The first thing you will need in order to run your E-Commerce website or digital store is a digital address or domain name.
The components of how to open a digital shop are Digital Address, Multiple Technologies, Payment Gateway, and Logistics Aggregators. Once you understand these parts, you can run your E-commerce website efficiently and will choose the right vendor.
Key Note #1: How to Open A Digital Shop?
Digital Address – Domain Name: The first thing you need is your digital address or domain name.
For example:
Meridigitaldukaan.com or meridigitaldukaan.in. These are different domain names. In the same way that your registered company name is unique, your domain name is unique as well.
This digital dukaan, if you want, can be registered in your business name or brand name. It might be better to register the domain name in your brand name as your customer knows your brand name more than your company’s legal name.
This domain name you can book online for anything from 1 to 20 years.
Keep this in mind, that if you do not renew your domain name and someone else books it, then you cannot legally claim your domain name.
This is like a first come first serve basis.
Let’s go over an interesting story.
For example:
In 2016, Google.com, for just one minute expired as a domain name. One of Google’s employees captured it, and then promptly returned the domain name back to Google for a certain payment. He then donated the amount to a charity.
So, you should always be careful to renew your domain name because if you don’t, then this will be a big loss for you. Renewing your domain name is very necessary.
Now, how do you book your domain name? There are many service providers like:
GoDaddy
Net4
The cost for this can be anything from Rs. 199 to Rs. 1000 a year.
Now, your dukaan has an address booked. After this, you also have to make your digital dukaan.
This digital dukaan is your E-Commerce Website.
This digital dukaan has 2 things, which can be explained in a simple way:
Just like you require real land to open your showroom, similarly, you require Server Space (digital land) to open your digital dukaan.
On this server, you have to open your digital dukaan, which we call an E-Commerce website.
To sell the server space, there are lots of companies like:
GoDaddy
Net4
Keep in mind that you have to book the server space every year after paying a fee.
Now, let’s go over the digital dukaan, which you will make on any one of these servers. This digital dukaan will be made by your service provider, which is made by an E-Commerce website company.
There are some points which you must take care of. There is a big difference in creating an E-Commerce and a normal website. So, when you talk to any service provider, you should make sure that he definitely has the relevant experience.
Multiple Technologies: To make your digital dukaan, different technologies are used like:
WooCommerce
Magento
OpenCart
Custom Development
So, this was a basic way to make your website, in which you have to buy your server and your digital dukaan separately.
However, there is one more way which is an easier way and quicker as well.
There are some companies which give you a readymade digital dukaan. You don’t have to buy a server or a digital dukaan separately. This is similar to a ready-to-move-in showroom situation, in which all you have to do is pay monthly rent and you can use it.
You just have to set the interiors of the showroom according to your liking. For this, you will require a vendor.
There are two platforms which are very easy and stable to use. These will be explained in detail in Level 3. These are:
Shopify
StoreHippo
Payment Gateway:
These are companies that help you in collecting online payments from your customers:
PayU
PayPal
CCAvenue
There are many more companies. These payment gateways charge some initial amount for setting it up for you and after that, take a small fee on every transaction. Some companies don’t even charge an initial setup fee.
Be careful about this term whenever you talk to any vendor about this. It is very necessary for you to know about this.
Now, the question is probably arising in your mind again about the Cash on Delivery. This will be managed by your courier company. Because this is the entity that meets your customers and delivers your goods. That’s why the courier company will collect your payment and transfer it to your account.
Logistics Aggregators: In the market, there are lots of logistics aggregators available. These help you in the following ways:
Deal With Logistics Market
Best Rates – 1 platform (They will bring you the best rates and connect this to one platform.)
Integrate with your website (These logistics platforms integrate fully with your website.)
Multiple Courier Rates – Single Click
Choose Courier – Generate pickup (Choose a courier you like and generate a pickup with just one click.)
Platforms – Shiprocket and Vamaship
These platforms take some money for their services, but your work becomes much easier. They have deals with all the vendors and courier companies to get the best rates.
So, this is the basic technology system, which you need to create a digital dukaan.
Let’s revise these and then go over some more important points, which are necessary to understand.
How to Open A Digital Shop?
Domain Name
Server/Platform: Or you can directly get both of these from one service provider.
Payment Gateway
Logistics Aggregators: This is the backbone of your business.
Now, you are going to get an important checklist. This is very important when you are selecting a vendor.
Important Checklist
- Vendor’s Experience: E-Commerce Website
2.. Check Support Team: How big is their support team? Because you will need them a lot.
- Check last experience: Look at their earlier projects and see what kind of E-commerce websites they have already built.
- Domain/Payment Gateway: The Domain and Payment Gateway should be booked in your name, along with your contact details. The vendor should not be the contact point here.