# Development

How to Optimize Your Website for E-commerce? Tips to Start Selling

Red Rocket TeamSep 30, 20245 min read

Have you ever thought about starting to sell something before? It seems like an unrealistic task for many people, which remains just ideas in their minds. However, those who are willing to take risks and are not afraid to face challenges head-on can be successful. For example, remember the founder of the Glossier brand, Emily Weiss. A few years ago, she was included in the authoritative Forbes list of the most successful and rich women. She achieved this by turning her online blog into a beauty shopping platform. Another example is singer Rihanna, who created her personal brand, Fenty Beauty, which has earned her millions of dollars.

All these facts say that it's never too late to start selling products online, especially if you already have your own website. It doesn't matter what your website is currently focusing on, whether it's a blog, a portfolio or an information platform. At any time, you can add ecommerce to website and start selling any products you want. Of course, it will be an advantage for you if you already have a certain audience in your niche.

Many owners of traditional websites are hesitant to turn it into a retail website because they are afraid of failure and that the audience will not accept such a fact well. Another reason is lack of understanding on how to make a website shop. We are here to tell you more about adding e-commerce elements to a website. We have gathered 8 useful tips that we have tested with real experience.

Tip 1. Create a Separate Platform for Sales

The first tip we want to tell you about is suitable for companies that are on a flexible budget. You can leave your main website as it is now and try to create another platform. The second website is needed solely for selling products or services, while the first website remains to continue your business and retain your loyal users.

When you finalize a standalone e-commerce website, you should link the two platforms together. However, remember that these two sites should be made in the same style and have the same design. When you embed it into your main site, users may not even realize that they are going to a separate site. They need to see that these are not scammers who copied your site, but that this is your genuine platform. The only downside to this method that we can point out is the cost that you will have to incur. Creating a standalone ecommerce website is not a cheap process.

Tip 2. Add Plugins to Website Builder

Another way to implement e-commerce on an informational website is by using plugins that add e-commerce functionality. There are numerous website builders like WordPress and Wix that provide plugins/extensions for adding the cart, payment gateways, and other essentials. These plugins take care of the complex back end while giving you an easy to use front end for things like products, orders and other related options.

For example, WooCommerce is a famous WordPress plugin that enables you to create a functional online shop. It features things like cart and checkout as part of the builder and gives the freedom of adding more in the process. Plugins help to avoid hiring web developers and designers to create an e-commerce website. Are there any downsides to such plugins? Yes, there are actually disadvantages to this method of optimizing a website for e-commerce. You won't be able to implement unique features or designs, as these are simple builders that most small website owners use today.

Tip 3. Implement the Shopping Cart

The next tip we should mention is the shopping cart, which is one of the mandatory components of any e-commerce website. This is where users can input the products they would like to buy before proceeding to pay for them. It is important to ensure that the shopping cart is clearly visible and easy for customers to use so that they can monitor what they want to purchase. It enables easy navigation, evaluation, and buying behavior.

You can ask us how to add shopping cart to website. You can simplify this process and use the help of third-party tools. The most popular of them in 2024 is Snipcart service. This is a unique tool that will help you implement shopping cart on any platform on the web. Web developers on forums speak positively about this tool, so you can use it to accomplish this task.

Tip 4. Implement a Payment Gateway

It's no secret that the issue of payment convenience is important to all customers. The integration of a smooth payment method is essential for enabling the client to comfortably make purchases in your website. It eliminates the need for users to navigate to other sites to complete transactions, which makes it a plus for your website. Although it is possible to create a payment system from scratch, it demands significant efforts in terms of security, compliance, and further support. However, it is more effective to take advantage of standard payment gateways. Here's a look at what are some popular options on the market today:

PayPal
Stripe
2Checkout
And other payment gateways

Compare all available options to see which solution will best suit your needs. Why? Each provider provides business customers with different terms and conditions, which may vary. For example, payment gateway PayPal charges 2.9% and separately $0.3 on every transaction made. Therefore, it is recommended to check which provider is best for you.

Tip 5. Optimize Design

Improving the site’s layout turns the platform into an engaging shopping environment. While the payment gateway makes the transactions possible, persuasive product presentation and attractive words make purchases inevitable. Develop attractive product cards containing key features, how to use the product, and why it should be used. To promote the items, it is recommended to use photographs of high quality from different perspectives. Using brief yet informative titles and summary sections, readers should be able to skim through the content easily. It is useful to include links to the company’s profiles on social media platforms where customers may follow the brand beyond the website they are on.

Comply with SEO principles such as good content, meta tags for identification, site speed optimization, etc. Facilitate users with easy navigation across the catalog pages through navigational menus, filters, and search bars. They should show trust symbols, security seals on payment methods, customer testimonials, and return policies. Continue to make incremental changes to the site design based on user behavior data collected from analytics.

Tip 6. Connect to Popular Marketplaces

Statistics show that the majority of all e-commerce sales are made through major marketplaces. Which ones are definitely worth your attention and cooperation?

Amazon
Ebay
Temu
Rakuten
AliExpress

These platforms have millions of active buyers, and this means your products are visible to these people more than when you are selling on your independent store. However, it has its advantages and disadvantages when partnering with marketplaces. It is common to pay commissions base on each sale that is made and this reduces the amount of profit that is made. There are also even more rules and regulations on the pricing, the delivery options, the return policy etc., but with the greater reach and infrastructure for payment, delivery and customer service it might be worth it when starting out.

In any case, it will be a favorable decision for you to join the big marketplaces. Connect your inventory to automatically update your product catalogue, orders and stock quantities. This means that it makes the process of order from different channels much more efficient.

Promoting your online store on social networks such as Facebook, Instagram and X (ex. Twitter) helps increase the flow of traffic to your website in order to buy products. They collectively have over a billion daily active users – potential customers.

Open business pages and profiles to tell your brand story, advertise products and exclusive offers. Leverage all the organic and paid ads by placing them appropriately according to the various customer demographics. In posts, include the offers available only on the website to encourage consumers to purchase directly rather than interacting on social media only.

Credible and long-term social media marketing multiplies website traffic on average, three times. It then means that dedicating as little as half an hour to it can reap big returns in terms of sales and customer base in the long run.

Tip 8. Track Important Metrics in Google Analytics

When you have already made all the necessary changes to start selling products, you need to understand what to do next. Every company should have a clear picture of the number of visits, purchases, bounce rates, and other important metrics. For ecommerce sites, the best way to see the most important metrics is to use the Google Analytics tool.

This tool has a special section called e-Commerce. You can use it to track up-to-date information about the number of sales, traffic, average customer check, and more. Why track it? Such data will help you better understand your target audience, their preferences and current trends.

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Final thoughts

Congratulations! You now know more about integrating e-commerce elements into a website to start selling. However, these tips are great for those website owners who are just starting out in their niche. If you have huge ambitions and aim to scale your company soon, it's best to look into building a standalone ecommerce website. Of course, you can also create a mobile app as well, as a large half of users prefer to shop online using their smartphones.

The most important thing is to remember that something big always starts with small steps. Don't be afraid to turn your blog or informational website into a platform where users can order products or services. This will allow you to earn more using your experience and accumulated knowledge.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a traditional website and an e-commerce platform?

All you need to know about the difference between an e-commerce site and other types is the ability to buy internally on the platform. In other words, on such a site, a buyer can find the products or services that he or she is interested in and place an order. Other types of sites, on the other hand, do not provide such features because they have other purposes. For example, forum sites are created to discuss various topics and facilitate communication between participants.

What tools help to create an e-commerce section for a website?

If you have decided to make your website an e-commerce website, you should learn more about how to do it. There are many tools today that help you add retail elements to your existing website. For example, some platforms work like builders for ecommerce websites. SnipCart, Selz, Shoprocket, Ecwid, and RomanCart are available solutions that you should learn more about.

How much does it cost to develop an e-commerce website in 2024?

Obviously, creating a blog or informational website is much cheaper than creating a sales platform. At a minimum, here, you have to add a shopping cart, a payment gateway, customize product cards, and provide security for customers. That's why quality ecommerce websites can be costly. Generally speaking, developing an ecommerce website can cost you from 2 to 15 thousand dollars.