There are so many details that go into building an ecommerce site that you may start to wonder how anyone gets one launched. The reality is that thorough – and progressive – planning will go a tremendous way toward getting you there.
Don’t try to do everything at once. One step at a time will pay off in the long run.
This next step will help you organize a few more details on your way to a functioning and successful site of your own.
Tip #3: Know The Business Rules
Part of any business that you do involves everyday rules: sales tax, shipping, return policies, discounts. Anything that affects the sale will be part of your business rules.
Before you build an ecommerce site, define these rules and then publish them in an obvious location.
Remember, information is key to building credibility and customer confidence. Define additional charges, state your refund and privacy policies, offer guarantees. Give customers every reason to click that “buy now” button. Decide how to handle:
- Sales tax. Make Uncle Sam happy by knowing your local, state and federal tax requirements. There are prepackaged tax programs that can handle the math for you and calculate taxes as part of the transaction.
- Shipping. Before you build an ecommerce web site, decide what works for your business. You may adjust your product pricing to include shipping, determine a flat rate, or tie into a major carrier’s shipping table.
- Returns. Products will occasionally come back to you, so build your site with a clearly defined return policy for just such events.
- Sales. If you run sales offline and intend to do so online, build your site to accommodate these business needs. Likewise for discounts, coupons, quantity price-points or any other factor that affects the price.
Defining these rules will do more than help you do business – they will provide visitors with the information they need to make a confident purchase. Part of building an effective site is telling visitors what to expect when they do business with you.
What other “rules” apply to the way you do business?
Read More In The “Fundamentals For Ecommerce Success” Series
- Tip #1: Build The Foundation
- Tip #2: Get Organized
- Tip #3: Know The Business Rules
- Tip #4: Decide Where Product Information Will Come From
- Tip #5: Set Up The Warehouse
- Tip #6: Choose A Maintenance Option
- Tip #7: Plan The Shopping Cart
- Tip #8: Be The Expert
- Tip #9: Use Feedback
- Tip #10: Follow Up
