So, you want to start an eCommerce business? That’s great news, but there’s a lot to be prepared for. Whether you’re passionate about handmade products and want to sell online or prefer the convenience of private label dropshipping, it’s important to know what you’re getting into.
Starting any business means there’s government paperwork to fill out. After you’ve gotten your eCommerce business license, eCommerce business insurance, and drafted your eCommerce business plan, it’s time to create a website.
Your website is where you’ll list products, create eCommerce SEO content, set up eCommerce email marketing forms, and make valuable first impressions on customers. Getting your website right means sales, marketing, and logistics come much more easily.
Before you start putting together your eCommerce marketing strategy, take the time to understand your website’s purpose. Keep reading for an eCommerce website overview and examples of successful sites.
What Is An E Commerce Site?
An eCommerce website is an online destination where buyers shop for goods and sellers offer products and services. It’s the hub of information about a company and what they sell. On an eCommerce website, you’ll find product listings, eCommerce blog content, company history, and contact information.
You can sell just about anything through an eCommerce site. Examples include recreational equipment, car and motorcycle parts, household goods, clothing and jewelry, and food and drinks. If you need help coming up with additional ideas, consider these wholesale items to sell or high demand products.
The data generated by an eCommerce website isn’t only useful for sellers and buyers. It’s also used by shipping and handling providers, 3PL companies, marketers, and warehouse inventory management software.
eCommerce websites can be created by a specialized agency, web developer, or your own skills. The size and needs of your site play a major part in which choice is best.
If you’re just starting an eCommerce business and only sell a few products, you can get an excellent website created for a few hundred dollars or less. If you sell thousands of products or are revamping your entire brand, working with a dedicated developer is a smart call.
There’s also the option of using pre-made website builders. Looking for a dropshipping website builder, or subscription website builder if you want to sell a subscription box, will save you time. Services that offer this, like WordPress, Shopify, and Wix, make it easy to customize a website framework. You can also review some of the best dropshipping websites, and best eCommerce websites to get a feel for what customers expect.
E Commerce Website Definition
The eCommerce website definition is any website that sells products or services through the Internet. As you may imagine, there are millions of eCommerce sites that sell all kinds of products. Thousands of eCommerce success stories exist with the B2B business model, some are B2C examples, and still, others sell direct to consumer.
In the earlier days of the Internet, setting up an eCommerce website was a dedicated task that could span a day or more. In today’s digital environment, an eCommerce site--plus bells and whistles--can be set up in a few hours or less.
There are also numerous types of eCommerce businesses. Whether you’re learning how to start a dropshipping business, manufacture merchandise inventory, or are selling wholesale, the opportunities are limitless. You can also have your cake and eat it too with O2O marketing, where you use digital marketing to drive more in-store sales.
What Is eCommerce Website Development?
eCommerce website development is any activity related to the creation, enhancement, or alteration of a website. This includes everything from connecting your domain to your hosting provider down to adjusting the look and feel of your website.
The broader topic of eCommerce website development can be broken down into smaller, easily digestible components. Anything tied to changing or improving your site can be placed in one or more of the following categories:
- Hosting and domains. Without a website domain and hosting to display it on, you won’t be able to launch your website. A domain is the website address users type in or click on that displays your site. Hosting is what provides storage for your website’s components, like system files and backups. It’s also the service that allows users to access your website once it’s live. Both are essential for your website to be up and running.
- Backend work and technical integrations. The backend of your site is where all of the technical components need to operate in concert with each other. This includes your email list integration, payment gateway providers, digital catalog details, and warehouse management system. Backends are also where website plugins are installed. A plugin is a software tool that changes a specific function of your website.
- Graphic design and user experience (UX). This is any visual aspect of your site, including the theme, logo, color scheme, brand images, and eCommerce product catalog design photos. If you haven’t made a product catalog before, you can do so with an online catalog creator. Images are tweaked and replaced on the backend of your site and should be updated regularly. The human brain judges a website’s visual characteristics in less than half a second, which demonstrates the importance of professional imagery.
- Frontend work and user interface (UI). Your website’s frontend includes everything your shoppers see and interact with. This includes product detail pages, email forms, blog posts, images, contact forms, and anything that can be clicked on. In short, the frontend of your website should be simple to understand and easy to navigate. Users that have a difficult time knowing where to locate something on your site are far likelier to leave your site.
What Is Multi Vendor eCommerce Website?
A multi-vendor eCommerce website is a platform where numerous third-party vendors sell their products. You can find websites like this in dozens of industries, including food and beverage, clothing and footwear, electronics, and cosmetics.
An online marketplace is one example of a multi-vendor eCommerce site. On this type of platform, various wholesalers offer their products to distributors and retailers. BlueCart’s wholesale marketplace offers access to over 95,000 buyers who are looking for the kind of products you sell. Book a demo today to learn more.
eCommerce Website Examples
Getting your eCommerce business off the ground is an exciting time. However, when you’re struggling to find inspiration or don’t want to make rookie mistakes, it can cause mental paralysis that’s difficult to overcome.
That’s why it’s good to take a look at existing eCommerce websites. Not only will you find what works well on BlueCart eCommerce versus other platforms, it can clarify your must-haves, like the color scheme and brand characteristics.
While there are too many to list in a single blog post, several eCommerce companies stand out. The below list was curated based on the websites’ branding, color scheme, usability, and navigability.
Here are those high-quality eCommerce website examples:
- BlueCart
- Grovemade
- Sierra Designs
- Apple
- Skullcandy
- Chubbies
- Lookback
- Spotify
- Green Glass
- 100% Pure
- SISU Guard
Wanna See My Website?
Now that you have the basics down, you can research the average eCommerce website cost, settle on an eCommerce website builder, and get busy mastering how to build an eCommerce website. It's also good to look up eCommerce website hosting and select a company that works for your needs.
Launching your eCommerce site is a major milestone in your business. It’s one of the many gratifying moments in selling products online, whether they’re your own or another company’s.
As customers start to roll in, don’t let off the gas. Put together an eCommerce marketing plan that conveys your brand’s strengths so you can increase eCommerce sales. If you’re driving wholesale sales through eCommerce, make sure you have a comprehensive wholesale marketing plan in place.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an eCommerce website?
An eCommerce website is another word for an online store where people can buy or sell products on the internet.
How to create an eCommerce website
Here's how to create an eCommerce website:
- Choose your ideal eCommerce platform
- Buy your domain name
- Find a website developer
- Pick a theme for your eCommerce site
- Customize a template for your eCommerce site
- Import your products or services
- Set up the payment options
- Set up the shipping options, such as expedited shipping
- Preview and test your eCommerce website
- Publish your eCommerce store
What Is a Multi-Vendor eCommerce Website?
A multi-vendor eCommerce website is an online platform where third-party vendors can sell their products.