How to do online blind

Shopping online has become increasingly popular in recent years. Thanks to the convenience of being able to order products from home, many people prefer to shop online rather than going to a physical store.

However, for those who have never shopped online before, the process can seem complicated and intimidating. In this article, we will provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to safely and conveniently shop online.

  • You will learn how to search for the products you want;
  • How to choose a reliable website;
  • How to make a secure payment;
  • How to track your order shipment;
  • And much more!

Follow these simple tips to shop online with confidence and without stress.

Create a Website for Your Online Store

If you have a physical store and want to create an online store, the first thing you need to do is create a website. There are several options to choose from:

1. Use an ecommerce platform

There are several ecommerce platforms that allow you to easily create an online store without advanced technical knowledge. Some of the most popular ones are Shopify, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce.

These platforms offer pre-designed templates that you can customize with your logo, products, and contact information. Additionally, they have built-in features such as payment processing, inventory management, and order management.

However, using an ecommerce platform requires paying a monthly or annual fee for using the platform and may not give you complete control over your website.

2. Create a website from scratch

If you have advanced technical knowledge or want complete control over your website, you can decide to create it from scratch. This requires time and resources, but allows you to have a completely customized design and integrate specific features for your needs.

In this case, you will need to purchase a domain (the name of your website) and hosting space (where your website will be stored). Then, you will need to create the website design using HTML, CSS, and Javascript. Finally, you will need to integrate features such as payment processing and order management.

3. Use a CMS

A CMS (Content Management System) is a platform that allows you to easily create and manage the content of your website without advanced technical knowledge. Some of the most popular CMSs are WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal.

Using a CMS, you can choose from pre-designed or custom templates and add features through plugins or extensions. Additionally, CMSs are often free or very low cost.

  • TIP: Regardless of the platform you choose, make sure your website is optimized for search engines so that it appears in search results when people search for products similar to yours.

Managing Orders and Shipping

Once your online store starts receiving orders, it's important to manage them properly to ensure customer satisfaction. Order management includes various activities such as order preparation, packaging, and shipping.

Order Preparation

Order preparation is the process of collecting the ordered products from the warehouse or store location. It's important to make sure that all products are available and ready to be shipped. If not, you'll need to inform the customer of product availability or offer a refund.

In some cases, you may need to customize the customer's order, such as by adding a greeting card or gift wrapping. Make sure you have everything you need to personalize the order before starting.

Packaging

Packaging is another important stage in order management. You'll need to choose the right box for the ordered items and make sure they're packed securely to avoid damage during transport.

You can also consider using eco-friendly materials for packaging, such as recycled or biodegradable paper, to reduce your online store's environmental impact.

Shipping

Shipping is the final stage of order management. You'll need to choose the right courier for the type of product you're shipping and make sure that the shipment is trackable. This way, you'll be able to provide customers with accurate information about their order delivery.

In addition, you'll need to consider shipping costs and decide whether to offer free shipping or charge a fee to customers. You can also offer faster or international shipping options to meet your customers' needs.

Practical Example

Imagine you received an order for a personalized mug. You'll need to collect the mug from the warehouse and customize it with the customer's name. Once completed, you'll need to pack the mug in a protective box and choose the right courier for shipping.

Let's say you've decided to use Poste Italiane as your courier. You'll then need to print the shipping label and attach it to the box. Finally, you can either deliver the box to a post office or arrange for home pickup by the courier.

  • Collect the mug from the warehouse
  • Customize the mug
  • Pack the mug in a protective box
  • Choose Poste Italiane as your courier
  • Print the shipping label and attach it to the box
  • Deliver the box to a post office or arrange for home pickup by the courier

Remember that accurate order and shipping management is essential for ensuring customer satisfaction and success of your online store.

Promoting Your Online Store

Once you have created your online store, it is important to promote it to attract potential customers. Here are some tips on how to do it:

1. Use social media

Social media is a great way to promote your online store. Create business profiles on major social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Regularly post interesting and engaging content, such as photos of your products or video tutorials on how to use them.

2. Advertise online

Online advertising can help you reach a wide audience of potential customers. You can use advertising tools such as Google Ads or Facebook Ads to create targeted ads based on age, gender, geographic location, and user interests.

3. Offer discounts and promotions

Discounts and promotions can incentivize users to purchase your products. For example, you could offer a 10% discount on the first purchase or free shipping for orders over a certain amount.

4. Collaborate with influencers

Influencers are people who have a large following on social media and can help you promote your online store. Look for influencers in your market sector and contact them to request collaboration. For example, you could ask them to review your products or post photos with your products on their social media profiles.

5. Create interesting content

Create interesting and useful content for your target audience. For example, if you sell hair care products, you could create a blog with tips on how to take care of hair or video tutorials on how to create special hairstyles.

  • Use social media to promote your content;
  • Include links to your products in your content to encourage users to purchase;
  • Offer free content, such as ebooks or guides, in exchange for subscribing to your newsletter.

In summary, to promote your online store you need to use all the tools at your disposal: from social media to online advertising, through collaborations with influencers and the creation of interesting and useful content for your target audience. Offer discounts and promotions to your customers and never forget to monitor the results of your marketing campaigns to constantly improve them.

Ruggero Lecce - Consulente senior di personal branding in Italia

Michael Anderson - Software Engineer

My name is Michael Anderson, and I work as a computer engineer in Midland, Texas.

My passion is sharing my knowledge in various areas, and my purpose is to make education accessible to everyone. I believe it is essential to explain complex concepts in a simple and interesting way.

With GlobalHowTo, I aim to motivate and enrich the minds of those who want to learn.