Building an eCommerce platform like Amazon can seem like a daunting task, especially if you’ve never built a website before. If you have the right tools and support, however, it can be much easier than you think. While there’s no surefire formula to get your eCommerce site up and running as fast as Amazon did, following these seven steps will get you in the right direction to build an eCommerce platform like Amazon.
7 Steps to Building an eCommerce Platform Like Amazon
Step 1 – Decide your budget
Start with deciding your budget and what you want to sell. If you are really just starting out and don’t have a lot of money, you could use platforms like Shopify for building your site. Shopify will still give you the capabilities of selling physical products, but it’s not as expensive as some other sites. If your budget allows, consider doing all in-house development so that you don’t have to worry about maintenance or security down the line when scaling your business. You should also decide whether you want to include additional features such as social media integration, membership/e-commerce clubs, chatbots, and AI assistants.
You can either create your own domain name or buy one from someone else. Remember that a good domain name is one that is short, memorable, easy to spell, and doesn’t already exist. The better your domain name is the more likely people will remember it.
Read Detailed Blog: Cost to build an Amazon-like App
Step 2 – Get your site name
Your first step will be coming up with a catchy name for your site. This can be something simple or complicated, but it needs to stand out as your domain name.
Find a domain that is easy to remember and spell. The business started off with the name of Jeff Bezos’ pet dog, Boz, so they ended up changing it due to the lack of interest. But there are many different reasons why you might want to change your website’s name – for example, when you want to pivot into new services or products, when there are trademark issues, or if you just want a fresh start!
Step 3 – Register your domain name
Register your domain name and establish a hosting plan. If you do not have a website in mind, you can register your domain with the website promo code for 20% off of any hosting services for one year. Then research what features are needed for hosting: scripts, etc. To keep this process as easy as possible, research all requirements that are needed first before purchasing anything. Once again, I recommend taking advantage of the website promo code for 20% off on hosting service. That is the only extra cost that may occur throughout this process and it is worth it because it will save time and money down the road. Domain registration usually costs around $10-20/year.
Step 4 – Build your website
Develop a Successful Amazon-like App: Having a website is great, but without customer outreach you’ll never achieve the same success as Amazon. To market your website successfully, launch and maintain an Amazon-like app. Your mobile app can help you stay competitive in the digital age while delivering convenience and providing much more engagement with customers. Here are some questions to ask when creating a new business app for Amazon-like use:
- Is my target audience on their phones?
- Will my target audience download this type of app?
- What will motivate them to download my app?
- What content should I provide for this platform?
Step 5 – Choose your shopping cart
Drop shipping is when an online retailer fulfills orders by purchasing inventory from one or more wholesalers without having physical possession of the goods. It is important to know what type of inventory will be required so that it can be purchased accordingly in advance (and avoid carrying excess inventory). Multiple payment options are necessary to provide your customers with the flexibility they need. Here are a few other payment methods you might want to consider for your online store: PayPal, Google Wallet, Apple Pay, MoneyGram, bank transfer and wire transfer. You may also want to include drop-shipping as an option for products that do not require direct shipment or are available through third-party sellers.
Step 6 – Get traffic to your website
Part of getting the word out about your website is finding a way to promote it. Paid advertising via sites like Facebook, Google and LinkedIn will help you get the most visibility possible for your business and help you focus on specific demographic groups. For example, if you’re selling summer clothing for kids in a competitive market, targeting mothers with young children between the ages of 1-5 might be your best bet. On the other hand, if you’re marketing snowboards during winter time, targeting people who live in areas that receive heavy snowfall or those who have liked pages related to winter sports might be more effective. Experiment with different audiences until you find one that works well for your business goals.
Step 7 – Make a plan for growth
Now that you’ve mastered the art of building a thriving, profitable online business with your first eCommerce platform, it’s time to start thinking about expanding your brand. One way to do this is by starting from scratch again, with a whole new eCommerce site. But there are more options than that:
-Develop a new platform without touching your current site and add the features you want over time. -Keep your existing platform but hire outside help for design and content management. -Switch to another eCommerce platform like Shopify or WooCommerce (which both integrate seamlessly with WordPress). -Integrate a new payment system into your current platform.
–Hire a development company to build out specific features in house.
-Work with agencies to create a custom solution tailored to your needs.
Let’s Wrap Up
Now you know how to develop a goal-oriented strategy, make a plan, and recruit the right people. Make sure to keep your timeline flexible and ensure that everyone is contributing to your shared vision. Once you’ve reached that point, all that’s left is to make it happen! Congratulations on making it this far. Your hard work will pay off in the end, so don’t give up now!
