In building online stores, many beginners think it’s a long and difficult process. Part of it is true, but it's so easy if you build an online store with the right website builder. The key to a successful eCommerce business is finding the perfect platform with everything you need. Here at Strikingly, we take pride in our Simple store feature. Yes, we have an online store solution that is easy to set up. For someone with creative ideas in eCommerce business and business owners who want to go global, we have the best solutions for you. Now, let us share the qualities you must be looking for to build your online store. What are the best web services and features you will need?
- User-friendly Web Editor
- Mobile-Friendly Designs
- Easy DNS Management
- Store Categories
- Free Hosting
- Multiple Payment Gateways
- Free Custom Domain with Premium
- Single Billing Solution
- Secure Checkout
- Free SSL
- Reliable Uptime
- Branding, Marketing, and SEO Tools
And the list goes on. The good news is that Strikingly got all these great features without the need for any coding skills. Millions of our international users have made such a brilliant decision to try a 14-day trial until they’ve switched to affordable yearly plans. You can start to build an online store like an expert with these easy steps.
Image taken from Swish website
Steps on How to Build an Online Store With Strikingly
Every successful small business owner has one question on how to set up an online store. After developing a business plan and analyzing the chosen niche, the next best thing is to choose the best platform. Strikingly is a startup website builder with over twelve million users globally. If you’re looking for the most reliable web services to launch and sell online products.
1. Create an Account
It will only take this very important step to help you build an online store. You can sign up for free or start a 14-day trial with any of our yearly plans. The good thing about a premium plan is that you don’t have to worry about acquiring domain names, hosting services, and branding tools. You can start building online stores for free and go global in minutes.
Image taken from Strikingly sign up page
2. Choose a Template and Edit
Did you know that we’ve got over one hundred templates for online stores and other types of websites? Looking for the best eCommerce platform is difficult when you don’t know what you’re looking for. Here at Strikingly, we have experts you can chat within real-time. Once you have chosen the perfect web design to build an online store, there’s a dedicated happiness officer you can talk to.
Image taken from Strikingly template - Pastry Corner
3. Setup a Simple Store
We are ridiculously easy to set up. You can try our simple web editor with a drag and drop feature. You can personalize your Simple store the way you want it to appear online. Under Sections, you can add a Simple store where you can start your journey as an online seller.
Image taken from Strikingly web editor
4. Add Text, Images of Products, and Product Description
Our Simple store is user-friendly, but our Happiness Officers can assist you while editing in case you need help. Just make sure that you only use high-quality images of your products. Complete product descriptions with targeted keywords will boost your site’s SEO. Keep in mind that your customers are looking for specific information about your products, such as color, size, and availability in stock. The more accurate you present your products, the higher sales opportunities you can get.
Image taken from Strikingly web editor
5. Register a Domain Name
With Strikingly, you can transfer or register a domain name. You must have your business name attached to the web address, and all communication means in building online stores. It helps promote your brand and bring your customers and business partners awareness. Have a custom domain for free when you go premium with Strikingly.
Image taken from Strikingly web editor
6. Enable Payment Gateways
Multiple payment options can help your online store get more sales. Whether you want to enable Paypal, Stripe, and Square or accept credit card payments. Strikingly ensures to provide secure checkout. You can even expand your business globally with our best web services.
Moreover, you have many options when it comes to the type of products you can sell. With our Simple store, you can choose what to sell – physical, services, and digital products. We got them all covered.
Image taken from Strikingly web editor
7. Go Live and Sell Online
Amazingly, you can simply test your website and publish when everything is ready. Say ‘hello’ to your customers when you go live and global. With us, anything is possible. The best thing is that we are ridiculously easy.
Image taken from Lever & Bloom Coffee website
Things you Need to Add in Building Online Stores
For beginners, it’s most likely that you are still discovering what will work on your website. Good thing we’ve got these features that you can simply organize in your online store.
Check out how you can maximize the features below when you build an online store that stands out.
∙ Custom Form
Add a custom form to gather vital information from your customers. You can use it as questionnaires, survey questions, polls on specific products, etc. Custom forms can also help you to engage with your customers.
On the other hand, you can use a contact form to reach out or answer customer inquiries about your online shop. When you build an online store with us, you can manage it using the Strikingly mobile app. It’s how easy you can run your business with us.
∙ Simple Blog
After you build an online store, it’s ideal for sharing your business journey. Tell a story about how you started from scratch or with limited resources. People will love your brand more than just buying stuff on your online shop if they know a bit of the background. Share with your customers how you achieved a successful online space to run an eCommerce business.
∙ Call-to-Action
A clear Call-to-Action information will lead to a high-conversion website.
When you add CTA, make sure that your customers will be tempted to click it. Here are a few examples of a good CTA’s :
- Schedule a Call Now
- Request for a Quotation
- Shop and Save
- Ask a Question
∙ Site Search
If you are selling multiple products in your online store, it is ideal to add a site search tool that can easily be noticed by your customers. Most templates put it on the top right beside your store’s contact info. Be creative with your web layout, and don’t compromise user experience above anything else.
∙ Buy Now Button
Build an online store, and don’t forget to add a ‘Buy Now’ button that leads to your products. A fast checkout can also help you increase sales. Too many web pages before a customer can buy something online may result in abandoned carts. That’s the last thing you want to happen in your online store, right?
∙ Store Categories
Building an online store with categories will provide an excellent user experience. It is a simple way of organizing your products in order. This will help them find what they’re looking for as quickly and easily. Strikingly has store categories where you can classify the types of products you are selling online.
∙ Live Chat Feature
If there is a perfect way to engage with your customers, a live feature is recommended. Just don’t forget to indicate how often you can reply to messages. This is direct customer communication that can help boost your sales. This feature is linked to your Messenger account, making it more accessible for you to reply.
Image taken from Strikingly website
Final Thoughts
These days, more and more startup business owners are making progress online. The day they decided to build an online store was the most important decision. As a beginner, it’s fine to be afraid at first, but as you go on, you will see how simple it is to run a business online. If you have the right platform, you can never go wrong with your online store's features and web services. Make it more accessible for your target customers. Drive traffic by promoting valuable content on social media that leads to your online shop. You can also work with other small businesses with the same niche as you are – or something related. In the world of eCommerce, growing your network is key to success. You can’t be alone while selling stuff online. This is why Strikingly has the most reliable web services and cool features you can try. Build an online store with us and check out our millions of users who have made it global. Sign up for an account with us.
