Selling things online is not a very complicated process, the success of which depends entirely on preliminary preparation, namely: calculating investment risks and developing a strategy for attracting customers. It is not enough to simply purchase goods and create a sales platform. At the very beginning, it is important to develop a marketing plan, conduct an advertising campaign and begin building a client base.
What you need to sell things online
The choice of a site for selling goods also plays a certain role; there are several options, but it is small. This can be your own online store (at the first stage, which you can create yourself and completely free), message boards and social networks:
- Online store. To create it you will need at least minimal knowledge in the field of SEO, unique texts with descriptions and photographs. Advertising also works effectively to attract customers.
- Notice boards. It requires perseverance, unique content and photographs. A great option to empty your wardrobe and sell used items.
- Social media. You need to have thousands of people as friends or a well-advertised community where selling handmade items online is great, and you also need photographs and descriptions of the goods.
Specifics of creating an online store
How do you sell things online, where to start? Not a single Internet project will make a profit without a high-quality selling website. The resource should not only be visually attractive and convenient, but also “catch” real people, and not search engines. The basis of a selling website is informativeness and unique content. Search engines, which are created to improve sites, help with this, as they require high-quality text, unique photographs and the presence of goods with descriptions. For the convenience of clients, you can add a forum to the site for discussion and the ability to communicate with specialists. As a result, search engines will display the online store on the first page of the search due to the frequent mention of keywords and unique text, and you will get new customers.
Promotion
It happens that the site contains high-quality text, unique photographs of excellent quality, a forum has been created, but buyers do not come. In this case, you need to start promoting the resource on the Internet, and most importantly, find a good specialist. Not many of those who are just exploring a new field called “Selling things online” can boast that they are well versed in promotion and are familiar with its possibilities. Therefore, it is better to contact a specialist who will do everything in the best possible way.
Popular resources for selling things online
Don't know how to sell things online? On the Internet you can find a huge number of platforms for selling goods, each of them has its own characteristics. Let's look at the three most popular:
- Avito. A free site with excellent tools for selling different categories of goods (you can put up used items for sale), and there is also a large number of online stores. Even unregistered users can view ads, which is undoubtedly a plus. Selling things online on Avito is carried out through your personal account; therefore, you need to go through a simple registration procedure. Ads can be placed for free for 30 days, and there are also paid options for those who want to highlight their ad or raise it in search.
- Ebay. A global platform designed to sell completely different things, there are both private sellers and large corporations. A clear advantage of the resource is free registration, but you will have to pay for each product displayed, which is an obstacle for some.
- "Meshok.ru". A platform that provides the opportunity to put goods up for auction completely free of charge. The seller must register on the site, add high-quality photographs and a description of the product. According to the rules of the site, for each successful transaction the user must pay the owners of the resource 2-3% of the price of the goods sold.
Selling products online through social networks
Selling goods through VKontakte is very easy and simple. An online store is created for free; you can quickly create product catalogs and upload photos there. In addition, the owners of the VKontakte website are interested in attracting new users, so the seller has all the conditions for work. It is possible to attract customers for free by sending a friend request and sending personal messages inviting them to visit your online store. You can also conduct advertising campaigns, although in this case you will have to spend a certain amount.
So what do you need to sell things online and how to open a VKontakte store? It's quite simple. Many people create a resource on social media. networks parallel to the site, although at first, if you have a large number of friends, you can limit yourself to the VKontakte platform. For successful sales, you need to pay great attention to SEO promotion, filling the page with content and increasing the number of subscribers. If you doubt your abilities or are not ready to devote a lot of time to social networks, you can hire a freelance administrator.
How to work with the VKontakte service
- Registration.
- Creation of an online store.
- Filling the page with products and content.
- Conducting an advertising campaign.
- Working with clients (carrying out promotions, stimulating repeat purchases).
The main attracting factors for buyers are price and assortment. Selling clothes online is a responsible business, but if you try and thoroughly fill out the catalog and offer the client a favorable price, he will undoubtedly prefer to make a purchase from you. To attract the target audience, it is recommended to use hashtags (#sale, #obnova, etc.); many buyers use them to find the right product.
Working with social networks, it is important to start building a base of regular customers from the very beginning, to do everything to ensure that selling clothes via the Internet is profitable, and that customers are satisfied and come back to you again. How to attract a buyer:
- Help in choosing color, size, style, etc.
- Placing in catalogs not only photographs, but also videos for maximum demonstration of the product.
- Using special programs for virtual selection of clothes.
- Possibility of online communication with the seller.
Payment system
The next point is to open an account in a payment system convenient for both the buyer and the seller. When opening an account in a Russian bank, the seller will immediately be faced with the issue of taxes, which will reduce all the advantages of selling online to nothing. An account in a foreign bank will save the seller from paying taxes, but buyers will not transfer funds there. The question arises: what to do? The best option is to pay for orders from an electronic wallet account; the system is not yet controlled by the tax authorities. Of course, not everyone has opened electronic accounts yet, but every day this payment method is gaining popularity.
Capital investment: 60,000 rubles
Payback: from 3-6 months
The field of online trading has emerged relatively recently.
But it is developing so rapidly that every second entrepreneur has a question: how to open an online store yourself.
For some, this is an additional tool for an existing business that allows them to sell more.
And others are only interested in online sales.
To organize your website, you will need step-by-step instructions, which you will find in the article.
Here is what you need to know to create an online store.
“Pros and cons” of the idea of opening an online store?
It’s worth starting with what advantages an online store has:
- The buyer can quickly and conveniently find the goods he needs.
- Registration tools allow you to collect a customer base.
- Online stores do not have weekends, so customers can view and choose products whenever they want.
- You don't need to pay utility bills or have a large staff.
This allows us to reduce prices for buyers.
But the online store has not only advantages, but also disadvantages:
- You can't do something cheap and good at the same time.
In order for the store to generate normal income, you need to invest money by creating a website.
And also regularly invest in development. - If the sale takes place through dropshipping, customers may be sent products of poor quality.
And you will have to answer for the disadvantages.
How to open a successful online store: studying the market situation
Based on the current situation in the industry, we can conclude that online business has ideal prospects for development.
Not long ago, the number of buyers was low, as was the level of Internet use in general.
People were afraid to buy anything online.
And now the average level of spending is approaching the European level.
These advantages have become especially pronounced in the last 3-5 years.
But the growing popularity of trading has also created some disadvantages. The main one is the high level of competition, which is constantly growing.
Therefore, entrepreneurs have to thoughtfully approach the decision in which niche to register their own store.
What online store is profitable to open?
Before looking for suppliers, employees and deciding on capital investments, decide the main thing - which online store is better to open.
Managing the business process and most of the subtleties depend on what you will be selling.
To open an online store, analyze the needs of the population in the region.
For example, there is a high demand for clothes for miniature dogs in Moscow, but so is the level of competition.
But in the outback there will be practically no business development with such a specific product.
Unless, of course, you aim to sell goods to other regions, forcing customers to overpay delivery services.
You can get this information and find new ideas using the Yandex.Wordstat service.
Coverage of the chosen niche.
Choose the “golden mean”.
If the niche is too broad, you can waste your budget, and you also need to add high competition to the disadvantages.
If it is narrow, the demand for services will be low.
Competition.
This parameter is so important that it is worth a separate analysis.
The higher the competition, the more difficult it is for a young entrepreneur to start a business.
But if there are few competitors in the chosen field or, in general, no one else provides services, it is worth considering: is this in demand at all?
Growth trends.
You can track step-by-step changes in the level of demand over a certain period in order to predict the development of demand in the future.
You need to understand: the demand is short-term or implies conditions for selling in the future.
What is the name of the online store?
If the ideas for the product that the store will sell are determined, you can start creating a plan and ordering a website from developers.
But in order to register a domain name, develop your own design and draw up documents, you need to come up with a name!
Here are some tips to help you decide:
- The most popular option, what to call it, is to play up the products that you will sell.
The advantage of this idea is that customers will remember the name better.
The disadvantage is that it will be difficult to remain original. - If you plan to sell products only for a certain region, indicate this in the title.
For example, products for animals can be called “MoscowZoo”. - If your own supply of options is exhausted, turn to friends or freelancers for help.
They will offer you several options from which you can choose the best one.
In the first case, you can get a great title for free.
But ideas from professional namers will cost money.
How to register an online store?
“The Internet does not change business models, it can only provide new powerful tools to existing ones.”
Doug Devos
A question that worries many individual entrepreneurs is what documents are needed for an online store?
Moreover, novice entrepreneurs, for whom this will be the first type of activity, do not even know whether they need to open an individual entrepreneur for an online store or whether it is better to opt for an LLC.
Both of these ideas have both disadvantages and advantages.
So you have to make your own decision on this matter.
- Registering an individual entrepreneur is simple, quick and affordable.
That's why this option is more popular.
But at the same time, the entrepreneur assumes all his risk, or rather, his own property. - If you are focused on providing services to ordinary customers, an individual entrepreneur is also preferable and more convenient.
- If you are planning to create your own store for wholesale trading and work with organizations, it is better to choose an LLC.
In addition, what documents are needed to open your own store, there is a question about tax payments.
There are several possible answers to this:
- Tax deductions from sales of individual entrepreneurs based on the chosen taxation scheme.
- Individual entrepreneurs pay tax for property, as well as transport, if any.
For example, if the premises are not owned but rented, the tax entrepreneur does not have to pay anything. - Contributions will also need to be made to insurance funds.
It is worth considering that even if an entrepreneur works from home and runs his website without the involvement of specialists, tax deductions will need to be made in any case.
And even more so if you run a wholesale business.
What do you need to open an online store?
To open your own store you don’t need much:
- Correctly executed documents for activities (which documents are described above).
- Hosting, domain name and website.
Some business ideas can be implemented without your own resource.
For example, selling goods through Avito.
This allows you to save money and test the demand for certain product categories.
But if you are planning to conduct serious business, and especially to open a wholesale business, Avito is absolutely not suitable. - Employees.
As mentioned above, you can trade in a simplified format - through Avito, social networks.
In this case, you are unlikely to need assistants.
But if you have opened a serious business and are running a website, you will definitely need several assistants.
The staff may include couriers, administrators, and call center operators.
The number of employees depends only on how much work is planned to be covered.
More detailed coverage of the idea of working without employees, and instructions for recruiting staff below.
Is it worth opening an online store without employees?
In addition to the option of opening a business using Avito, you will definitely need the help of hired employees.What is each position needed for?
Manager.
Typically, the duties are performed by the owner of an online store, who has maximum authority and knowledge of the business, which cannot be expected from an outsider.
This person controls documents, product deliveries, invoices and all payments.
Administrator.
Responsible for working with clients, which should not be done by a manager who may overload himself and not pay due attention to communications.
But this is the basis of prosperity!
The more comfortable people feel when shopping, the more actively they will replenish their account with their own funds.
If you sell small goods and in small quantities, for which there is no point in hiring a courier, deliver them yourself. Or use the services of outsourced delivery services.
But regarding large outlets, the opinion is indisputable - you cannot do without couriers.
This will be more reliable and more prestigious than constantly going “outside.”
If documents for the activities of individual entrepreneurs are drawn up regardless of the volume of expected work, then the number of staff will change.
A visual comparison is presented in the table:
| Online store size | Characteristic | State |
|---|---|---|
| Small | New online store, orders are just starting to arrive | Administrator, courier (hired outsourcing service), IT specialist (hired outsourcing service). |
| Average | It has been operating for some time, orders are becoming stable, but the account receives a small or average profit | Administrator, storekeeper (maintains documents for receiving and dispatching products), courier. |
| Big | A successful online store that makes big profits, has regular customers and orders | Director, administrator, storekeeper, couriers - from two people (by car). If the goods are small, it is acceptable to use a scooter or bicycle for delivery. |
How to make an online store: payment methods
One of the important points that is also worth thinking about separately is the ways in which the money of online store buyers will be deposited into the account.According to statistics, in the CIS countries people still prefer paying in cash when receiving goods.
Firstly, they find it more convenient and reliable than entering payment information on third-party sites.
And secondly, because the level of trust in online stores is not yet at the highest level.
But still, the industry is developing quickly, and customers are getting used to paying for purchases immediately, before receiving them.
Many stores do not provide a choice at all because they work on prepayment with suppliers and cannot order goods until they receive money for it in their account.
Also, the prepayment system is very relevant for gift shops.
So when you decide to open an online store, it is important to immediately think through several payment options for customers.
The more of them there are, as practice shows, the more people will make a deal with you.
How to open an online store from scratch: promotion secrets
It is important not only to understand how to open an online store, but also to use at least several ways to promote it.
- If you decide to trade via the Avito online auction (for example, sell original gifts from AliExpress), use internal ad promotion tools.
It is especially effective to do this on weekends - it is on these days that the percentage of attendance increases. - If an online store has its own website, it is important to optimize it.
Unlike the first option, paying attention to the resource only on weekends is not enough.
Especially in the case when you decide “I want to do wholesale trading.”
However, for this work you can also hire specialists who will do it themselves.
They can promote the site, add content to it, and coordinate feedback through comments. - Opinions differ about the best tools for promoting an online store.
But most often the leader is the option with contextual advertising.
It is particularly expensive, however, it is tailored specifically to user needs.
So an advertisement for an online gift store, for example, will be shown only to those who entered “I want *products*” into the search or visited the relevant sites.
The same cannot be said about other types of advertising on the Internet.
This is especially true if you are interested in a wholesale business. - The packaging of goods is also of great importance.
At a minimum, you should include your business card with every purchase.
Ideally, have boxes and bags with a company logo and name.
Expensive and exclusive products need to be “presented” accordingly - in a designer, thoughtful wrapper.
Especially considering that they are often ordered as gifts.
How much does it cost to open an online store?
What you need to create an online store and how much it will cost to start a business for an individual entrepreneur depends on what kind of online store you decide to organize.Below is only an approximate step-by-step instruction for creating a point.
I want to open an online store: investments to start a business
These are only approximate figures, because if you organize everything from start to finish on your own, it will be free of charge.
How much does it cost to develop an online store?
It is important not only how to open an online store correctly, but also that individual entrepreneurs need to invest money in its promotion.
If you can open a business for free, then development without investment will move too slowly.
What points should you pay special attention to?
when creating your online store,
watch in the video:
Payback of the idea of opening an online store
Whether it is profitable to open an online store and how the investment will pay off can only be said when a specific business plan has been drawn up for the chosen idea.For example, if you purchased original gifts for an online store and competently approached their implementation, in a period of 4-6 months you will recoup your investment and begin to receive a net profit.
But if you trade through Avito without investing in development at all, you will receive a profit immediately after each transaction - in the amount of the markup made.
The only thing we can say for sure is that opening an online store is not a decision that will bring in money without effort.
Behind every success comes hard work and this industry is no exception.
This article provides instructions not only on how to how to make an online store from scratch, but also how to properly promote it.
After all, just creating a website is not enough to sell.
But armed with the above data, all you have to do is select the ideas that interest you, analyze which of them can be successfully implemented, and start working.
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Over time, regular (offline) stores become less popular and inconvenient for customers. Many products can be purchased easily and effortlessly online. This article will discuss how to open (create) your own online store.
If you are looking for new channels for selling products, want to expand your business, make it more in demand, then you should read this article on the site to the end. It will certainly answer all the questions you have and, perhaps, will become a reference book for your new one.
From this article you will learn:
- Why and for what purpose is an online store needed;
- What you need to know before opening your online store;
- How to open an online store and promote it online;
- Which is better to choose a designer (or engine) to create an online store for free yourself from scratch.
Step-by-step instructions for opening an online store
1. Why do you need an online store - the main advantages of IM for the seller and the buyer + a real example of a successful online store 💻
Could this be a new trend in trading? Or is it fashionable? An online store is another tool for successful trading.
Everything is like in a regular store: purchasing goods at a wholesale price, selling at a retail price (wholesale + your margin), the goods are displayed on the display, a client comes, makes a purchase, you receive income. The online store expands its sales channels.
The advantages of an online store are on the surface, although they are not clear to many. All stages of trade are carried out at the lowest cost:
- An online showcase allows customers to see your product, evaluate the range of products offered, thereby encouraging the buyer to make a purchase.
- A database of current and potential clients is easily formed.
- Your store is open at any time of the day (+ on weekends), regardless of weather and other factors. Also, at any time, the client will be able to receive advice on the packaging of the product, its price, and other aspects. At the same time no need to pay: rent of retail space, utilities, which can be the lion's share of your profit. You are relaxing, and the store is working. Dream.
- There is no need to keep many employees and pay them wages. The online store itself demonstrates the product, provides information about it, and accepts orders.
- Such a store is more competitive, because it is more convenient and comfortable for customers in terms of service.
To make it more specific, we present example of a successful online store.
Example:
The small equipment store is open and operating in city A. Suppliers are located in city B. Order fulfillment time for store customers up to 3 days. In this case, the delivery time for goods from suppliers is 1 day.
Thus, the need to maintain a warehouse for storing goods disappears, which means there are no costs for storage space.
Online store operation scheme
1. A potential buyer visits the website and selects the equipment he needs at a competitive price.
An acceptable price is ensured by a minimum markup on the wholesale price of suppliers.
2. After the client has placed an order on the website, the store employee (or the owner himself) orders the required product from the supplier (in city B).
3. The next day the goods are already in city A, where it is successfully delivered to the buyer, perhaps even earlier than the agreed three-day period.
As a result, the buyer is satisfied, and the store made its profit.
2. Useful information for those who intend to open their own online store 📌
If you've chosen to sell online as a way to start or expand your business, keep in mind that not so simple . It may seem that everything is extremely simple: you create a website for trading, make a virtual showcase with goods, and then the money just drips into your account.
In fact, as in any activity, it is necessary to invest certain funds and efforts to get started.
Undoubtedly, selling online has its advantages and disadvantages. Let's look at them.
2.1. Positive (+) and negative (-) aspects of opening an online store in comparison with a traditional offline store
Comparison table Online store VS regular store
Offline store
A regular store has the following advantages ( + ):
- + the possibility of tactile and visual assessment of the product, i.e. you can touch, smell, test the products;
- + the presence of higher customer confidence (due to the fact that the buyer has the opportunity to check the quality of the product before purchasing it).
However, a traditional store has its disadvantages ( — ):
- — the difficulty of starting a business due to high capital investments (renting premises, purchasing necessary equipment, operating expenses) - approximately 10 times more compared to an online store;
- — high monthly expenses (the same rent, utility bills, employee salaries, etc.) – 2-3 times above the online store.
Online store
Opening an online store has a number of advantages ( + ):
- + the need for relatively small initial investments in the business (due to the absence of a number of costs, for example, rental of retail and warehouse premises, electricity);
- + efficiency (mobility) of management;
- + a minimum number of administrative checks and control by government bodies;
- + a more affordable price, which is due to the absence of a number of costs to support activities.
Flaws ( — ) online store:
- — low customer confidence in new stores (stores have to achieve it for months or even years);
- — a decrease in the share of customers due to the lack of ability to check the quality of a product before purchasing it.
I would like to point out that the disadvantages of an online store are ambiguous. If the store establishes itself well and works honestly and conscientiously with its customers, then these shortcomings will be avoided.
The best examples are stores such as "ozon.ru" or zappos.com who have managed to gain the trust of customers through hard work and minimizing the negative aspects of work.
2.2. 3 ways to open an online store
The choice of how to open a store depends on your knowledge of modern technology and the desire to acquire this knowledge, as well as on the financial resources that you can allocate for the store.
So, there are three main ways to open an online store:
Method number 1. Independent work
As part of the implementation of this method, all technical aspects fall on your shoulders.
So you will have to choose hosting, domain, install CMS, make its settings, and you will also be in charge of the current settings.
Are you ready for such a load? Is your knowledge sufficient for high-quality implementation of the project?
There is only one comfort– costs are kept to a minimum.
Method number 2. Platforms and constructors
Platforms are special automated services that facilitate the technical side of creating a store. They make it easy to fill your store with images and information.
Working with platforms, in comparison with independent work, is much simpler from the technical side, but requires large financial costs.
Method No. 3. Web s tudii
With good funding, it is much easier to turn to special companies (studios) for help with creating an online store. All your requirements and wishes will be implemented in a ready-made store with individual design. True, the costs for the services of such companies will be approximately from 500-1000 dollars(+ costs for maintaining the site - from 100$/month.)
3. Which online store is better for a beginning entrepreneur to open ❔
To successfully run a business, an entrepreneur must clearly know the desired goals, navigate the field of activity of his store, and understand the subtleties of its specifics.
After analyzing information on the Internet regarding the activities of future competitors, you can plan the amount of work. What matters is the product that will be sold and the demand for it.
For a person new to this area, it is simply necessary to know the types of online stores, how they are classified, the options and directions of development of each of them. From the information received it is easier to draw professional conclusions and make management decisions.
3.1. Types of online stores - specifics and advantages
All online stores vary in type of classification. Here are the main ones:
- By sales volume.
- By product range.
- According to the method of trading.
Based on sales volume, all online stores can be divided into two groups:
- Retail. Such stores sell products in small quantities ( up to 5 pieces). Depending on the product and its quantity in one order for the buyer, the price fluctuates from 100 to 10 thousand rubles.
- Wholesale. Such stores sell products in batches from 5 pieces or more. The unit price is set lower than retail. The total purchase cost may be from 500 rubles to half a million rubles. In wholesale stores, the lower price is compensated by higher sales volumes. Buyers of wholesale stores can further sell goods at a higher price, setting their own terms of sale.
Depending on the product range, there are two types of stores:
- Mono-product (“Landing”) . Stores whose website consists of only one landing page ( Landing page). Read also the article: "". Such stores are aimed at selling an exclusive one product. For such sites, its content is important: high-quality photos of products, detailed and correct descriptions. Working with the site is not difficult, because there is no need to update catalogs and assortment. The profit from the sale of goods is individual and quite high, starting from 50% and reaching 1000 % for certain products.
- Catalog sites (showcase sites) . Many catalogs are created on such sites, new products are regularly added, and collections are updated. Employees of such an online store regularly monitor the movement of goods, their availability, assortment, price changes and other content of the site. The markup is generally minimal, and the store receives a profit due to sales volume.
It is worth noting that the second type of store is more acceptable for work. It gives the buyer the opportunity to choose, thereby keeping him on the site for a long time.
Based on the method of trading, the following areas are distinguished:
- Classic method. This is the most common form of trading. The site is filled with information about the products; at this time the products themselves are already in the organization’s warehouse. When ordering, products are transported from the warehouse to the buyer. For convenience, delivery times and product availability are announced.
- Dropshipping. In this case, the site is a showcase of goods. The principle of this form of trade is the absence of the actual presence of goods in a warehouse, or the absence of a warehouse at all. At the time of placing an order, the goods are located with suppliers, who may be located in another city or even state. The scheme is as follows: An order is placed on the website, then the necessary products are purchased from the supplier and then delivered to the buyer. The difference in prices is the profit of such a store. We have already written in more detail in one of our articles.
Now knowing what types of online stores exist, you need to determine which types your store will correspond to for each of the classification criteria.
3.2. Existing options for opening an online store: from scratch yourself (almost without investments) and with an investment of money
At the stage when the image of the future store is formed, it remains to solve the financial part of the issue, namely, how much money will be needed to start such a business.
There are two directions depending on the volume of investment:
- Opening an online store from scratch, i.e. with minimal investment;
- Opening an IM with certain attachments.
Option #1. Opening an online store from scratch(with minimal cash investment)
The first option is suitable for those who sell a single product. As part of the minimum expenditure, you need to create a website for the company yourself, and you will also need to place advertising.
In practice, the approximate cost of opening a store will be from 100 to 200 dollars.
You will need to find a special service on the Internet that will help you open a trading platform. They are paid and free, of course, and the functionality corresponds to the price. When working with a landing page (selling one product), creating a store website will take a couple of days.
Option #2. Opening an online store with financial investments
In the second option, when cash financing is needed, everything depends on the amount of financing.
If you have several thousand dollars or more, you can already talk about the scale of the project. At the same time, you can count on placing a huge range of products, creating a team of specialists, and working with a large volume of products.
If you don’t have that amount, then you can realistically invest in one thousand dollars. However, it is worth paying special attention to planning, and then the effectiveness of the site, the availability of orders and the flow of profits are guaranteed.
The main cost items are rationally distributed as follows:
- Creation of the site, its content, ongoing work with the site - up to 1500–4000 dollars.
- Keeping records in the 1C system – up to 140-200 dollars.
- Purchase of products – up to 1500 dollars.
- Advertising – from 40 dollars every month.
Note that each given cost can be reduced to zero, subject to independent implementation of the corresponding item. And the cost of each item is determined individually, depending on the capabilities and knowledge of the owner of the online store.
3.3. What is profitable to sell in an online store now - the best-selling products on the Internet
Not every product will find demand on the Internet. When creating a new business, it is very important to choose the most popular line of trade online. When expanding an existing one, think about whether sales via the Internet will bring the planned profit or will only increase costs.
The most popular product sold in online stores is these are books. Why? Yes, because when buying books, buyers have no doubts about the quality of the product and its content. Consequently, the level of trust in online bookstores is the highest.
A fairly high level of sales is observed in household appliances, computers and software for them, cosmetics, and perfumes.
Slightly lower demand is for the sale of household goods, clothing and shoes, children's goods, hotel and ticket booking services, and the sale of music and videos.
4. How to open an online store from scratch - step-by-step instructions 📝
When all thoughts and ideas about the future business have been formed, it’s time to move on to actions to translate all the accumulated ideas into reality. To do this you need to go through 7 basic technology steps for opening an online store.
How to create (open) an online store yourself for free 💡 - 7 basic steps
Step #1. Selection of products for sale
Having already considered which products are most profitable to sell in an online store, you need to make a choice for your store. This first step lays the foundation for all your future activities, so it is very important.
To implement it, first of all, it is worth evaluate the potential market, study the activities of competitors, determine the presence of free market niches.
Some are trying to take what might seem to be the simplest route and enter the market with a new product. At first glance, this gives good prospects due to the lack of competition, but if we take into account all the factors, it turns out that there are no sales markets at all, and competitors will appear in the future.
Least risky option – selling products that have already proven themselves, but which are difficult to find in a regular store. Trends in such markets are easy to track and predict.
After selecting a product, decide on suppliers. To do this, you need to study their price offers, reputation, and terms of cooperation.
When choosing suppliers, you should not focus on just one; you should always work to find new cooperation on more favorable terms
Step #2. Creation of a sales website
As the famous proverb says, “You meet people by their clothes.” The website is the “clothes” of your store, and the profitability of your business directly depends on its quality.
An important aspect is site name, i.e. his domain . It should be easy to remember and reflect the essence of the store’s product. After choosing a site name, you should choose a site content management system ( CMS ).
CMS can be paid or free. The most popular and functional among free "OpenCart" and "PrestaShop".
To install them, you need to go to the official website of the system and download the download file as an archive. Next, following the step-by-step instructions from any search engine, you need to install the CMS on your hosting.
When creating a website and shaping its design, it is desirable to make it more informative and at the same time simpler for users. This is the key to site traffic.
Step #3. Organization of the functioning of a new store
The next step is to register your organization. Here you also need to decide: register as individual entrepreneur (IP), or register a full legal entity.
2) SEO – promotion of an online store in search engines
The bottom line is that the site occupies top positions in the most popular search engines for given key phrases and words.
Advantages (+):
- cheaper cost with proper promotion (for the long term);
- greater trust among buyers in search results than, for example, in contextual advertising;
- There is no fee for clicks, payment is only charged for optimization.
Flaws (- ):
- long period of obtaining results (from three months);
- risk of failure - it is impossible to guarantee that the site will be in the top of the search engine;
- it takes too much time to change key phrases (for example, in the case of introducing a new product).
3) ICD – media-contextual banner
Advantages (+):
- attractiveness – the banner is more dynamic, creative, bright;
- singularity – there is always only one ICD on the search results page;
- setting up filters: display by region, specific user;
- contains contact information, which is prohibited in contextual advertising.
Flaws (- ):
- payment is taken for impressions, ICD does not guarantee going to the store website;
- it is impossible to plan the costs of ICD, For example, buying 5,000 impressions can be used up in either a week or several months.
Method 2. Promotion using search and selection systems
This method is implemented thanks to the presence of such trading platforms for selecting and comparing products as:
- market.yandex.ru;
- price.ru;
- torg.mail.ru;
- yourmart.ru and other similar services.
Often, payment is charged for going to the advertiser's website, although there is also a set fee for one product.
The advantage of such promotion is the trust of buyers in sites of this kind.
Method 3. Advertising in thematic and regional Internet resources
This promotion option is ideal for new products on the market with undeveloped demand. Thanks to placement on thematic resources, information about the product is received by those who are interested in it.
If the sale of your product is limited geographically, then it is worth advertising it on regional websites that are regularly visited by residents of this region.
Among these resources are:
- forums,
- blogs,
- city portals,
- sites of city attractions,
- regional news sites.
Method 4. Social networks
Social media- a very large space for placing advertising information, where many people spend almost all their free time. For them, this is not only an entertainment portal, but also a source of almost all information. This is its own separate world, which has its own blogs, forums, news pages, etc.
There are several variations of promoting an online store on social networks:
- Group. A separate group is created, which is filled with the proposed goods with their photos and descriptions, and potential buyers are invited.
- Aggressive. Finding buyers by searching and posting information about a product on their wall or sending a personal message with product offers.
- Advertising. Advertising on social networks is much easier, because they know almost everything about their users. As a result, advertising messages are seen by the selected target audience.
The disadvantage of such promotion is that its effectiveness is much lower than in search engines. This is due to the fact that users focus their attention on the main content of social networks, and not on advertising units.
Method 5. Promotion through sites that provide discount coupons
If you have a product that you can really get a big discount on, you can use this method to promote your online store.
Such sites, groupons, charge a fee of from 25 to 50% from turnover. You gain fame for the trading site, as well as an expansion of your customer base.
There are a very large number of Groupons, here are the most popular:
- groupon.ru,
- vigoda.ru,
- biglion.ru.
Method 6. Using affiliate programs
Affiliate programs are profitable only if there are mutual recommendations, as well as maintaining a common client base. Then such cooperation is free and motivated.
Method 7. Sending by email
This does not mean sending standard spam to everyone, but sending emails only to interested users, perhaps from your customer base. Then such letters will not cause irritability of users, but interest.
An additional incentive may be to provide a small discount ( around 5 %) if customers follow the link from the email and make a purchase.
Method 8. Non-standard advertising
Questions and answers on opening, creating, promoting an online store
7. The most popular questions from beginners about opening a new online store
For a more complete disclosure of this topic, we note the most frequently asked questions among the creators of their online store. So, let's go!
Question No. 1: When opening a store online, what is the first thing you need to do? Which products sell best?
First of all, it is necessary to decide on the product being sold and evaluate its market niche, competitiveness, and think through a business plan.
Question No. 2: How much does it cost to open an online store and what expenses will you have to incur?
The cost depends on the scale of the project, the number of goods sold, and sales volumes.
In principle, you can count on a minimum budget, while having the necessary knowledge and skills.
In general, the average start-up budget for an online store varies from 500 to 1000 dollars.
Question No. 3: Please list the main engines (designers) that will help you create an online store for free yourself “from scratch”
Most common engines(CMS website content management systems):
- "PrestaShop";
- "OpenCart";
- "Joomla" + "Virtuemart".
Their popularity is due to the best combination of functionality, simplicity, accessibility, and they are absolutely free.
Designers with Russian-language control interface(options that are necessary specifically for online stores were taken into account):
- "Insales.ru";
- "Ucoz.ru";
- "Shop-script";
- "Umi.ru";
- "Storeland.ru";
- "Malle.ru" and others.
Question No. 4: What should be done if there is no money to open a store at all? What are the ways to solve this problem?
It is better to postpone opening a store until you have accumulated the necessary funds.
There is no way to spend absolutely nothing to start, and using borrowed funds is quite risky.
Question No. 5: What do you recommend for a start if there is funding, but there are time restrictions?
It’s as easy as shelling pears – contact specialized companies. They will do all the work for you, as they say, “turnkey”.
Also take advantage of popular and effective services to increase sales and/or online promotion. For example, connecting to the service "".
Question No. 6: Where can I buy and sell an online store?
Contact one of the main platforms for buying (selling) stores:
- "BusinessesForSale"— section “Online stores”;
- "Forum Turnover" — section “Attracting investments”;
- "Avito .ru" — type of business in the “online stores” drop-down list;
- "Bizzona .ru" ;
- "Biztorg .ru" — category "Online stores";
- "Telderi.ru" - exchange of websites and domains (online stores are also sold)
You can also use the services of brokers:
- "Altera Invest t" ;
- "Capital Invest" ;
- "Re:saleExpert" ;
- BaysWater;
- "Scania Invest" ;
- "FirstRealty" .
P.S. You can also leave your reviews about the companies listed above in the comments at the end of the article.
8. Conclusion + video on the topic
Opening any business, including an online store, is a very labor-intensive but entertaining process. He demands special skills and knowledge, without which you will need to spend quite a lot of time to obtain them.
However, opening a store online also has advantages. Significant advantages:
- relatively low financial costs;
- trading platform – virtual;
- It is possible to work without intermediaries, i.e. with the manufacturer's warehouse.
In any case, to achieve your goal, it is enough to purposefully move according to the described scheme, correctly estimate the amount of expenses, and plan a budget. It’s possible to open an online store even without experience, practically from scratch.
Are you thinking about starting your own business? Great! We will tell you step by step how to open an online store from scratch with examples and additional materials.
Online trading is suitable both for those who are testing themselves as entrepreneurs for the first time, and for those who already have business experience behind them. Creating an online store can be divided into several steps:
Step 1: Choosing a niche - deciding what to sell in the online store
This is the most critical stage. The success of the entire enterprise as a whole depends on what you trade. There are two nuances here: if you choose a popular direction, you will not be left without profit, but you will get crowds of teeth-clicking competitors who have long been firmly established in the market. Choose a little-known or new direction - there will be almost no competitors, but you will have to invest in advertising to popularize your product on the market. So think about it.
True, there are several loopholes. If you choose the first method, choose a narrow topic. For example, not women's clothing in general, but specifically dresses. Yes, not simple ones, but, say, handmade. This way you will attract more clients. The second loophole - if your budget does not include advertising costs, use the social direction. Activate word of mouth, give bonuses and discounts for good reviews - in a word, make people talk about your store.
You’ve chosen a niche - great, now check whether these products are in demand.
For example, now hardly anyone will be interested in spinners, but just recently they were incredibly popular. The Yandex.Wordstat service will help determine the volume of demand.- enter a query and see how often it was typed in search engines. You can also look at statistics for a specific region (this will help you understand which city to focus on and why) and time. Let's say seasonal products sell best during the peak season, the rest of the time the number of requests drops.
The most popular niches in which online stores are usually opened:
Read also:
- Single product store: advantages and disadvantages, sales tips.
Step 2: Studying the target audience - target audience
Today we are in the center of an information revolution, the likes of which have never been known to mankind: the number of network users is 3.7 billion people and is constantly growing. At the same time, the scale of online trading is growing. For example, 90% of villagers in southern China are involved, presenting their products on various online platforms. Online trading is also of interest to Russian entrepreneurs, who often ask whether it is necessary to open an individual entrepreneur for an online store. Let's try to understand this issue.
Is it possible to open an online store without registration?
Selling goods through an online store implies financial benefits, regardless of whether the citizen is engaged in repurchasing goods or running an affiliate program.
According to current legislation, to conduct activities in the field of online trading, you must register as an individual entrepreneur or as a legal entity.
That is, an individual entrepreneur can open an online store, but activities without appropriate registration will be illegal.
Let us note that, according to experts in the field of online sales, about 90% of chain stores engage in trade without notifying the tax authorities. However, if the authorities discover such an illegal store - and it is not at all difficult to find it - the person who opened it will be held accountable before the law.
Newcomers to the business world are also interested in whether it is necessary to register an individual entrepreneur for the VKontakte online store, and the answer to this question is clear: if a group on the site created with a social network account begins to consistently generate profits and performs the functions of an online store, then registration is simply necessary.
Selling online without registration
You should know that there are situations where formal registration of network sales is not necessary. For example, if a person sells goods or services on the Internet a couple of times a year, but these actions are not systematic: say, they put on the site an unnecessary piece of furniture, an old TV, or a boring coat.
Another example would be the sale of goods at prices below cost or purchase prices in cases where the purchased goods were not suitable for some reason. In such a situation, the seller does not actually make a profit.
Both situations described do not fall under the definition of entrepreneurial activity, and therefore do not require official registration. However, an online store is a completely different case; it is just systematic sales at a price favorable to the seller.
Reasons entrepreneurs do not want to register
There are a number of reasons why entrepreneurs do not want to formalize their business and prefer to operate in the shadows.
The main reason, as at any time, is taxes and fees, which may well make up a significant part of the profit of a new businessman. In 2019, a businessman will have to give at least 6% of profits to the state treasury, and sometimes more, depending on the tax regime.
A good reason is also the reluctance to keep records, prepare and submit reports to various funds, tax and supervisory authorities.
Consequences of doing business without registration
Since the state is interested in the official registration of any case in order to receive funds into the treasury, penalties for shadow entrepreneurs are noted in several regulations (articles of the Criminal Code, Tax Code of the Russian Federation, Code of Administrative Offenses).
According to the law, an online store without an individual entrepreneur, LLC or other method of organizing a business will entail the following sanctions:
- a fine of 500-2,000 rubles for lack of registration with the tax authorities;
- a fine of 2,000-2,500 rubles and confiscation of goods for lack of a license to sell (for example, tobacco products);
- punishment from 3,000 rubles fine to 6 months of arrest if there is income in large and especially large amounts (from 1.5 to 6 million rubles);
- a fine of up to 10% of total income (but not more than 40 thousand rubles) if the entrepreneur’s profit was recorded in the absence of registration.
It follows from this that losses in the event of illegal activities may exceed the income from its conduct. It is much more profitable for an entrepreneur to officially register his business than to hide from the consequences later. 
Choosing a form of ownership
It can be difficult for a novice entrepreneur to choose what is better for an online store – an individual entrepreneur or an LLC. It is definitely difficult to answer this, since both forms of management have their advantages and disadvantages.
An individual entrepreneur is an individual who can work without employees and independently manage revenue. Special tax regimes simplify reporting and reduce the tax burden.
A limited liability company is an organization - a legal entity - to open which you need authorized capital and at least 1 officially registered employee. As a founder, the owner of the business will receive income in the form of dividends no more often than once a quarter.
IP is easier to register and requires less costs. An LLC sounds more reputable; clients, banks and suppliers are more willing to cooperate with a legal entity. However, economists advise beginners in business to start with an individual entrepreneur, and then, if desired, change the form of business.
How to register an individual entrepreneur for an online store
To register an individual entrepreneurship, you need to go through the appropriate registration procedure with the Federal Tax Service at your place of registration or place of residence. There are several ways to open an individual business:
- Self-registration. From the point of view of experts, this is the preferred method, since it allows the future businessman to understand the essence of the work of government bodies.
- Registration through intermediaries. Often they are law firms or multifunctional centers.
- Online registration. This method is especially suitable for confident PC users who value their time.
Procedure for submitting documents
In order to register an individual entrepreneur for an online store with the Federal Tax Service, you will have to go through the necessary procedures and submit certain documents.
In particular, to register an individual entrepreneur you need:
The official website of the Federal Tax Service will help you see examples of document preparation, as well as learn more about the procedure for opening a business.
Choosing a tax system for an online store
- An important problem that beginning businessmen face is the choice of taxation regime, and therefore they are often interested in which taxation is better for an individual entrepreneur in an online store in retail and wholesale. The following options are possible for entrepreneurship in this area:
- general taxation system (OSNO);
- simplified system (STS);
- patent system.
Another convenient option is to obtain a patent for an individual entrepreneur’s online store for a period of up to 12 months.
Document flow for individual entrepreneurs in an online store
- Opening a current account is the first problem that an individual entrepreneur will face when he has just opened his online store and started receiving orders. Covering the issue briefly, we note that the main securities in this case are:
- USRIP record sheet;
- copy of the passport;
- if necessary, a license to operate.
The next thing that the future owner of an online store needs to pay attention to is tax reporting, the volume of which depends on the chosen taxation regime.
Any individual entrepreneur is required to register with the Pension Fund and pay contributions there, which means mandatory submission of documents to the Pension Fund. Contributions to this fund are not tied to the tax system. 
However, there are also certain benefits, for example, for people who have opened an online store, but are also caring for a child under 1.5 years old or a disabled person.
The owner of an online store is required to pay fees and report to insurance funds, such as the mandatory medical insurance funds (FFOMS) and social insurance funds (FSS).
Costs for registering an individual entrepreneur
Today, the cost of opening an individual entrepreneur varies from 800 to 5,000 rubles. It all depends on what additional services the entrepreneur is going to use.
Only the state duty is a mandatory payment. Everything else, be it money to open an account, a notarized power of attorney, or funds to make a seal, is optional.
What are the advantages of IP
Having figured out how to open an individual entrepreneur for an online store, let’s look at the advantages of this form of business. First of all, individual entrepreneurship does not require large financial costs at the initial stage of doing business.
Individual entrepreneurs are allowed simplified accounting. And most importantly, the entrepreneur can freely manage the funds in his bank account. This way of doing business is indeed preferable for new entrepreneurs who are planning to open their own online store.
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