How to set up an online shop properly!
If you want to be successful as an online retailer, you need a professional online shop first and foremost. These days, they can be created quickly and often offer the possibilities of a professional presence even in the simplest version. However, there are some important tasks that you need to complete and tips that you should follow.
We at YouSellWeSend have gained a lot of experience from our customers with over 150 shop connections and would like to help you to avoid making the same mistakes as many before you:
Legal matters
It sounds banal, but it’s incredibly important: if you want to build a professional business, set up a limited company. As a sole trader, you are personally liable with all your assets and, especially on the Internet, warnings and high costs can quickly arise. Of course, €25,000 is a lot of money, but there are many grants and aids available so that you can get this money together quickly. Another advantage is that you can use the money to work within your company and buy goods, for example. You can also get advice from institutions that can help you, such as the Chamber of Commerce.
General Terms and Conditions (AGB)
It is very important that you have your own T&Cs that customers can view online. The T&Cs form the basis for your business and therefore the legal framework for contracts with your customers. They must agree to your T&Cs during the purchase process. This is because you define the conditions for returns and the right of cancellation in these. There are many providers who can help you to write legally compliant terms and conditions. The Händlerbund, for example, can provide you with good support here.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
The GDPR – the protection of personal data – is a sensitive issue. This is not to be trifled with. The rules introduced in 2018 oblige you to handle customer data with care and to keep records of what you do with this data. You should always consult a data protection officer who will provide you with new requirements and help you avoid mistakes. There are of course many tips and tricks on the Internet, but it is better to be on the safe side. Non-compliance with or ignorance of the General Data Protection Regulation has already put a spanner in the works for many retailers.
Imprint
The legal notice is mandatory on every website and informs visitors to the digital offering who is responsible for the content provided. This is where your name appears and forms the basis for your visitor’s trust. It must include the following aspects:
- Full name
- address
- Telephone number and e-mail address
- Information on the legal form
- Register and register number (for an entry in a public register such as the commercial register)
- Supervisory authority
- Sales tax identification number
- For your GmbH: management or board of directors
Choose the right online shop
One thing is clear: there is no one right online shop. We can say that the following points should be taken into account when choosing an online shop:
- Who is my target group?
- How many different products do I sell?
- On which other marketplaces do I want to sell?
- Which payment provider do I choose?
- Which design do I like best?
- Which backend do I like best?
- Which advertising measures do I want to realise?
What advertising measures do I want to realise? The question of what the system will cost should always be asked at the end. Because it is important that you can start a successful business. To do this, you need the right shop to make this success possible.
The following shop systems have proven themselves with our customers:
There is an endless amount of information about these systems online. Many pages deal with the pros and cons, so you can quickly get a good overview of what suits your business.
The good thing about these solutions: You can usually use or test them free of charge.
You can use platforms such as Fiverr.com to find inexpensive and good web designers who will create your shop for little money. We at YouSellWeSend will be happy to advise you directly or create a shop system for you ourselves. The connection to these shop systems is very quick and easy to implement at YouSellWesend, so that you can start immediately.
Setting up the online shop
Of course, a professional appearance is important. Your products are the centrepiece of this presence! Take the time to create good product images and helpful, informative, descriptive texts. Not only the customer will see these, but also Google. If your products cannot be found via Google, your growth targets will quickly be nipped in the bud.
If a potential customer wants to buy one of your products, you should make the payment process as simple and trustworthy as possible. Otherwise, many customers will drop out if it is too complicated or dubious.
It is best to use a proven payment processing service provider such as Payone, billpay or Heidelpay right from the start. Then you can offer all important payment methods and create trust. Payments via PayPal or credit card are among the fastest and most convenient options for customers. PayPal has established itself as the largest provider of electronic payments in recent years and offers customers both fast payment and buyer protection. However, the merchant incurs fees per transaction, which you should take into account in your calculation.
After the customer has purchased the goods, it is important to inform them when they can expect to receive the goods. With YouSellWeSend, as soon as the parcel has been packed, you receive the corresponding consignment number and can make this available to your customer by email. A certain degree of transparency or insight into what happens to a customer’s order after they have completed their purchase gives them a better buying experience and they will be happy to use your online shop again in the future.
The right fulfilment service provider
Choosing the right fulfilment provider is important for every online retailer. Fulfilment providers can help you manage your inventory, process returns and deliver orders on time.
When looking for the right fulfilment partner, you should ask yourself the following questions in advance: If you are looking for a fulfilment partner for your e-commerce shop or startup, you should consider the following factors:
- Is there an interface to your online shop?
- How many warehouse locations does the provider have?
- Does the service provider provide interfaces to the marketplaces on which the retailer wants to sell?
- Does the service provider provide interfaces to the CEP service providers (DHL, Hermes, DPD, GLS…) through which the retailer wishes to ship?
- Does the service provider provide the packaging material?
- Can the service provider also handle returns?
Offer customer service
To make your customers’ shopping experience even more positive, offer the best possible customer service. This starts with clearly displaying your availability on the website and not hiding it somewhere. Be sure to set up an FAQ (frequently asked questions). This is where you collect all the information that could be important for customers so that they don’t have to call or write to you in the first place. After all, even customers don’t feel like phoning and are grateful if they can help themselves quickly.
Returns
Returns are an important factor in your calculation. Returns lead to high costs. It is therefore important to avoid disappointing purchases and therefore unnecessary returns. Our recommendations:
- Take realistic and, if possible, true-colour pictures of your products and describe them truthfully and in sufficient detail. Don’t create false expectations just to sell the product. Your customer will be very disappointed and will probably not only return the product but also give it a bad rating.
- Any product may be returned within 14 days without giving a reason. But you define the conditions for this: Let customers contact you if they want to return something and use this contact to find out what the reason is. This also gives you the chance to offer the customer a voucher or the product in a different colour and size.
- For example, send them a returns slip by email via the myYouSellWeSend customer portal and make it easier for them to return the goods. This also reduces the logistical effort in the warehouse and saves you money.
Marketing / Advertising
Develop your website and find a search engine optimisation (SEO) agency that will do this for you professionally but at a reasonable price. It is important to identify relevant keywords that potential customers are searching for. The search terms should be specifically included in titles, descriptions and all content on the website, as this increases the search engines’ ability to find the pages.
Once you have created all the prerequisites for a successful business, you need to advertise your shop and attract customers. To ensure that as many customers as possible visit your online shop and buy your products, it is essential to appear high up in the search engine results. Without special SEO knowledge, this can be a very long road. Consider whether it is worthwhile for you to shorten this path by also having your products listed on marketplaces such as amazon, otto, zalando, real etc.
Your products will become known more quickly and your sales will increase. Bear in mind the commission payments to the marketplaces for products sold in your calculation. However, these are not in proportion to the expenses for online marketing at start ‘0’.
Set up additional social media channels on Instagram, TikTok or Facebook to find your target group and attract them. Work with vouchers here and gain multipliers for your business.
You should spend 80% of your daily working time on marketing and product development. Leave all other activities to others. With YouSellWeSend, you have a partner who will take care of all the logistical challenges for you and also offer you support for your shop system.
With YouSellWeSend you can act like a large company and utilise all the possibilities of the digital world to the full.
Good luck with your business!
