Top tips for launching your ecommerce website

An ecommerce platform has quickly gone from being a ‘nice to have’ to a crucial tool for staying competitive in today’s market. Regardless of the industry you’re operating in, your customers will expect you to have an ecommerce option – but what if you’ve never launched your business online before?

Here are the top tips for making those first steps into the online domain.

1. Choose a fully integrated ecommerce solution

One of the best decisions you can make as a business owner is to choose a website that will directly integrate with your ERP solution. Details such as stock and pricing will automatically be reflected from the core ERP to the online portal in real-time, removing the need to manually carry out the same task in two different places and providing the customer with precise, up-to-date information.

Whether you're a retail, distributor or service center, your online portal should be able to work within your business and provide the synergy needed to reach its full potential. Your company doesn't want to change its processes to work with a non-integrated ecommerce solution.

2. Select a solution that’s designed for your industry

Your ecommerce platform should be easy for you and your customers. Choosing a partner who understands selling online and the industry in which you operate can ensure your site is as relevant to customers as possible.

Simplicity in terms of administration, reporting and maintaining the site should be considered an essential component. This simplicity is made far easier with a synergetic partner. Furthermore, an industry-tailored ecommerce system will make it much simpler to operate on a day-to-day basis.

3. See your website as an extension of your existing business

Establishing an ecommerce website is like opening a new branch and needs to be treated as such. It’s not enough to launch a new online platform; you could have an industry-leading ecommerce portal, but it is unlikely to generate the desired return on investment if nobody knows it’s there.

Therefore, marketing is essential to your website’s success and should be integral to any ecommerce strategy. Any interaction with a customer or prospect should be viewed as a chance to promote your site – whether through flyers, signage, Google Ads, magazine adverts or other methods. Don't solely focus on digital marketing simply because your shop is online!

4. Think about your customer service

Although an ecommerce site may remove a human element, it still needs to be thought of as another salesperson in its own right. Customers today are better informed than ever, and a site that passes on knowledge will be seen as a valuable resource in attracting repeat business.

You effectively allow customers to see your shop front and place orders outside standard operating hours. In doing so, you provide a more complete shopping experience. A common side effect is that in-store foot traffic also increases. This could be due to the option of click and collect or simply letting the customer know the product is available when they still want to visit in person.

5. Don't be afraid to try something new

Ecommerce provides another route to market. Online shopping has accelerated exponentially and shows no sign of slowing. A good site should therefore support and accelerate your business growth in the digital age.

Mobile and tablet usage underlines the shift in technology application in real-world business operations. The days of having to make a call to source materials while on a job are gone. Whether it's a builder working on-site or a heating engineer servicing a customer’s boiler, finding the correct part, checking stock availability, determining pricing, and placing an immediate order is now an essential component of doing business.

For more information on KCS and our range of ecommerce solutions, contact us today!