You want your online shop to be up and running as quickly as possible. For example, because your offline activities are temporarily at a standstill, or because there are opportunities online. What approach should you take? It is possible to have your online shop up and running within a week. We have developed a step-by-step plan to help you get started.
Step 1. Do you need an online shop?
Before setting up an online shop, you should ask yourself if you really need one. Do you want to compensate for a temporary loss of ‘offline’ income with online sales, but have no other digital plans? In that case, it might be wiser to join an existing platform, such as Bol.com, or a known ‘marketplace’ in your industry. You can sell your products through their channels for as long as you need to. Social networks are also a good way to promote your products online.
Are you planning to continue your online business activities – in part – online? Then setting up your own webshop is a strategic step. Discuss your ideas with other people before implementing them. Perhaps there are e-commerce experts in your network who can advise you. You can also contact an agency that specialises in webshops.
Step 2. Choose your software
Have you made up your mind to create your own online shop? Then you need to choose a software platform on which to install your shop. The ideal solution depends on your budget, the type of business, the target group and your ambitions. To summarise, there are three options:
A SaaS webshop
SaaS’ stands for ‘Software-as-a-Service’. In short, it means that you take out a subscription to use the software. This has many advantages. For example, if your webshop malfunctions, the platform is responsible for implementing the solution. This means that you do not need to call in a developer for technical issues.
A SaaS webshop can also be up and running quickly. The software is user-friendly and offers a variety of standard themes and modules that make it easy to configure your shop. Is your webshop growing, or do you need more flexibility? In this case, the cost of your subscription often increases. This makes a SaaS webshop less attractive in the long run. One of the best-known SaaS platforms is Shopify, which can also be easily integrated with your shipping tool thanks to the Shopify plug-in van DHL.
A platform plug-in
You can also go one step further, and opt for a platform like WordPress, with the WooCommerce plug-in. With such a solution, you can quickly build your webshop using standard elements. In addition, there are all sorts of plug-ins that allow you to tailor your shop to your needs. You may need the help of a WordPress specialist.
Tailor-made software
If you have big plans, you may want to consider using a complete e-commerce software package. Many online shops use Magento 2: a relatively “heavy” platform that allows you to go in all possible directions. A Magento online shop requires a little more technical knowledge than Shopify and WooCommerce, so it is not recommended to go it alone. For example, find a specialised agency to help you. Do you opt for a simple and basic version of Magento 2? In this case, your online shop can usually be up and running in no time.
Step 3. Choose a payment provider
You still have to make a choice: who will you entrust with your online payments? Your customers must of course be able to pay for their orders. You therefore need a Payment Service Provider. This is a third party that acts as a link between your online shop and payment services such as Bancontact/Mistercash, Maestro, credit cards or PayPal. Here is an overview of the different PSPs. Many banks also offer payment plug-ins for webshops. A PSP usually only needs a few hours to set up your payment system.
Step 4. Add shipping options to your online shop
You are almost finished. You still have to plan the delivery options. This is important, because customers are more likely to (continue to) shop with you if it is clear when and where they will receive their orders. As with the payment plug-in, integration with your online shop is easy. DHL has developed free plug-ins for, among others, WooCommerce, Magento and PrestaShop, allowing easy shipping with just a few clicks. Have you chosen another software platform? DHL also provides integrations for Shopify, OpenCart and CCV Shop.
Step 5. Put in place an effective behind-the-scenes process
Congratulations, all the essential elements of your online shop are now in place. The digital doors are now open for you! But remember: this is just the beginning. To ensure the success of your webshop, a rigorous internal process is essential. So make sure your orders are shipped as agreed. Communicate clearly to customers what they can expect, keep your webshop up to date and respond quickly to questions and comments online. This increases the chance that new customers will become repeat customers.
