13 simple steps to the ecommerce website development process

The first step in ecommerce development is figuring out what you’re going to sell. What excites you? eCommerce performer that it should be! We’re experts in the tools of the trade necessary for your success like Shopify, Woocommerce, and Magento, and with full-scale builds to keep the user in mind at all stages of the sales process. Ciphers Lab offers the better value of quality Ecommerce Development Services.

Building an online store around your passions translates into a business you’ll enjoy running. Whether you’re into boutique guitar effects pedals, fishing lures, or high-end watches, finding your niche doesn’t have to go any further from what you already know.

But, of course, plenty of businesses have been launched for other reasons. Maybe you see a need in a particular market and want to offer potential customers product solutions to solve the problems they’re having.

Whatever your business goals, an ecommerce project needs to be guided by both product research and research about the people you hope to sell them to. This can make the difference between success and ending up with a stack of merchandise that you can’t get rid of.

Business to consumer (B2C)

The bulk of online shops we interact with are business to consumer (B2C). Whether it’s Amazon, Zappos, or Target, whenever we hit that checkout button, we’ve completed a transaction on a B2C website. Items or services on a B2C website are sold straight from businesses to the general public, without any third parties getting involved.

Business to business (B2B)

Business to business (or B2B) are, as the name suggests, businesses that sell to other businesses. These are companies that might manufacture something, are a wholesaler, or provide services and products

One advantage of starting an online business in an area you’re familiar with is that you already know your audience, as you’re a part of it. But even if you already know your customers, doing a bit of work to understand them better is beneficial for any ecommerce business.

Understanding who your potential customers may be touches every part of the ecommerce development process. Everything must be tailored to your potential customers: the user experience and user interface, visuals of the web design, the content, and more.

You should know the details about who your potential customers are. What’s their background? What’s their income range? How old are they? And what competitors’ websites are they likely to purchase from

Come up with a good business name

Don’t fall into cliches or name your business something that’s too close to your competitors. You need to stand out. A unique name will distinguish yourself from everyone else inhabiting the same market space.

Make it succinct

Brevity makes for better business names. Can you think of any ecommerce website or storefronts that go beyond one or two words? We’ll give you a minute. We didn’t think so. Short names make for better brand recognition — just ask Apple, Etsy, or Google. People want something that’s easy to remember and not convoluted.

Determine your branding

Brands like Coca-Cola, Starbucks, and Apple have ingrained themselves into our collective psyches. With iconic logos, visual identities, and way of speaking, these brands have a tighter connection with their consumers than companies whose identities are less defined. Branding gives businesses an emotional resonance, transforming them from anonymous entities into ones that we have feelings toward. It’s what makes consumers have brand loyalty.

An ecommerce website also needs to have a memorable logo, color palette, and a distinct voice. All of these different elements of a web design come together into a user experience driven by the brand’s personality.

Another vital aspect of branding is telling the story of who you are. Your audience should know why your ecommerce website exists and the people behind it. Without humanizing your brand, you’re just another anonymous digital portal. Most of us are hesitant to enter a credit card number into an anonymous website devoid of anything more than product specs. Personalizing your brand builds trust.