Online shopping continues to dominate the world today. In the past, people had to visit brick-and-mortar stores to purchase products. Now, all it takes is a single click to get what they want and need.
Many entrepreneurs today have also ventured into ecommerce. With many potentials and ways to earn revenue, it has grown into a prominent industry. Every business today now has an ecommerce store, from corporate giants to small and medium enterprises.
If you’re intrigued by the power of online selling, you need an online store builder to get you started. However, there’s a catch. Many website builders don’t give you enough value for your money. Other online store builders require you to pay expensive membership fees. If your goal is to create an online that will prevail over the competition, what kind of online store builder to you need?
In this blog, we’ll give you a comprehensive look at creating an ecommerce store with a dependable online store builder. We’ll also give examples of some of the best online stores out there today.
If you’re eager to embark on an ecommerce journey, read on to learn more:
Why Do You Need an Online Store?
You need an online store for a variety of reasons. One, you may have a physical shop and want to expand into ecommerce. This will create a new channel for your customers to reach you.
Second, if you’re a young professional setting up a business for the first time, having an online store is a great idea.
Third, you may be in the ecommerce industry already. But if you want to increase online sales, an ecommerce store would be beneficial.
An online store builder would often give you all the tools you need. A great example is Strikingly. Strikingly is a website builder that can be used to develop virtually any type of website you could think of. If you want to test how powerful this store builder is, you must read until the end.
Here are more compelling reasons to start an online shop:
- Make your products and/or services available nationwide or worldwide
- Target existing, new, and potential markets
- Low maintenance and management costs
- Increase sales through specialized online marketing techniques
- Highlight and promote certain products and/or services
- Extend customer support and consumer relationship
- Develops store visibility
- Enhances brand recognition and awareness at a larger scale
With a reliable online store builder, you can achieve all these things easily. Apart from the rewards you’ll reap by running an online store, you’ll also gain skills in online marketing. You can also expect to grow your business acumen by keeping up with recent ecommerce trends.
Best Online Store Examples
If you want to sell online, you need a couple of inspirations to begin with. To ease things up for you, we curated this special list of some of the best online stores today. Flip through all of them so you would know what structure, style, and functions to add using an online store builder.
1. Runway Prints
Image taken from Strikingly user website
Runway Prints definitely took off the moment it launched as an ecommerce store. This shop specializes in creating customized airport runway prints. Their shop is perfect for those who dream of aviation careers or those who simply love the thrill of flying high.
The online store builder that Runway Prints used was Strikingly. As you can see in the image above, there are plenty of Strikingly signature styles in their store. You can see in the clear interface, clear typography, and consistent visuals.
What you’ll love most about this store are the cleanliness and cohesiveness. The white background creates a pleasant backdrop for each product. Each item is also easy to view. Don’t forget to add these things to the online store builder.
2. Pet Milestone Cards
Image taken from Strikingly user website
Pet Milestone Cards definitely knows how to create an online store that’s cute, fun, and absolutely awesome. They feature products made for furparents who are celebrating certain milestones for their pets.
As an ecommerce store, Pet Milestone Cards leveraged the fun and quirkiness of having a pet. While using an online store builder, don’t forget to create a sense of connection with your customers. For example, you must give them something that pulls on their heartstrings - like those cute little pets you see in the image above.
3. Pretty Olive
Image taken from Strikingly user website
An ecommerce store isn’t restricted to physical goods alone. You can also use an online store builder to create your services shop. Take a look at this website from Pretty Olive. The entrepreneur who runs this website is an interior designer. She doesn’t sell physical goods. Instead, she offers her services through different kinds of design packages.
With an online builder, you’ll have the chance to expand into a variety of products, You can opt to solely sell physical items, or sell services at varying costs. A key thing to remember is that the payment options for each type are different. If you’re offering a service, it may be better to use a subscription economy so that the customer service is extended.
4. Beauty INU
Image taken from Strikingly user website
Beauty INU has one goal - to unleash the beauty within you. This effective branding technique is perfect for an ecommerce store that sells gorgeous bridal gowns. Apart from this, their shop also features fantastic images of models flaunting each gown.
While you’re using an online store builder, you shouldn’t forget to add stunning images of your products. If you’re selling clothes like Beauty INU, make sure you have models to emphasize the product’s style, size, and texture. Adding an image gives your customers an idea of how a product would look like in person. They can also use your models as a size reference.
If you’re creating an online shop, don’t forget to add a specific name too. Take a look at the image above. Beauty INU’s customers don’t have to guess what each product is since it’s already clearly displayed.
Thing Your Online Store Must Have
If you’re using Strikingly as your online store builder, you made a fantastic choice! Strikingly offers a wide array of features to make an exceptional ecommerce store. If you’re unsure what features to add, here are some things to consider:
• Product Variations
People love it when you offer a wide spectrum of selections. They may like certain clothes in different colors and sizes. With Strikingly, you can easily set product variations in your online store.
• Membership Options
If you want to offer subscription-based services, this option is a perfect addition.
• Multiple Payment Channels
Strikingly offers flexible payment options that you can enable. You can read more about it in the next section.
• Contact Form
Having a contact form makes it easier for customers to reach you. Don’t forget to add it to the online store builder.
• Social Media Links
You can also expand your business’ network by connecting your store to your social media channels.
4 Steps To Create an Online Store
Strikingly is an excellent online store for beginners and professionals alike. First, you must head on to Strikingly to create your account. Once you’re done, go to your Dashboard and hit “Create New Site”. After that, all you need to do is to follow the steps on how to set up an online store below:
1. Select an Online Store Template
Image taken from Strikingly product
As a store builder, Strikingly offers a slew of ecommerce website templates. At the top, you’ll see different template categories. You can go to “Store” to find a suitable template.
2. Add a Simple Store Section
Image taken from Strikingly product
An online store builder won’t be useful without the ability to add sections. In the editor panel, click on “Add New Section”. Then, choose “Simple Store”. You can change every single detail in your online store depending on what you want.
3. Add Products to Your Online Store
Image taken from Strikingly product
Of course, Strikingly’s online store builder is also equipped to host a variety of products. To add products, go to “Store”, then “Products”, and finally “Add Products”. You’ll see the image above once you’ve done this. Remember to follow some of the tips listed in our examples when adding your products. Don’t forget the name, description, image, and price. You can also set a stock number to monitor your inventory.
4. Set Up Payment Options
Image taken from Strikingly product
Last but not least, add multiple payment channels. Strikingly currently supports PayPal, Stripe, and Offline Payment options which you can configure. Make sure to enable various payment channels for your customers’ convenience. To do this, just go to “Settings”. Then “Accept Payments”. Once you see the image above, just click on “Connect to Paypal” and/or “Connect to Stripe”. You can also add an offline payment option.
Using Strikingly as your online store builder is a great way to achieve your ecommerce goals. Just create your free Strikingly account today, so you can conquer the ecommerce world by building an online store.
