Since I created this blog, I am regularly contacted by Internet users who are thinking about opening an online store, whether to make it a main activity or complement.

Creating an online Shopping  store requires time and money. Indeed, although there are free solutions to create a site, know that if you really want to take off your business online, you will invest a few euros, if only to file the status of your future business.

5 Mandatory Steps You Will Need to Follow!

I propose today to give you all the advice that I have collected in my different experiences and help you, at best, to open an online store that works.

The first questions to ask yourself:

Before launching an online store, you will first need to ask yourself several questions to make sure you get started on the right project. Open an online store is not free (Do not say that “Time is money”) and it requires involvement (and therefore a certain passion).

What initial investment?

The first question to ask yourself will be your initial investment.

Do you have some savings you can count on or are you going to have to deal with your energy and elbow grease?

As I told you earlier, open an online store for free, nowadays it is possible. Some solutions are indeed free. However, if you want your shop, you will still need to invest a few euros to make it exist on the web.

If you do not save, your project will be feasible, but you will need a good dose of motivation and a lot of personal investment. On the internet, by doing well, nothing is ever expensive … it takes time!

In your opinion, why do some companies outsource the management of their website? Simply to keep their resources active on other projects.

Shop with or without stock?

The second question to ask you will be a consequence of the first one. Are you going to open an online store by buying a stock of products or not?

To answer this question, you will need to find the business model that best suits you among these 3:

• Buy wholesale to sell in small quantities, ie become a retailer
• Become a wholesaler, ie sell in large quantities
• Open a drop shipping shop, ie sell products without buying them

It goes without saying that if you do not have economy, it is towards the third solution that you will have to approach: that is to say to mount a site in drop shipping.

What time can I devote to it?

The third question is also related to the budget that you can devote to the site. No need to invest in expensive investments if you will not have the time to make them grow by dedicating yourself to this activity.

How can I use my current skills for this online store?

This is the fourth and final question you should ask yourself if you plan to start an online store: how can my past and present life help me in this business creation project?

These qualities / skills, keep the goods in mind (even if displayed on your fridge) and think of using them when you start: remembering your strengths will be a real plus in the motivation that the project will ask you.

The steps to be taken

Before creating and opening an online store, you will have some steps that it will be imperative to perform. As you know, France is a bureaucratic country: some approaches will be related to the pure administrative, others will serve you especially to validate your future idea.

Choose your legal structure

Before starting any steps, it will be necessary to define the legal structure that you will use for your activity. To open an online store, it is necessary to have a status. For example, if you only have a few hours per week to devote to your shop and it is only intended to bring you additional income, the status of auto-entrepreneur should be sufficient at first.

Indeed, at the time when I write these lines, with this status, you have the capacity to have up to 80000 € per year of turnover. In other words, it will largely allow you to supplement your income.

If, on the contrary, you have a vocation to quickly develop your activity and that you have planned to invest both your time and your money, it will be interesting to think to create a EURL or a SAS: you will be able to pay, to contribute for your retirement while facilitating your access to suppliers … etc.

Choose / Select your suppliers

Once you know more about the legal structure with which you will operate your online sales site, it will be necessary to do a lot of work to select your future suppliers.

If you have plans to develop an drop shipping, know that it will be very important to select your suppliers. It will be about the quality of your products and the satisfaction of your customers. To choose a supplier drop shipping, do not hesitate to read my article on the subject. I’ll give you lots of tips to find the best suppliers.

In addition, whatever your structure or your activity, I advise you to think to select a supplier to accompany you at the legal level. There are many specialized firms on the internet that can accompany you for a few dozen euros a month and can relieve you on several topics: CNIL statement, writing the GTC, legal notice … etc.

One thing is certain, do not skimp in looking for suppliers: do not stop at the first one you find on the internet. Search, compare and especially inquire about the quality of those you select. You will work hand in hand with them, so as far as they are competent!

In the event that your finances do not allow you to go through an agency to create a tailor-made online shop, it will be necessary to choose the e-commerce solution adapted to your project.

For example, if you want to resell clothes that you no longer use, no need to create a dedicated site: there are several on the internet such as vide dressing, leboncoin or others …

If you have plans to develop your drop shipping business, know that there are many technical solutions to create an e-commerce site: Prestashop, Magneto … Most of the time, these solutions are free but are actually true freemium solutions: Paid options that you will need to get if you want your site to have a chance to exist.

For example, Prestashop is a free e-commerce solution but for which it is strongly recommended to buy modules. I have also created a selection of prestashop modules essential to help you find you if you get started on this CMS.

If your finances allow you, I advise you to go through an agency to create your future shop. Especially if you are new to e-commerce: an agency will advise you and accompany you by giving you many tips to start your business more easily.

Validate your idea with a business plan

Once you have selected your suppliers and you know how you will sell products on the internet, it will be necessary to validate your idea with a business plan.

The business plan aims to verify that your business will be profitable by making sales forecasts and by adding to these revenues operating expenses: purchase of products (if you are not in dropshipping), the salary you want to pay you , traffic acquisition charges or commissions taken by the sites on which you will sell your products …. etc.

Open a shop on the internet is quite simple in fact. But opening a shop that is profitable is slightly more complicated. So before you start, do not forget to check that your business can be profitable in the medium-long term. This will save you from investing unnecessarily.

To help you create a business plan, know that there are many models available for free on specialized sites. Do not hesitate to search on Google the keyword “free business plan template”, you will find several dozens.

Choose the name of your site and buy the domain name

The last step to start an entrepreneurial adventure on the internet will be to choose the name of your site, to buy the domain name and all its extensions.

In the end, open an online store (Online Shopping in Pakistan) simply, it is possible?When reading this article, you should probably ask yourself if it is really possible to open an online store simply and / or free of charge. Indeed, as you can read, there are many steps to respect so that your project of creation is carried out in good conditions.

For my part, I think that launching an e-commerce site, it’s not that complicated. What is good is to find the right products, to put them in value and to sell them well.

Do not hesitate to associate with professionals in web marketing and especially to accompany you in the early days. Also read a lot of the domain’s blogs … On Joptimisemonsite, for example, I have a whole dedicated section for beginners. Remember to walk there.