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How to Start an E-commerce Business How to start your own e-commerce business in India? Know the basics before you start

By Sahil Dahiya

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

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The e-commerce business is seeing a new high in the growing digital era and it has become imperative to know how people can start their own e-commerce ventures. The more we speak of how the digital era and revolutions in the same are creating rage and taking every other industry by storm, the less we feel is spoken about it.

The reason is quite clear; because people and industries have realized how important today it is to bring businesses at the forefront by taking the help of the digital world so that they can reach more and more people across the globe and increase their popularity by maximizing all the tools and techniques of the online word.

This has resulted in the growth of many e-commerce businesses that have become the top trend of many industries today. Without the need for opening any brick and mortar store, e-commerce businesses have a lot of ease, flexibility, affordability, and the potential to make much more sales through the online business. Transferring goods, services and even money with the help of the internet have become very easy for everyone and the trend of the same has been on the rise for the past few years.

So, today let's get started by knowing how people can start their own e-commerce store and online business, knowing the many possibilities of growth and success it can offer.

• Start researching and discover the niche:

Without doing any proper research one can't know the current scenarios of the market; hence, it is essential to start with actual research work. After researching and understanding the bit, people must discover the niche and find a space where they think they can establish themselves and show their prowess to the world.

• Choose a business name and consult a legal professional:

The name one chooses defines them and their company; hence, proper attention must be given to choosing a creative and unique name, making them stand apart from others in a similar niche. They may also need to consult a legal professional who can help them with their business legal structure. Whether they go for a sole proprietorship, LLC or corporation, everything can be well-understood with the help of a legal professional, who can advise them with the best option.

• Select the e-commerce platform and create a unique website:

The most crucial decision in starting an e-commerce business is to choose an e-commerce platform. In developing an e-commerce store, significant attention must be given in selecting the e-commerce platform as it helps businesses to manage their website, inventory, sales, operations, and marketing, etc. This acts as an all-in-one software to take care of the management needs of their online store. The website is the face of the business and one must create a website that stands unique from others. It should be attractive enough, easier for people to understand, and also user-friendly for all.

• Source or list the products:

This is also one of the most crucial aspects of running an e-commerce store. People can either make their own products and choose to source them through distributors, or they can simply list out their products and services on their business website where they can sell their own products or services like a consultant. For listing the products too, people will have to describe them accurately and also develop them as it can get difficult for newcomers in the industry where they will have to look after almost all the processes keeping the inventory and selling. It will include the entire process of the e-commerce business, where they may also need to take care of the SEO, marketing, customer experiences, and the process of a customer purchase cycle.

• Go all out with marketing the online store and business:

Even after following the necessary steps until now to make the dream of an e-commerce business come to life by creating an online portal, the responsibilities of the online entrepreneur doesn't end here. In fact, here begins the real game. Setting up an e-commerce business comes with a list of things that people can follow and set it up, but developing the same online business is a different story altogether. This is where marketing comes into play. When the website is already up and running, to grow the same, one must efficiently market its e-commerce business.

A list of marketing strategies like social media ads, word of mouth, Google ads, and many other online marketing strategies and techniques can help online businesses to develop and reach nearer to their business goals. It is also essential to make use of the many online marketing tools like optimizing the website for SEO, content creation for the business website, etc. which can help in growing the online store too much higher levels. The changing trends of the industry will also make people adjust themselves to it by changing the marketing strategies as well, profiting the business in all ways possible.

The trend to start an e-commerce business has been and will continue to be on a rise as almost all the industries have resorted to doing work online and making optimal use of the revolutions of the digital world. More and more customers are turning to make purchases online and this has inspired many others to initiate their own online stores.

Sahil Dahiya

Entrepreneur and E-commerce Strategist

Sahil Dahiya is a serial entrepreneur and branding specialist. He also serves as a real estate investor and business consultant. He presently serves as the owner of The Brand Castle - Specialist in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Web Design & Development and more.

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