Starting an ecommerce business can be challenging and overwhelming, but with the best resources for eCommerce and some sprinkled in guidance, it can also be a highly rewarding and profitable venture. Whether you're just starting out or looking to expand your online store, it's important to have access to the best ecommerce resources to help you succeed.
This article will outline some of the top tools and resources available to ecommerce beginners, from website builders and payment gateways to marketing and customer service solutions.
If you're looking to build an online store from scratch or improve an existing one, these resources will help you streamline your operations and reach your goals.
What is an Ecommerce Business?
An ecommerce business is a company that sells goods or services online, typically through a website or mobile app. Ecommerce has become a popular way to start and run a business.
It allows entrepreneurs to reach a wider audience and eliminates many physical and logistical limitations of a traditional brick-and-mortar store.
With the rise of the internet and the increasing availability of technology and software, starting an ecommerce business has become easier and more accessible than ever.
Ecommerce businesses can sell a wide range of products, from physical goods like clothing, electronics, and toys, to digital products like software, music, and eBooks. Some ecommerce businesses also offer services like online courses or consulting.
One of the main benefits of an ecommerce business is the ability to reach customers from all over the world, as long as they have access to the internet.
This makes it possible to sell products 24/7, without the need for a physical storefront.
The ecommerce market is highly competitive, with new businesses entering the market every day. To succeed in this competitive environment, ecommerce businesses must focus on providing a seamless and personalized customer experience.
This includes a user-friendly website, fast and reliable shipping, and excellent customer service. In addition, businesses must also focus on their marketing and advertising strategies to drive traffic to their website and attract new customers.
Ecommerce Learning Resources
Ecommerce learning resources are tools, platforms, and educational materials designed to help people start and grow their online businesses.
Some resources cover a wide range of topics, from setting up a website and payment system to marketing, customer service, and financial management.
The Shopify Blog
The Shopify Blog is an official blog run by Shopify, the leading ecommerce platform. The blog provides articles, tutorials, and resources on various ecommerce and online business topics, such as website design, marketing, product selection, and more.
The blog's content is geared towards helping online business owners and entrepreneurs succeed with their ecommerce ventures.
Whether you're just starting out with ecommerce or a seasoned online business owner, the Shopify Blog is a great place to find practical, actionable advice and inspiration.
By leveraging the information and resources available on the blog, you can take your ecommerce business to the next level and achieve success.
Retail Dive
Retail Dive is a premier ecommerce resource that provides valuable insights, analysis, and news on the retail industry. Retail Dive is specifically geared toward helping ecommerce businesses stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends, innovations, and developments.
An important feature of Retail Dive is its focus on providing actionable insights. The site's articles and features provide practical advice and strategies that ecommerce businesses can use to grow and succeed.
When you're just starting out with ecommerce Retail Dive is a great resource. The site's articles are well-written and easy to understand, and the site is updated regularly with the latest news and analysis.
Retail Dive is an essential resource for ecommerce business owners and entrepreneurs looking to stay ahead of the curve.
EcommerceBytes
EcommerceBytes is a rather ugly site from a design perspective. Still, it offers a comprehensive view of the ecommerce landscape, giving businesses the information they need to make informed decisions for their e-commerce store.
The site features profiles of successful ecommerce businesses and articles that explore innovative ideas and creative approaches to ecommerce.
Our favorite feature is the classifieds circa 2006. They offer some legacy add-ons you can still build today with Softaculous out of cPanel.
All joking aside, these resources can help online business owners get the creative spark they need to take their businesses to new heights.
The BigCommerce Blog
The BigCommerce Blog is a valuable resource for ecommerce businesses because it provides valuable insights, practical advice, inspiration, and motivation for online business owners and entrepreneurs.
The blog provides practical tips and strategies that online business owners can use to grow and scale their businesses. It is divided up into areas of interest, including customer stories, trends, growth strategies, and holiday.
The blog will also lead you to the BigCommerce podcast, Make it Big, which is valuable for budding ecommerce business owners.
Ecommerce Podcasts
From website design and marketing strategies to product selection and customer acquisition, the following ecommerce podcasts offer a wealth of information and resources to help online business owners succeed.
Shopify Masters
Shopify Masters is a must-listen podcast for ecommerce businesses because it provides in-depth insights and practical advice from successful online business owners and industry experts. The podcast is hosted by Felix Thea, who interviews successful Shopify store owners and experts on a wide range of topics related to ecommerce.
The podcast features profiles of successful online business owners and expert insights and analysis on the latest trends and innovations in the ecommerce world. These resources can help online business owners get the creative spark they need to take their businesses to new heights.
eCommerce Fastlane
Tobi Lütke hosts the eCommerce Fastlane podcast, the CEO of Shopify focuses on providing actionable advice. Its practical tips and strategies can help online business owners grow and scale their businesses.
The eCommerce Fastlane will enable you to keep up with the latest trends. It will also lead you to two additional spinoff podcasts. Yes, we've made it to spinoff podcasts, the Shopify Founder Stories podcast, and the Right Now podcast.
The Ecommerce Influence Podcast by Austin Brawner
The Ecommerce Influence Podcast, hosted by Austin Brawner, is a must-listen resource for ecommerce businesses because it provides in-depth insights and practical advice on a wide range of topics related to ecommerce.
Austin Brawner is a seasoned ecommerce professional with years of experience and a deep understanding of the industry. He uses this expertise to provide valuable advice and strategies for online business owners looking to grow and succeed.
“Built to Scale” eCommerce Show
Hosted by the ecommerce experts at AdKings, a boutique eCommerce growth agency. You can subscribe on the site or at Apple, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.
The podcasts are well-produced and easy to listen to, and the episodes are updated regularly with the latest information and insights. This makes it a great resource for ecommerce beginners and experienced business owners alike.
My Wife Quit Her Job
In his My Wife Quit Her Job podcast, Steve Chou provides concrete strategies and tactics that online business owners can use to improve their businesses and achieve their goals.
He shares his story of building a successful online business and interviews other successful ecommerce entrepreneurs to learn about their journeys and experiences.
Ecommerce Courses
Ecommerce courses are educational resources designed to help business owners and entrepreneurs build and grow successful online businesses.
Here are some ecommerce courses that you should consider signing up for.
Skillshare: Ecommerce Essentials
Enrolling in Skillshare: Ecommerce Essentials is a valuable investment for ecommerce businesses because it provides comprehensive and practical training on the essential skills and strategies needed to succeed in the world of ecommerce.
This course is designed for beginners and experienced business owners who want to build and grow a successful online business.
Digital Marketer: Become A Certified E-Commerce Marketing Master
Digital Marketer: Become a Certified E-Commerce Marketing Master provides a wealth of information and resources that online business owners can use to build their marketing knowledge and expertise.
The course covers a wide range of topics, from email marketing and social media marketing to SEO and analytics.
LinkedIn Learning: Ecommerce Fundamentals
LinkedIn Learning: Ecommerce Fundamentals is a comprehensive online course that provides a solid foundation for anyone interested in building and growing a successful online business.
The course covers a wide range of topics, from product sourcing and market research to building a brand and launching a successful online store.
HubSpot: Ecommerce Marketing Training Course
The HubSpot: Ecommerce Marketing Training Course is perfect for those who want to learn about website optimization, email marketing, social media marketing, and content marketing.
The course is taught by experienced marketing experts who provide concrete strategies and tactics that online business owners can use to improve their businesses and achieve their goals.
Shopify Learn: Multiple Courses
Shopify Learn is a collection of online courses and resources designed to help ecommerce businesses build and grow their online stores. Shopify Learn offers a range of courses covering topics such as website design, marketing, and business strategy, making it a one-stop-shop for ecommerce education.
Ecommerce Platforms for Beginners
Ecommerce platforms offer many features and capabilities, from promotion and payment processing to inventory management, shipping, and handling.
Ensuring you've chosen a platform that meets your immediate needs and allows your online store to grow is important.
Here are some of the eCommerce platforms that are suitable for beginners but also provide growth scaling.
Shopify
Shopify is one of the leading ecommerce platforms for building and managing an online store. It offers a wide range of features and capabilities to help businesses of all sizes sell their products and services online.
With its intuitive user interface, easy-to-use tools, and robust feature set, Shopify makes it simple for beginners to start and grow their ecommerce businesses.
Whether you're looking to sell physical, digital, or a combination of both, Shopify has everything you need to get started.
Right now, Shopify is offering 3 months for $1. So if you feel you're ready to launch an ecommerce store and sell online, Shopify can provide the ecommerce knowledge and the platform.
GrooveKart
GrooveKart is a free cloud-based ecommerce platform designed for small to medium-sized businesses. There is quite a bit packed into the free version and the paid options available.
It provides a range of features and capabilities to help businesses sell their products and services online, including website design, payment processing, and shipping options.
One of the main benefits of GrooveKart is its ease of use. The platform's drag-and-drop website builder and user-friendly interface make it simple for beginners to build and manage an online store.
GrooveKart also offers a wide range of customizable templates and themes, allowing businesses to create a unique and professional-looking online store.
In addition to its core ecommerce functionality, GrooveKart provides advanced features such as email marketing, customer relationship management, and analytics.
These features help businesses to understand their customers better, increase customer loyalty, and grow their sales. GrooveKart is a scalable platform, meaning that businesses can start small and grow as their needs change.
Ecwid (now officially Lightspeed)
Ecwid is a cloud-based ecommerce platform that can be integrated with a wide range of websites and platforms, including popular content management systems such as WordPress and Weebly and blogging platforms such as Tumblr and Blogger.
Ecwid makes it easy for businesses to reach customers on multiple channels and expand their reach. Ecwid has everything you need to build and grow a successful ecommerce business and offers a free forever plan with the basics to get you started.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a free, open-source ecommerce platform built for WordPress websites. It provides a wide range of features and capabilities to help businesses sell their products and services online, including payment processing, shipping options, and inventory management.
As an open-source platform, it can be customized and extended to meet the unique needs of businesses. This makes it ideal for businesses that require a high level of customization or have specific requirements that other ecommerce platforms cannot meet.
WooCommerce also offers a range of customizable templates and themes, allowing businesses to create a unique and professional-looking online store.
Promoting Your Ecommerce Business
Ecommerce companies must promote. SEO can take anywhere from 6-18 months to show significant results, and eCommerce SEO is uber-competitive.
Initially, other digital marketing efforts are crucial for attracting and retaining customers, driving sales, and growing your business.
Here are some ways to effectively promote your ecommerce website:
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Optimizing your website for search engines is one of the most effective ways to drive organic traffic to your site. This includes keyword research, on-page optimization, and building high-quality backlinks. SEO is critical for long-term business success.
- Content Marketing: Developing and sharing valuable, relevant, and engaging content can help attract and retain customers, establish your brand as an authority in your niche, and drive traffic to your website. Ecommerce blogs are essential, and posting frequency will determine how quickly you might see search engine rankings.
- Social Media Marketing: Utilizing social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to reach and engage with your target audience, share promotions, and drive traffic to your website. Social selling is online selling and can be managed elegantly with the right platform.
- Email Marketing: Sending targeted and personalized emails to your subscribers can help build relationships, promote new products and services, and drive sales. As sales channels go, email marketing is one of the most critical for conversion rate optimization.
- Influencer Marketing: Partnering with influencers with a large niche following can help reach new audiences and promote your products or services. Influencers are a great way to boost sales, but they must be handled carefully or can be budget busters.
- Paid Advertising: Running paid advertising campaigns on platforms such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and Instagram Ads can drive targeted traffic to your own eCommerce store and increase sales. The best eCommerce platforms will have automation to get into Google shopping and help those ad campaigns to run at a positive RoAS.
- Referral Marketing: Encouraging customers to refer their friends and family to your website can help you reach new audiences and drive sales. This is part and parcel of loyalty programs and other promotions that effectively use peer recommendations and user-generated content.
- Affiliate Marketing: Partnering with affiliates who promote your products or services to their audience can help reach new audiences and drive sales. Affiliate partnerships can mean incredible gains as an internet retailer, but not every eCommerce site is primed to support an affiliate program.
Additional Resources
- How to Register a Domain Name – Your Official Guide for Success – need to register? find out how.
- Private Registration For Domain Names – Is It Right For You? – privacy? is it important?
- Best Domain Registrars in 2022 (Ranked & Reviewed) – need to find a good registrar, we've got you.
Best Resources for Ecommerce Wrap-up
Many ecommerce resources are available to help beginners start selling products or services online. There is something for everyone, from blogs and magazines to podcasts, courses, and ecommerce platforms.
Each resource offers unique insights and knowledge, helping beginners to navigate the complex world of ecommerce and build a profitable eCommerce business.
If you're thinking of selling online, regardless of channel, enter the eCommerce industry with as much knowledge as possible. Ecommerce store owners that have spent the time to learn the ropes are usually those that come out on top.
