If the item is $35 or more, the fee is 3%. On top
of putting goods up for sale you can embed videos, blog about
your products and services and connect to your twitter account
directly from the site for free.

16. TRY CAFE PRESS IF YOU'RE SELLING CUSTOMIZED
ITEMS
Cafepress is a service worth considering if you're selling
mostly t-shirts, and other stuff you can "stamp" with your
unique designs, such as mugs, stickers, and buttons.
Customers browse your store, order their stuff, and Cafepress
processes the order and the items for you. You can start a
basic shop for free, and pay a monthly subscription for more
features.

17. SELL CRAFTS ON ETSY
Etsy is a popular choice for people who make what they sell.
There's a 20 cent charge for every item listed, and Etsy keeps
3.5% of your sale price if the item is sold.
You get paid directly and are responsible for shipping the item.
You're charged fees (depending on what sold) on a monthly
basis.

18. ATTRACTING AND RETAINING CUSTOMERS
Promote Your Store on Social Media
Social media platforms are an important way for businesses,
especially online businesses, to market themselves. Start an
account and encourage people to "like" and "share" your store's
page to spread the word.
Offer incentives for customers to promote your store. You could
offer a discount or a free giveaway for those who participate.
Be sure to keep the accounts up to date with information on new
products and deals

19. START A BLOG
Pairing your products with expert knowledge is a great way to
attract more people to your site. If your product is fashion-related,
start a style blog that features some of your products from time to
time. Find a way to participate in online conversations related to
the product you are selling.
Some all-inclusive services offer a blog feature as part of your
"storefront.“
Feature other companies' products on your blog, and ask them to
feature yours in return. This is a common practice among small
online vendors.

20. EMAIL CUSTOMERS ABOUT PROMOTIONS/OFFERS
Use an email program like Mail Chimp to organize your customers'
email addresses and send out well-formatted email blasts
informing customers about special deals. Don't abuse this method
of getting in touch with customers, though - they may end up
unsubscribing if you send too many emails.

21. TIPS
Watch out for any service that involves selling products you don't
have. These are often called "drop shipping" service and while
some are legitimate, many are scams. Even those that are authentic
have a low chance of success because you're selling stuff that
someone else is probably already selling. You'll need extraordinary
marketing skills to make it work in which case, why not apply it to
your own products?

22. THANK YOU !