How To Setup eCommerce (Online Store) In Nigeria

The internet has been described as the best place where people do business transactions  successfully. This concept has been applied in different kinds of business sectors across border. Not leaving behind the small and medium scale entrepreneurs who are willing to start little in their capacity and wax stronger soonest. Starting an online eCommerce store is a good business that cannot be ignored by  store owners who stock goods and want to meet their target customers anywhere in the country.

Starting an eCommerce store is not that difficult when you have products to market. You only need a registered domain name, a powerful eCommerce website, a unique selling proposition (USP)/niche, and a good warehouse or outsourcing for goods. The next is to promote and market your eCommerce website to your prospective customers. Getting buyers is the key to success in eCommerce business but using Google Adwords and other social media like Facebook promotion campaigns will get you noticed as quickly as possible.

However, the following will guide you through what it takes to open and successfully operate an online eCommerce store in Nigeria.

1. Create A Compelling Business Plan

You must create a business plan for your eCommerce store so as to be sure of the requirements and income projection. The business plan should include the feasibility study on the market opportunities in the business. So far, many eCommerce store owners have been able to give testimonies on their progress in the business. Study about the existing eCommerce businesses in Nigeria and follow their good examples.

SEE ALSO: How To Start A Business (Complete Guide And Checklist)

Research about the particular products you want to sell online and understand the pros and cons. Weigh it before jumping into it. Perhaps you’ve already got an idea of the type of products you want to sell online but you must also have it in mind that certain specific products interests online goods buyers more than the others. Example, selling vegetables online in Nigeria will not move as fast as selling mobile phones online will move.

Your business plan must be bankable in case you may need to attract investment or raise money for the eCommerce business. In addition to your own effort, hire professional business consultants, planners. and lawyers to assist in your eCommerce business plan if you plan to go big.

2. Develop A Robust eCommerce Website

Have it in mind that before you can make a huge profit in your eCommerce business, you must apply the right concept and design a creative eCommerce website that is capable of attracting and keeping customers. This is very important. Get a website that resonates with the products you are selling. Most of the daily needs of your Customers might be, Shirts, Shoes, Gadgets (phones, computers, modems,) etc. Get an eCommerce website that fits the products.

SEE ALSO: Top 10 Reasons Your Small Business Website Is Not Growing

What are the modes of operation? Are the goods going to be imported or manufactured in your home country? If shipped, how many products are you ordering from abroad? And if its local, what is the size of your warehouse and what are the qualities of such product? These are the questions you need to ask yourself as an online eCommerce business owner. These will be included in your website design structure as well as in your business plan/proposal. Your website must be easily accessible, fun to navigate through, and friendly designed.

3. Have A Niche And Unique Selling Point

Your product must be able to meet the needs of your customers in Nigeria. Having a specific niche will help you to create an atmosphere of meeting your clients demands. Know what people are looking for and give it to them professionally. The type and quality of service delivery will determine your customer base.

Your unique selling point must also be believable, reasonable and tangible. Customers are looking for things that will ‘WOW’ their imagination, but at the same time, be original and don’t use gimmicks on your customers. As a matter of fact, you must offer a friendly purchasing pattern in your eCommerce price list. This will make your customers stick with you.

4. Register Your Business And Domain Name

Registering your business name is expedient before starting. This is a public business, weather you like it or not, what you are selling will broadcast you. You must make sure you register with the relevant authority in your country before starting the business. If you are in Nigeria and plan to go big by having your own goods stocked in a warehouse, you must register your business with the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria. The authorities can make the business uncomfortable for you if you refused to get the required papers for it.

Before registering your business and name with local authorities, you need to choose a brand name that will suit that type of eCommerce business. Name that will appeal to your online target customers who are probably watching and are willing to patronize you. Your name must be very short and easy to memorize. You can choose names like, echop, eprice, emart, or you could even use your name for it. It all depends on how creative you are.

The next is to register your domain name on the internet. This will make you secure a full time web presence to reach your target customers. Choosing and registering a unique domain name will not only make you visible online, but it will help you reach your target audience. Your web designer must help design your eCommerce website in such a way that it will be a very persuasive, and appealing to those who will go there to purchase goods. You must know that, this area takes the vital part of opening and operating an eCommerce store.

5. Get A Warehouse And Show Room

Your warehouse is also very important. It is where you house all the goods ordered from abroad or from the local manufacturing firms. The goods stored in the warehouse must also be available in the showroom (online and office location). Your showroom must be able to portray or display the products that are available in your eCommerce online store in case of inspection and make believe.

SEE ALSO: Cost of Renting a Shop in Lagos

Location is a decent environment will be ideal because a good number of people may just decide to visit the store and buy. Especially people who lives near your offline store location.  Some may just come as a way of getting acquainted with your company – the company they have become fond of. Your warehouse can be anywhere that is convenient to you.

6. Promote Your Online Store

You must also understand that the backbone of every business is the amount of awareness created about it. You must be able to promote your eCommerce store throughout anywhere and anyway you can. Your target customers are online and as such, you must be able to reach them through the right online platforms. One of the best medium to reach your online target market is social media (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram) and so on will help your customers locate your store online.

You have to do this by creating robust social media pages on the said platforms and promoting those pages to gain much fellowship. Share it with and through friends, families and associates. You can advertise through Google Adwards. Your eCommerce business need proper introduction to the market before it can start selling. Make your online store known.

Create A Blog For Your eCommerce Site

Blogging is another area you can get customers. You will do that by creating a special blog  section on your eCommerce website telling people about your products, brand , vision, and mission statements. You can also leave a feedback page inside the blog post. This will make prospective customer order and also give relevant comments that will help the business.

Lastly, Advertise your product in the newspapers and magazines. A lot of retired and top class elites read them and these are the type of people that really sit at home and order from your eCommerce website. Subsequently, you can take your online store to the broadcast media.

7. Take Care of After Sales Service

Your customer service agents must be available for calls at all time. The bane of running an online eCommerce store is customer relations and this article will not be complete without talking about customer service in your eCommerce business. Before a customer can reach a level of being convinced to buy a product online, your customer representative must be able to reach the heart of the customer and win him.

SEE ALSO: 7 Powerful Tips For Effective Customer Service

It doesn’t stop there, the customer representative must be able to follow the customer until the goods ordered are delivered to their door step. After you have delivered the product, don’t forget to call the customer again and ask maybe the product delivery was prompt and done without any grouse. Don’t also forget to say thank you to them. This way, the customers will know that you love them and you have them at heart.

SEE ALSO: How To Win And Keep Your Customers For Life!

Remember that your price tag must be fixed and there shouldn’t be hidden charges that will scare your customers away. Price is your final appeal to get your customers and convincing them to buy your products online. Price will also give you an edge over competitors apart from having a Unique Selling Point.

With these points, you can build a massive eCommerce website in no time. Follow WealthResult on Twitter and don’t forget to add your comment.