As a business owner, I always look for ways to expand my business and increase sales. Earlier, I was dependent on word-of-mouth publicity, and social media advertising. But then, a friend suggested I move towards the world wide web; to create an online store for my business. After creating one for my business, I realized that having an online store is one of the best ways to increase sales. It is a comparatively easy task to build an online store
Are you a business owner looking to create an online store? In this detailed guide, you can learn to build your online store in less than 1 hour without hiring fancy designers.
In this guide, I will help you build an online store in less than an hour. Just follow a few steps, and you’re all ready.
What You Need To Build An Online Store
To build an online store, you should have a domain name and web hosting. The other important tools include WordPress, a WordPress theme, and WooCommerce plugin.
Domain and Hosting
Here are some important things to keep in mind while choosing a domain name for your business.
The first step is to choose a domain name and check for its availability.
What is a Domain Name?
A domain name is the name of your website or online store. It is a representation of your brand. To choose the right domain name for your business, you need to keep the following things in mind:
- Use keywords that reflect your business to avoid any confusion.
- Keep it short. Short names are easy to remember. Aim for 6-14 characters.
- Avoid numbers and hyphens. These make the website difficult to spell and pronounce. It also creates doubt in the minds of users about the authenticity of the store.
- Research the name for copyright and trademark to avoid getting sued for infringement.
- Use the right extension. A .com extension is preferred over all others to avoid confusion.
The next step is to buy suitable web hosting for your online store. Web hosting affects your site’s performance, optimization, security, and many other things. It is important to consider your need while selecting web hosting. You also need to choose a hosting service that offers you an SSL certificate, and regular upgrade options. It is advisable to choose a host with a fast server, and one that offers quality customer support.
After using a number of web hosting service providers, I would suggest going with Bluehost Web Hosting. They have various plans from which you can select. Starting at $2.95/month, Bluehost provides you with a free domain, free SSL, and free CDN, along with other features.
WordPress and WordPress theme
WordPress has evolved into a powerful website builder. It is easy to install, use and modify. You can customize the plugins and themes. There are options to create sliders, change the background, colors, etc. among other features. WordPress is SEO friendly, and it has an in-built media uploader, so you can embed and upload youtube videos, tweets, and images.
Another advantage of using WordPress is that there are a number of free themes available for you to choose from. This will make it easier for you to create your store effortlessly.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin that is used to build an online store. It is free, flexible, and the most popular e-commerce platform. The built-in tools help you manage all your business operations. You can monitor the performance metrics using the WooCommerce admin which is a customizable dashboard for your store.
Installing WordPress (To Build An Online Store)
After you purchase a domain name and web hosting, the next step is to install WordPress. First, open your hosting panel. Check the ‘Launch Your Website’ section. Here, you’ll find a number of platforms like Joomla, WordPress, etc. Select WordPress, and click on Install WordPress. Enter all the required information to start WordPress installation.
Now, you need to install a theme for your store. There are various free themes that are available. We will use Astra.
Installing a WordPress theme (Astra)
There are two ways to install the Astra theme.
The first way is to visit its official website wpastra.com. You will find both free and paid versions of the theme. Choose the one which suits your needs. After selecting it, a ZIP file will be downloaded with the theme and all necessary documents.
Another way to install the theme is to use WordPress for the download. In the admin panel, click on customize, then on Themes. Type Astra in the search box. Click on it. Install the theme and activate it.
The next step is to install the WooCommerce plugin. This will help you build your online store within minutes.
Installing WooCommerce and Necessary Plugins
There are two ways to install WooCommerce. In the first one, you can visit their official website woocommerce.com and download the plugin. WooCommerce has both free and paid plans for you to choose from.
The second way is to install the plugin from your WordPress dashboard. In the dashboard, open the plugin section. Search for WooCommerce. Install the plugin and activate it.
It is important to check all the fields while activating the plugin. This will help you create the necessary pages like the cart, shop, and my account page for your online store.
I advise you to install a few more plugins. For example, Yoast for SEO, a payment gateway plugin like Paypal for payment integration, and a few others too.
Build Your Online Store
After you install all the necessary plugins and the Astra theme, now is the time to create your online store. There are two ways in which you can build the store. In the first method, you can use the Starter Templates. In the second one, you can build your online store from scratch.
Using Astra Starter Templates:
Astra provides you with a number of starter templates that you can use to build an online store. To use any of these templates, look for the starter template option. Check the templates provided by Astra. They also have demo versions, so you can take a look at the store.
There are both free and paid templates. If you have purchased Astra Pro, you can use the premium templates. Otherwise, you can only use the free ones.
You can use any one of the Starter Templates
- Plant Shop (free template)
- Electric Scooter
- Inessa Perfume
- eGrow Plants
We will be using the free version of the Plant Shop template.
In the search section, search for plant shop. Select the free or the premium template. I have selected the Plant Shop template – the free one. Click on Import. You can install the complete website or even just the home page, whatever you want.
The template will get imported automatically. Now that the template is imported, all you need to do is customize it as per your needs.
Replace the dummy products with your products, add relevant information, add your logo, and change the colors according to your brand colors. You need to use Elementor to edit the pages and information. It is easy to use. Elementor has the option of drag and drop which makes customization easy.
Build An Online Store From Scratch
You can also build your own online store without using templates. Just create your own attractive homepage using Elementor. Add your products and the related information. Elementor is a WordPress plugin. Just install it from the plugin section. And you are good to go.
You can also follow this detailed guide for Building an Online Store from Scratch.
Setting Up Your Online Store
After building your online store from scratch, or using the Astra Starter Templates, it is not time to add the extra features. You need to add all your products, shipping charges, tax information, payment methods, etc. You need to open the WooCommerce option to add all this.
Shipping
To set up shipping, click on WooCommerce. Then select shipping, and create a shipping zone. Add all the countries or locations that you will ship to. You can also use various other shipping services like Delhivery, DHL, etc. You can also add your own shipping charges, or even provide shipping for free.
Taxes
You also need to set up taxes for different countries as per their tax rules and regulations. Click on the standard options in the Tax option. Add the country code, state code, and all the required details.
Check the tax rate for your specific products. And add it in the required field.
Payments
The next step is to set up the payment methods. It can either be Prepaid or Cash on Delivery. You can also add both options.
To set the prepaid option, you have many options like Paypal, Razorpay, Stripe, etc. These gateways also provide international payments.
First, you need to create an account on your preferred payment gateway. After this, you’ll get an API. Copy this API and Secret Key. Select the WoCommerce Payment Option. Enable the payment method and install the plugin.
Click on Manage Settings. Add API and Secret Key and save it.
This will enable you to accept payments for both credit and debit cards.
Adding products
Now add all your products. There are 4 types of products: Simple, Affiliate, Virtual, and Digital Downloadable products. Add images and descriptions of your product.
To add products, click on Add New Product in the WooCommerce dashboard.
Select your product type. Add the name, set the price, and add all other necessary information. After adding all the information, upload the product image and then publish it.
Testing your store
The last step in setting up your online store is to test it. Visit your website, select any product, and place an order for it. Choose the payment option. Once the order is placed, go to your WooCommerce Dashboard. You’ll get a notification for a new order.
Do check your payment gateway dashboard and check the payment details. If your payment detail shows in your account, your order placement is successful.
Promoting Your Online Store
After setting up your online store, it is important to start working on its marketing. In order to increase your customers and sales, you will need more visitors to your website. Here are some of the best ways to ensure more traffic to your online store.
Promoting your online store takes effort. Remember that the more ways you use, the better will be your chances to be seen
SEO
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a great way to increase the number of visitors to your store. The few methods for doing SEO include writing articles on your website (create a blog) that have highly searched but low competition keywords, creating social media accounts, writing guest posts, creating a mobile-friendly website, etc.
Content marketing
In content marketing, you can promote your products on the internet using various social media platforms, hiring influencers, uploading product videos on TikTok, etc.
Email marketing
This is a good way to reach your target audience. Create an Email subscription form on your website. When people submit their names and email address, you can set up your mailing list. You can then email them with new product updates, offers, and others.
Conclusion
So what are you waiting for?
By following these steps, it will become easier for you to build your online store in less than no time. You can start your online journey without much hassle today.
Remember that getting more customers and sales also depends on your website experience and marketing.
Do you have any questions regarding any steps? Do let us know in the comments section below.
