In the era of advanced technology and instant communications, creating an online store has become a necessary step for everyone seeking success in the world of commerce, but how can this be achieved effectively? What is the first step in creating an online store that attracts customers and outperforms competitors? In this comprehensive guide, we will take you on a detailed journey of how to build a successful online store, from planning to marketing, with a focus on the tools and strategies that will achieve excellence and leadership in the digital commerce market. So, if you aspire to be part of this prosperous world, read on to discover the secrets of success in creating your own eye-catching, profitable online store.
The importance of creating an online store
If you’re wondering, “What is the purpose of e-commerce?” Establishing a professional online store has now become an urgent necessity for two main reasons:
The large size of the e-commerce market
The e-commerce market is characterised by tremendous growth, and this includes the Arab world in particular, as the size of the market in the region is estimated at millions of dollars. However, the number of e-commerce stores is still relatively small, which creates great opportunities for growth and benefiting from this growing market. This reality opens wide doors for entrepreneurs and investors to enter the field of e-commerce and exploit these untapped opportunities.
Low cost
Establishing an online store is characterised by a relatively low cost compared to traditional stores. Traditional stores require large investments that include renting or purchasing shops, storage costs, obtaining licenses, and complex administrative procedures, in addition to operational expenses such as water, electricity, and Internet bills.
In contrast, online stores can operate effectively without the need for these costly elements, making them a more attractive and less risky option for starting a business.
Stages of creating an Arabic online store
In response to some people’s question: How do I create an online store from scratch? We will explain to you the steps in a simplified manner, which are as follows:
Determine which products your store will offer.
The first step before creating an online store is to precisely determine the type of products you will sell, as this is a crucial factor for the store’s success. It is important to ensure that there is demand for the products you offer to ensure that the market needs them and to determine the appropriate products, you must follow the following steps:
market study
Start by identifying the target segment and searching for products that are in great demand. It is worth noting that this requires studying the factors that affect demand, such as availability and the rate of demand for products in your area.
Use of analytical tools
Use tools such as Google Trends to find out the volume of searches for products during specific periods and in specific countries. You can also use TrendHunter to explore the most in-demand products worldwide.
Competition analysis
Monitor department store best-selling product lists and look at customer reviews to identify problems that can be solved or opportunities that can be exploited.
Choose a brand name for your online store.
Choosing a brand name is an important step because it will be part of your store’s identity. And don’t forget to make sure of the following:
- Simplicity and clarity: Choose a name that is easy to spell and relevant to the industry you are targeting, and avoid complex names so that people will be able to remember it.
- Domain Availability: Try to have the name of your online store be the same as the brand name, preferably with the domain suffix.com, for its popularity compared to other domains.
- Check Availability: Use energy-selling websites to check the availability of names and make suggestions for similar names.
Choose a domain and host the store.
After choosing a brand name, you need to reserve a domain name and hosting for your online store, and do not forget the following:
- Country code: If you intend to sell in a specific country, you can choose a domain that includes the code of that country, such as .sa for Saudi Arabia.
- Avoid famous names: Avoid using product names or registered trademarks to avoid lawsuits.
- Add a keyword: If your store specialises in a specific category of products, try adding a keyword related to that category.
Building the online store
Not everyone has the technical knowledge to be able to create an online store, so you have two main options:
Hire a professional web developer.
This option gives you greater flexibility and more precise customisation of your store, as you can hire a web developer through platforms, through which you can specify project details, budget, and also the expected duration of delivery.
Use ready-made platforms to build the store.
These platforms provide integrated solutions for building online stores without the need for technical skills. This includes platforms such as WooCommerce that are specific to the WordPress platform features, such as:
- Hosting the store.
- Linking the domain name.
- Providing a security certificate to encrypt financial transactions, in addition to classifying products according to categories, in addition to marketing and sales analysis tools.
Criteria for choosing the appropriate platform
- Ease of use: Choose a platform that offers an easy-to-use interface.
- Flexibility in customisation: Make sure you can customise the design and functionality to your needs.
- Cost: Compare the costs of different platforms and choose what suits your budget.
- Customer Support: Make sure you have reliable technical support available to help you if you encounter any problems.
Determine the shipping and storage system.
Choose the most appropriate shipping system for your store. You can offer free shipping to achieve a competitive advantage or use fixed or variable shipping rates depending on the size and weight of the products. Also, decide whether you will deal with a third party for shipping or do the shipping yourself.
Final review and testing
Before launching your online store:
- Thoroughly review the site’s content.
- Make sure that the store works well on different devices and browsers.
- Test purchases should also be made to ensure that the payment gateways are working properly.
Online store insurance
Securing your online store has become necessary to protect customer data, so obtain an SSL certificate to secure sensitive information, such as credit card data, and avoid storing sensitive information on the site server to reduce legal risks if the site is hacked.
Marketing your online store
Without an effective marketing strategy, people will not know that your store exists even if your products are distinct, so use different marketing techniques, such as content marketing, email marketing, and search engine optimisation (SEO). As well as marketing through social media to attract customers and increase visits to your store.
Basic marketing tools
- Content marketing involves creating attractive content that attracts the target segment.
- Via email: effective communication with customers and achieving a high return on investment.
- Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): following SEO rules to rank well in search results.
- Social Media Marketing: Building a strong presence on social platforms to promote products and provide customer support.
How do I create a successful online store?
Tips for designing a successful online store include:
Improve the user experience.
- Ensure that the website design is user-friendly and smooth, with well-functioning menus, buttons, and user interfaces.
- Allow visitors to navigate easily and complete purchases quickly, with the fewest clicks.
- Improving the user experience is essential to the success of the online store and increasing conversion rates.
Attractive website design
- Choose a professional design that reflects the brand’s identity.
- Use colours and fonts appropriate to the nature of the company’s work and products.
- Ensure that the design is responsive and adaptable to different devices and screens.
Create custom content.
- Create high-quality content that is useful to visitors.
- Write an accurate and comprehensive description of each product or service.
- Use high-quality images to show products from different angles.
- Add additional content, such as blog articles and a user guide.
Activate security and protection features.
- Ensuring the security of customers’ personal information and financial transactions.
- Use an SSL certificate to encrypt communications.
- Update the software and plugins regularly to protect the site.
Providing fast customer support and service
- Providing straightforward means of communication for customers.
- Create a FAQ page and a help section.
- Providing immediate support to customers.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
- Use the correct titles and meta descriptions.
- Add popular keywords.
- Increase the store’s visibility in the first search results.
Data analysis and use
- Use data analysis tools, such as Google Analytics.
- Understand visitor behaviour and track site performance.
- Identify areas that need improvement and take advantage of new growth opportunities.
The most used platforms for creating an online store in Saudi Arabia
Salla Platform
Salla is one of the most famous local platforms for creating online stores in Saudi Arabia. It features a simple and easy-to-use user interface, allowing business owners to create an online store quickly without needing advanced technical expertise. Salla fully supports the Arabic language and integrates with local payment gateways such as “Mada” and “HyperPay,” which facilitate selling and dealing with local customers. In addition, Salla provides integrated shipping services and supports integration with many local shipping companies.
Zid platform
Zid is another Saudi platform that is very popular among business owners in the Kingdom. It offers a complete solution for creating and managing online stores, including an easy-to-use user interface and outstanding technical support. The platform supports integration with local payment gateways and shipping companies, making the online selling process smooth and easy. In addition, Zid provides advanced marketing and management tools that help store owners improve their store performance and increase sales.
Shopify
Shopify is a global platform widely used in Saudi Arabia thanks to its ease of use and provision of integrated solutions for creating online stores. Shopify allows business owners to quickly create an online store with a flexible, easy-to-customise user interface. The platform supports many local and global payment gateways and provides a wide range of tools and applications that help in managing and expanding the store. Shopify also offers excellent technical support and many ready-made templates that can be customised to match the store’s identity.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a plugin for the WordPress platform, and it is widely used in Saudi Arabia to create online stores thanks to its high flexibility and ability to customize. WooCommerce lets you quickly turn your WordPress website into a full-fledged online store and supports local payment gateways such as “Mada” and “PayTabs.” WooCommerce offers a wide range of plugins and apps that help improve store functionality and manage it effectively. It suits small and medium-sized businesses looking for a flexible and scalable solution.
Magento
Magento is an open-source platform widely used in Saudi Arabia to create large and complex stores. Magento requires technical knowledge to set up and manage but offers flexibility and high customisation capabilities, making it suitable for businesses that need advanced functionality. The platform supports many local and international payment gateways and provides a wide range of tools and add-ons that help improve the online shopping experience. Magento is also distinguished by its ability to efficiently deal with a large volume of products and customers.
How do you manage your online store intelligently with Qoyod?
Creating an online store and designing it efficiently and intelligently requires using practical tools and strategies, such as Qoyod, to ensure the achievement of your organisational and strategic goals. Below are the most critical points that the Qoyod programme makes:
Cost centre
The cost centre plays an important role in understanding the performance of your online store, as it enables you to make an accurate comparison between sales performance and costs. This helps you know where you stand on your organisational and strategic goals, facilitating decisions based on accurate data.
Postal messaging system
The mailing system saves time and effort in tracking and sending invoices, whether to consumers or suppliers, as an elegant invoice designed according to your brand identity can be sent with the click of a button, which adds professionalism and credibility to your transactions.
Electronic attachments
This feature allows you to save and store important documents electronically, such as bank transfers and sales invoices, and access them when needed. Thus, this saves you the trouble of printing and saving paper and facilitates access to information quickly and efficiently.
User permissions
This feature enables you to specify the powers of each employee and the tasks they can access. This prevents the overlapping of functions and powers and helps control workflow effectively. This ensures that each employee performs their specific role without abuse.
Payment management
This feature allows you to pay invoices partially or entirely, whether they are vouchers receivable or separate dated payments, by creating an online store. You can easily choose the type of account from which payments are collected, facilitating efficient money management.
Record activities
This record provides accurate details about employee activities in the facility, such as amendments to invoices or their payment. You can view all the activities in your store, which helps monitor performance and control internal operations.
API
This feature allows you to precisely synchronise your store’s data with the “Qoyod” system, making building an integrated accounting system easier. The data is also updated automatically and can be accessed anytime, ensuring consistency and accuracy.
Hire an accountant.
As your store’s revenues and profits grow, hiring a professional accountant becomes essential to managing finances efficiently. Qoyod provides a link to financial and accounting services offices to make it easier to find the right accountant.
Points of Sale (POS)
This feature makes it easy to synchronise sales operations with the “Qoyod” system, as it automatically syncs your daily accounts. You can also monitor your store from anywhere, using any device. In addition, the system is easy to use and provides quick invoices in showrooms, which are compatible with invoice printers and cashier machines.
Conclusion
Establishing a successful online store is not just a step towards keeping up with the digital age. Still, it is a gateway to opening new horizons in the world of commerce and realising your entrepreneurial dreams. Following our tips and strategies, you can build an online store that attracts customers and guarantees a distinctive market position. But remember that creativity and innovation are the keys to excellence and that investing time and effort in building a unique shopping experience will bring you sustainable profits, so start on the journey of building your online store and prepare to be part of the prosperous digital future.
It is worth noting that the Qoyod platform does all of this and more with the click of a button. It also provides a point-of-sale system, electronic invoices, and so on, which makes it the best accounting programme in the Middle East.
After learning how to create an online store, try Qoyod now for free for 14 days. It is a well-reputed accounting programme in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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