Creating an online store from scratch a few decades ago was a daunting task – for retailers and companies. You actually had to mark your hands before making your first sale.
But this is 2021, and the eCommerce world has largely evolved, changing the way we shop and sell online. Starting an online store tailored to your personal business needs can never be easy. But not impossible.
Create a business plan and do everything you can to stick with it – choose a rich location for your online store, develop a business strategy and find the right eCommerce site.
No matter how complicated the process may seem at first glance, below you will find a guide from the beginning that will help you set up an ecommerce business.
Here we take you step by step through the process of starting an online clothing store, so you can run it on time.
Follow these simple steps to get your online store in a few weeks or less.
Choose perfect online store builder:
Choose the online store builder that should be suit your store needs, and make sure it can grow with you and your business
Online store builders allow you to start selling with the portion of the price you pay for a pair of shoes online. After getting decent profit in your business, you can develop a mobile app for your online store.
When you start selling clothes online you need to sign up for an eCommerce plan to connect with payment processors that allow you to withdraw money from customers.
Because it is easy to use and economical, online store builders will take care of all the technical stuff.
You can start selling clothes online at any time without worrying about security and hacking risks. Online store builders also offer you an SSL certificate.
SSL certificates provide secure, encrypted communications between your website and your customers’ web browser. This means that all credit card transactions and data transfers are secure and safe.
Choose business model:
You know what you want to sell – now you need to figure out where to sell it. There are three main business models in e-commerce: business to consumer, business to business, consumer to consumer. Let’s look at each classification:
- Business 2 Business (B2B):
B2B eCommerce businesses sell products to other businesses. Sometimes the business buyer is also the end user. However, most B2B transactions revolve around bulk stock, components or raw materials.
In general, B2B eCommerce initiatives have long sales cycles. More stock deals can take months as complex sales often require group approval. In return for patience and diplomacy, you will receive higher value orders and continued purchases.
- Business 2 Customer ( B2C):
Simply put, B2C is a traditional retail eCommerce. Your customers are regular people, you sell products or services at retail prices. Some B2C companies sell physical products, while others sell computer software or smartphone applications. Still, others sell different types of subscriptions.
B2C eCommerce has a short selling cycle because the shares are not very high. Most transactions involve a consumer rather than an entire board. B2B businesses generally have lower average ratings than B2B businesses, but they do have a higher number of sales.
- Customer 2 Customer (C2C):
C2C businesses connect consumers with other consumers. When people sell products or services to others they charge a subscriber fee, listing fee or transaction fee. Examples include eBay and online classified sites such as Craigslist.
- Dropshipping:
Dropshipping is an interesting eCommerce business model: you sell a product on your site as a retailer, while your Dropshipping supplier manages the shipping and order filling process. While this does not give you much control over your branding and customer service, it is a great way to test new product ideas while reducing shipping costs and money spent on cargo storage.
Choose domain:
If you want to add a professional look to your online clothing store, the only way is custom domain name. The more professional your store is, the more likely people are to buy your clothing range.
A unique domain name identifies your clothing store online. Think of it as the zip code of a physical store – it helps people identify where you are and find you easily.
To purchase a domain name, you can go directly through your online store builder or purchase your own through well-known domain name registrars such as domain.com.
Choose template:
Choosing a template is the most fun part. This allows you to create the front of the store you dreamed of, so you can actually hit the floor running with your customer.
Your template determines the look of your online store, so making the right decision is important. Of course, you can customize it after selecting your template, but your preference is based on the design of your store.
Add products to your online store:
Some creative entrepreneurs already know what they want to sell, you know nothing. But that’s part of the fun – finding your product and the main place.
So what do we mean? When you start an online clothing store, do not try to impress everyone. You want to target a small, specialized segment of the people. Here we added some examples for your business:
- Clothes
- Vintage dresses.
- Children’s clothes.
- Plus size women’s clothing.
- Men’s athletic wear.
- Accessories
- Women’s wallets.
- Men’s hats.
- Children’s shoes.
- Handmade scarf.
Payment process:
Payment Processor or Gateway is a software that handles payment between the customers, the customers’ bank, the consumers’ card and their bank. Think of the online equivalent of hardware where consumers swipe their cards at physical stores.
When you build your store, you need a payment processor to accept payments from your customers. Some examples of authorized payment gateways are Paytm, GPay, UPI, PayPal, etc. They all have pros and cons, but in general there are two aspects to consider when choosing a payment processor.
First, look for a payment processor that prioritizes information safety and security. Reliable payment processors will have automated tools to help combat credit card fraud, as well as detect and stop suspicious transactions.
Second, choose a payment processor that accepts different credit cards, debit cards and currencies based on different countries. The more ways people pay you, the better.
Promote your online store:
A strong social media existence will drive traffic to your store and increase sales. Each site has its strengths. However, there are some best practices that apply to core sites, and they should be taken into account across board.
stability: When you sign up for a social media site, keep your posts and tone in order. Customers will get used to your voice and schedule, so make sure they predict it.
Engagement time: Find out which day times get the most likes and comments. You want to post at the optimal time to attract more attention.
Intelligence tools: Some sites have tools to help you understand how your profile and posts work. Use them to help improve your content and time.
Your profile page: Make sure your “about me” description is accurate and consistent across all sites. Where possible, add a link to your store.
Wrapping up:
So this is about how to start an online clothing business. Now that you know everything, you should not waste your time anymore and fall. Also, if you are not ready with the right business idea, you can still search for some lucrative clothing business ideas online and start your business at any time.
Everyone has enough space to start an online business. But you have to come up with good ideas so that you can stand out from the crowd in the online clothing sales business.