Advice for leaders embarking on eCommerce:

Many companies that have a distribution model selling products in bulk to other companies are now looking into selling to the end consumer.

Selling to the end consumer is very different than selling from one business to another. This blog is designed to help those companies seriously thinking to embark on a true B2C business model and some of the initial steps that we recommend to take. We are providing this information based on years of experience helping many other companies, but the final decision about whether this is a good option will be up to you.

Anybody making the decision to begin B2C selling should understand that opening a new market is an expensive process and it will take time if it is going to be done correctly. We know this first hand, as we have helped launch over 100 eCommerce websites for businesses in the USA.

Preparation prior to hiring a company to create and marketing the website

1. Organize your assets:  This is a time-consuming process that requires good organizational skills.

• Photos of each product you will sell.  Hopefully, you will have several photos of the product as customers will shop as much as possible via photos.   
  • Density: Make sure all photos are at 72 dpi which is the best pixel resolution to keep your website running fast.
  • Naming convention: Use the SKU identification with a  dash ( – ) and a number.  For example a widget with SKU abc999 your photos should be abc999-1, abc999-2, abc99-3. 
  • Consistency:  Ensure the background of each photo is a solid color to be able to showcase the product and eliminate different sizes and angles. Be consistent with the pictures taken.

Categorization

2. Categorization: Organize your products into category trees with how you want them shown on the website. Consider any filters that you want applicable.  Filters are a way to refine the search such as color, size, price, etc. 

• Product Database: Export your products to a spreadsheet such as Google Sheets or Excel.  This is a great opportunity to add details and information. 
  • Consumers expect many details nowadays. Make sure you have included:
    1. Long Description
    2. Short Description
    3. Specifications – Technical
    4. Color Alternatives (if applicable)
    5. Any product attributes
    6. SKU or product ID
    7. Price
    8. Size
    9. Weight

Shipping

3. Shipping Considerations: What shipping options will be available to the customer at checkout? Will you be working with various shipping fleet companies or one company with all of their services?  For example UPS  with regular service, two day, and overnight service.

Marketing for the launch of the website

4. Marketing Your Website: Consider the following items and make sure you have an answer for each one:

• Brand Name:  Are you going to sell under your current brand name?  If you have a distribution model you may experience backlash from your clients.    Explore the development of a new brand that is not associated with yours to keep it separate.   This is the beginning of selling online, this is the time to make this consideration and avoid getting your established brand a bad name.
• What is the Market Demographic that you are trying to penetrate?
  • Age range
  • Income
  • Location – Geographic
  • Gender
• Define a persona and give them a name such as Sally or Henry.
  • By doing this it will be easier to communicate internally with your internal teams.
• Do you have a list of prospects?
  • Advertise to gain
  • Purchase a list 
  • Partner with another company that is working with your market
• What is your pricing strategy?
  • Sell at a lower cost to gain customers initially
  • Build brand awareness
• What are the marketing tactics you will use to fill your marketing funnel in the different stages of your sales process?
  • Awareness
  • Interest
  • Consideration
  • Intent
  • Evaluation

Ongoing Marketing After Launch

5. Ongoing Marketing: Hopefully by this time your personas have been defined. This step will help you to increase your online eCommerce sales.

• Websites should change: Refresh your website home page or featured products regularly. Once per month is adequate for most businesses but some require weekly updates.
• Define your marketing tactics:  Putting a program together based on your product, advertising budget, and human capital resources will be key for the growth of your product line.
  • Marketing Automation Software
  • Email Marketing
  • Advertising on Social Media channels
  • Advertising through blogs
  • Using influencer marketing tactics
  • Referral program
  • Weekly or Monthly Sales/Promotions
  • TV
  • Radio
• Measure, Measure, Measure!  It is regularly said in the marketing industry that 50% of the marketing is wasted. The usual problem is that marketers don’t know which 50%. By implementing measures and reporting in everything you do to track you will be able to determine the 50% that is not working and fine-tune your ongoing marketing.  Good marketers know this and this is what usually separates the seasoned marketers from those who have a good education but little experience.