How To Build An eCommerce Website From Scratch?

In an age dominated by the growing influence of online shopping, eCommerce website development has become the pivotal element in achieving success. Given the comfort it offers to users and the corresponding surge in profits for businesses, the eCommerce industry has experienced an upward trajectory for more than a decade. 

Here are some of the stats for eCommerce development from which you can realize the importance of an eCommerce website.

• Globally, there are an estimated 12-24 million eCommerce websites (Zippia).
• As per Morgan Stanley, the eCommerce web market will grow from $3.3 trillion to $5.4 trillion in 2026.
• Insider intelligence points out that by 2025, global online retail sales will surpass $7.4 trillion

If you have a product-based business then eCommerce is your guaranteed way to success and unending profits. Not to forget that you can develop an eCommerce website in just 8 simple steps. So keep on reading because, at the end of the blog, you’ll know👇

• What is eCommerce development?
• Types of eCommerce websites for you to determine which one is best for your business.
• Key strategies to focus on while building an eCommerce website from scratch.

Without further ado, let’s get started!! Firstly, the types of eCommerce websites.

 

If you have determined which website you need then let’s move and ponder about what is eCommerce development anyway.

What is eCommerce Development?

eCommerce website development refers to developing and maintaining an eCommerce website where buyers can buy and sellers can sell their products and services. Custom eCommerce web development can include things such as 

• Designing and developing user-friendly interfaces.
• Integration of secure payment gateways.
• Management of product catalogs.
• Inclusion of functionalities to enhance the shopping experience.
• Security and mobile responsiveness.

Almost 2.14B people globally purchase goods online (Oberlo) providing businesses an opportunity to reach online shoppers. A seamless eCommerce website with distinctive functionalities and smooth user flow does hold the key to the treasures of profits. 

If you are missing out on this opportunity as a business then this is your time to develop an eCommerce website. 

If you have decided to develop an eCommerce website then here are some of the key strategies to focus on while building an eCommerce website from scratch.

Key Strategies For Building eCommerce Website From Scratch

Of course, the eCommerce development trends of 2023 differ from those of 2022 but remember the key strategies always remain the same. So let’s discuss them ensuring that you create a top-notch eCommerce website that not only amplifies your profits through sales but also capitalizes on value generated by traffic.

Click to find out the latest eCommerce website development trends.

1. Focus On Design

The UI/UX should be top-notch so that your website looks trustworthy and professional for online users. And they become ready to entrust their data as well as money.
There are many options available in the market and to hook the users you need to make your website attractive & responsive for a high conversion rate. 

Also, why would you want your product to fail like the other 95% of the products each year mainly because of the non-credibility of the website? Therefore UI/UX is your priority.

Recently we created a seamless eCommerce website for our partner Shield Republic keeping in view their users' needs.  Click here to read more about their journey with us.

2. SEO Optimization

Avoided by many, but this can be your conduit to stand out. Yes! Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can set your website on the permanent heights of success. SEO increases the visibility of your website and gives you👇

• More relevant traffic
• Better ranking 
• Increased conversion rate

3. Site Speed

The site speed in an eCommerce website is the way your customer perceives the shopping experience. It greatly impacts the users' shopping experience causing loss of customers hence low conversions and not to forget the bad word of mouth.

Site speed is pivotal in the online shopping era, as it is related to higher conversion rates and a decrease in bounce rate. Slow speed has a proven effect on sales,  and users tend to spend more time and finances on websites that load.

4. Payment Method 

Offering a range of payment options not only increases the customer retention rate but also the amount of conversions. It helps in accommodating the preferences and needs of customers with chances of increasing the revenue by 30% to 40%.

5. Security of Website

Security is and should be the most important feature of eCommerce website development. Without bulletproof security, online business owners are easily putting themselves, their brands as well and their customers at risk of suffering fraud.

6. CMS Selection

A Content Management System (CMS) is pivotal for an eCommerce site, as it can host dynamic content such as blog posts, videos, visuals, and any other blocks of content present in design. 

The CMS also enables users to make changes or add new content, helping the owners to keep their website constantly updated with new content and product information.

7. Marketing Strategy

When you are building your online store, start building your marketing strategy side by side. This will help define the website structure and features you may require. 

For instance, social media sharing options and chat support, etc.

8. Positive Mobile Experience

Mobiles are now an essential part of the shopping experience and with each passing year, the statistics favoring mobile shopping are increasing. It is estimated that by 2024 the shopping done via mobile phones will be worth 604.5 billion (Forbes). 

This means that mobile shoppers can be beneficial for businesses. Whether it is B2B eCommerce website design or B2C you need to make it favorable for mobile experience. The term that is being used nowadays for this is mobile eCommerce website. 

If you are convinced of building an eCommerce website from scratch, then we have a list of steps for you to follow, or you can hire a company offering eCommerce development services. 

8 Steps To Follow For Developing A Custom eCommerce Website

By following these steps you can make a brilliant eCommerce website that can increase your profits. Even if you want to hire an eCommerce developer, these are essential steps for the maintenance and creation of an awesome website or eCommerce mobile app.

Step 1: Decide Your Business Goal

First and foremost, decide your business goals related to eCommerce website development. The points below are the business goals decided by most eCommerce websites.

1. What do you want to sell?
2. Email marketing and social media integration
3. Omni channel selling or subscriber-only website
4. Creation of compelling content
5. SEO Optimization for leads
6. Effective use of coupons/discounts
7. Overall website design & layout
8. Conversion and retention rate
9. Organic traffic value
10. Website architecture

Step 2: Shopping Experience For Your Customers

Your eCommerce business should provide a unique and brilliant shopping experience that creates an emotional tether between you and buyers.  All successful eCommerce websites have certain features in common which we have listed down for you:

1. User-friendly navigation
2. Search bar to search different products
3. Footer navigation for services offered
4. Product videos & reviews  
5. Efficient chat support 
6. Different payment methods
7. Shopping cart & smooth checkout flow
8. Fast loading

Step 3: Decide A Platform To Use For Building A Website

The decision of the platform to build your website is an important one because it is going to decide your present as well as the future. However, the only key point that can help you reach your conclusion is to answer the query about what type of eCommerce platform you want to build. 

Once you make this decision, below are the best eCommerce platforms you can use as per your needs.

Step 4: Add Products & Quality Images

The inclusion of product images or videos increases the product authenticity plus gives consumers deep insights into the product they want to buy. 

Therefore, increasing customer satisfaction eventually increases the conversion rate. However, the stats suggest that 75% of online shoppers rely on product photos to make potential purchases. 

We included Shield Republic which increased its conversion rate.

This strategy also earned them positive reviews. You can see them below!

Step 5: Payment And Shipment

Always make sure the payment method you introduce is secure and the shipping method you include is smooth. Also, there are multiple payment options for consumers so that they can pay easily and for shipping settings, you can provide users the option to save their information. 

Like we did for another partner of ours Ivy+ Cloth 👇

Step 6: Social Platforms Integration

Social media integration is now necessary as most online shoppers are present on social media to review the products and derive authenticity from these platforms. So the inclusion of social platforms on your website is mandatory like in the picture given below.

Step 7: Customer Support and Feedback Mechanisms

As an eCommerce brand, you can use feedback loops to enhance your products, user experience, and website. An example of it is chat support, and exit intent on-site surveys. You can include: 

• Live chat sessions
• Customer feedback forms
• Create online community
• Use icons to share feedback

Step 8: Ongoing Testing and Optimization 

The essential requirement of an eCommerce website development is continuous testing as well as optimization. There are three reasons you need testing for:

• Save the website from malfunctioning.
• Checking the functionality of every option.
• Efficient bug detection & killing.

Now the reason is how you can optimize the website effectively.

• Include a primary call to action.
• Ensure a seamless mobile experience.
• Offer a personalized experience.
• Feature your best products.

After reading all this, if you are thinking of joining the eCommerce website community then it’s your time to build one. You can either choose a developer for eCommerce website development or get eCommerce development services. Let us help with this too. 

How To Choose The Right eCommerce Website Developer?

Building an eCommerce website from scratch can be a delicate task as it involves different portals, a range of products, and sensitive user information like credit card numbers, etc. Plus the need for constant maintenance and security testing can be difficult. To ease your troubles, it is good if you hire an eCommerce developer who offers elaborate web application development services. 

Pro Tip💡: Developers Strengths And Market Demands

The important tip you have to remember before selecting any company for your eCommerce website development or hiring an eCommerce developer is to first know his/her strengths. The skills and their knowledge of the latest technologies and tools that can make your project unique.

Top-Notch eCommerce Website Development With InvoZone

Globally 90% of eCommerce websites fail mainly because of poor user flow, slow loading speed, and worst product descriptions and images. But your business can escape these doomed-to-failure reasons by working with InvoZone. 

• We can build your product from scratch.
• Take on your project from any stage.
• Scale your team with eCommerce developers.

 So get in touch with a company that has a 97% customer satisfaction rate and get your MVP developed in just 2 weeks.

Tell Us About Your Ideas

Frequently Asked Questions 

Which eCommerce platform is best for building a website from scratch?

Magento and WooCommerce are famous choices for developing eCommerce websites from scratch. Magneto because it offers robust features for large-scale businesses, whilst WooCommerce is user-friendly for smaller sites.

What features are essential for a successful eCommerce website?

A successful eCommerce website requires:

• Secure payment method
• User-friendly navigation
• Customer reviews
• Seamless checkout process
• Effective search functionality
• Super inventory management
• Push notifications

How can I ensure the security of my eCommerce website?

You can ensure the security of your website by using HTTPS for secure data transfer, employing robust SSL certificates, regularly updating software & plugins, deploying strong password policies, and reputable payment methods, and deploying of web app firewall. 

What are the initial steps to consider when building an e-commerce website from scratch?

Here are the initial steps you can consider before the development of an eCommerce website.

• Defining your target audience and product
• Selecting a domain name
• Choosing payment getaways
• Marketing strategy
• User-friendly layout
• Testing and SEO optimization
• Mobile responsiveness

How do I optimize my e-commerce website for search engines (SEO)?

The optimization of your eCommerce website for SEO can be done by conducting keyword research and including relevant keywords in product descriptions, titles meta descriptions, and tags. Make sure that your website design is user-friendly with less loading time. You can also optimize images for speed and create a sitemap. Also, get high-quality backlinks, and encourage testimonials and reviews.