There are so many eCommerce books and courses on the market. It can be confusing trying to figure out which ones are worth your time. From learning about whether or not to offer expedited shipping, to which inventory management method to onboard, there is much to learn.
So what do you look for?
A well-written book or course can help you elevate and grow your business. Whether you’re starting an eCommerce business from scratch, or have already started working on an eCommerce business plan template to bring your eCommerce business ideas to life.
Here are our selections for the best eCommerce books and courses on the market today that offer value to business owners and entrepreneurs.
Best eCommerce Books: Overall
Digital Business and E-Commerce Management
Now on its seventh edition, this bestselling textbook offers the most comprehensive look at eCommerce businesses. Far from boring, author Dave Chaffey weaves contemporary coverage, international trends, and his own experience into the narrative. From the types of eCommerce businesses to growth strategy to eCommerce payment options, this book covers it all. It's rife with case studies that highlight each point and make it much easier to understand the complexities of eCommerce. Students, entrepreneurs, and business managers alike can benefit from reading this book.
Ecommerce Evolved: The Essential Playbook To Build, Grow & Scale A Successful Ecommerce Business
Author and business owner Tanner Larsson's book approaches eCommerce with one thought in mind: everything the industry does is antiquated. He breaks the book into four sections designed to teach strategies and methodologies to make your business grow in the competitive online market. Instead of theory, he focuses on a set of principles all businesses should follow. It's based on his own work with more than 10,000 small businesses, so you know it has proven value. It's even a great tool to have when creating your eCommerce business plan or if you're looking for ways to scale.
Don't Make Me Think, Revisited: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability
A classic book first published by Steve Krug in 2000, Don't Make Me Think has been updated again for the third time. This new edition keeps the witty, but practical advice from the original. It also tackles some new web development issues that have arisen in the past 20 years like mobile usability. Though not eCommerce specific, this book is a vital read for anyone who builds or runs a website. The advice in this book can help make your eCommerce site less frustrating for your customers and increase sales. Luckily, if you use an online marketplace like the BlueCart eCommerce, the UX is already optimized so you can just focus on increasing sales.
Best Books On Starting eCommerce Business
Starting an Online Business All-in-One For Dummies
There's a reason the "For Dummies" series has been around for years. This is one of the best eCommerce startup books on the market. It can give you the tools you need when starting an eCommerce business. It covers topics like finding funding, creating a site, building customer relationships, and more. It even includes a section on eCommerce accounting, so you truly get the full scope of what it's like to run an eCommerce business. From simple to complex questions about starting your business, you'll find your answer here.
Launch: An Internet Millionaire's Secret Formula To Sell Almost Anything Online, Build A Business You Love, And Live The Life Of Your Dreams
The title may sound hokey, but the content is pure gold for the burgeoning entrepreneur. This New York Times best-seller by Jeff Walker shares his patented formula for success. In addition to building multiple successful eCommerce businesses on his own, he has helped hundreds of home-based businesses grow their sales into the millions. With an emphasis on real-world examples of successful product and business launches, Jeff aims to help both new and stagnant businesses reach their goals. This book covers everything you need to know to start your business off on the right foot. One read and you'll be rushing out to get an eCommerce business license and start building a business.
The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future
Chris Guillebeau's New York Times bestseller provides a light and witty take on starting a new business. It focuses on 50 case studies of entrepreneurs who built successful businesses with $50,000 or less. It is full of actionable advice from business owners regarding what helped them succeed and where they stumbled or failed. Let's just say, eCommerce business insurance is a must. They even detail the exact amount of money they needed to get going and what they did in their early days to generate revenue. Though more of a general business guide than just for eCommerce, there are some valuable lessons to be learned here.
Best eCommerce Strategy Books
E-Commerce Business Model 2020
This 3-in-1 guide for eCommerce businesses covers online marketing, Amazon store-building, and topics like dropshipping. It is a comprehensive guide full of proven strategies for eCommerce businesses. It includes the dos and don'ts of starting your business as well as plenty of tips for scaling your revenue streams. Since it gets updated yearly, you're also guaranteed to see the most relevant trends and data. No more reading books written on an old Mac II about how to grow an online business in the early 2000s.
Digital Marketing Strategy: An Integrated Approach to Online Marketing
Whether you need to know about B2B marketing (see what is B2B marketing) or DTC marketing, this book can give you the tools to build a strong strategy. The book is highly accessible, so you never feel over your head. This latest edition includes updates on marketing automation, email and messaging marketing, and tools like AI and AR. It even goes into detail about data protection and privacy strategies to keep your customers' data safe. Reading this book can demystify eCommerce marketing and help you come up with a plan to beat your competitors and grow your business.
Best eCommerce SEO Book
SEO 2021
This really is the only book you need to buy to understand eCommerce SEO. Each year Adam Clarke puts out this SEO omnibus to explain the ever-shifting search algorithms that your business depends on. Luckily, he presents it in simple language for those of us who aren't SEO experts. The book covers major changes to search like Google's core updates and how to recover from penalties. It also includes tips on ranking for local search, how to get featured in the news, and finding the best keywords to drive business to your site. It truly is the go-to source for all things eCommerce SEO, SEO terms, even off page SEO for eCommerce.
Best eCommerce Business Course
How to Build an eCommerce Store with WordPress & WooCommerce
Our top pick for eCommerce business courses comes from Udemy. It provides a step-by-step guide on how to build an attractive eCommerce store from scratch without a background in web development. More than 16,000 people have taken the course and, though it's designed for beginners, students of all skill levels have left rave reviews. For just $139.99, you get access to more than 3 hours of on-demand videos, 2 articles, 7 downloadable resources, and a certificate of completion. If you plan to use either platform to host your site, this course is a must.
E-Commerce Essentials: How to Start a Successful Online Business
This SkillShare course led by Tracey Wallace, Editor-in-Chief at BigCommerce, is our top pick for an eCommerce startup business course. It's a nine-part series where she takes you from startup to profitability. Best of all, the full series only takes an hour, so you don't have to make a huge time investment. For a course this short, it packs a punch and provides a great starting place for an eCommerce entrepreneur.
Ecommerce Marketing Training Course
HubSpot's comprehensive course on eCommerce marketing is jam-packed with value and actionable information. It will walk you through setting marketing goals, attracting and engaging customers, and how to create inbound marketing strategies. The whole course only takes about 40 minutes and is totally free.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Best eCommerce Books
There are a plethora of books on the market about eCommerce, and even more information on the internet. Learning all about the nitty gritty details of eCommerce is essential before launching an online business. Or, perhaps you want to elevate your current business model. Either way, continue reading to learn more and educate yourself even further about eCommerce.
How Do I Start An eCommerce Business Book?
If you’re looking to write an eCommerce book for professional use, follow these steps:
- Determine a structure and purpose. Is your book going to be geared for a particular industry? Perhaps it’ll focus on a certain type of eCommerce.
- Create an outline. Your initial outline will guide you to your first draft.
- Conduct research. Business books contain valuable statistics and insight from experts in various fields. You might also need to gather data from past studies. Once you retrieve such information, organize it in a way that will make sense for your book.
- Write your manuscript. It’s time to write your book. Spend time every day contributing to the final draft.
- Work with an editor. Hire a professional editor to make critiques of your drafts to perfect your writing.
- Publish your book. Once your book is complete, it’s time to put it out into the world. Whether you work with a publisher or opt for a self-publishing method, there are many options to choose from.
- Market the book. Utilize social media, SEO tactics, and event marketing strategies to promote your book to the masses.
Where Is the Best Place to Learn About eCommerce?
There are many resources online to learn about eCommerce, including our blog! From eCommerce website design to B2B eCommerce solutions, we cover it all.
How Does eCommerce Work?
eCommerce works by selling goods and processing transactions online. After receiving the payment, the company proceeds with shipping the product(s) to the customer.
What Are the 6 Types of eCommerce?
The six types of eCommerce are:
- Business to Business (B2B)
- Business to Consumer (B2C)
- Consumer to Consumer (C2C)
- Consumer to Business (C2B)
- Business to Government (B2G)
- Business to Business to Consumer (B2B2C)
If You're Learning, You're Earning
Running an eCommerce business isn't easy, but the books we've listed above can help you take control of yours. Whether just starting out or looking for a way to increase sales, there's a book or course for you. Once you're done with all those books, you should also check out an eCommerce blog or two so you can stay on top of current trends in your industry.
When growing your business you should also make sure you pick the best banks for eCommerce business. There are many options out there, but you want your money to work for you. Don't miss out on the chance to grow your money while it sits.
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