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B2B, E-Commerce, Manufacturing

Launching a Successful eCommerce Store

30 Aug 2022

Mike Patel

It is no secret that an online presence helps your business, but creating and maintaining one is not always as easy as it seems. You need to design your website, and then you have to get customers to purchase something from your store.

Launching a successful B2B eCommerce store takes some planning, but it’s possible with the correct knowledge and strategies. Follow these tips to ensure eCommerce for B2B has the best chance of success.

User Testing – Site Navigation, Design, and User-friendliness

Before you launch your eCommerce store, test everything from the site navigation to the design and user-friendliness to ensure that your customers have a positive experience on your site and can find what they seek. Plus, user testing can help you identify any areas of improvement before you launch.

It’s not just about a good UX design but also how users navigate your site. Users who can’t find what they’re looking for will likely leave your site. Ensure that navigation is simple and essential items are not buried too deep within subcategories of other items of interest.

When thinking about new features or improvements, keep in mind that customer feedback is essential. Customers may have something valuable about your site’s usability and navigability.

To get feedback on a feature or design element before implementing it, send an email survey asking people what they think about the new idea. You will get great insights and discover potential errors before launching your eCommerce store.

User Testing – Site Features and Functionality

Before you launch your site, you must test it out with a small group of users. A well-designed website should be intuitive and easy for customers to use, so make sure your testers can figure things out without any trouble.

Find people who represent the demographics and interests of your target audience and ask them what they think about the product offering, website features, pricing structure, and customer service.

Testing site features and functionality will give you invaluable insight into what works and doesn’t, allowing you to make changes before your site goes live. This step is critical for any retailer trying to capture customers and maximize sales from their new B2B eCommerce store.

Make sure you optimize your site for mobile devices as customers need to interact with your business in real-time. Make sure that your contact information and social media links are prominent on every page of your site to give customers an easy way to get in touch with you.

Consider adding an option for one-click ordering and shopping cart functionality, making it easier for customers to add items to their cart and buy them in just a few steps. Finally, ensure that all pages have the same color scheme and logo, which ties everything together.

Essential SEO Settings, Web Analytics, and On-page Optimization

Before launching your B2B eCommerce store, make sure you have the basic SEO settings in place to ensure that your site is indexed correctly by search engines and that potential customers find you online.

Set up data analytics to track your visitors’ behavior and use Google Search Console to ensure no issues with any bots crawling or indexing your content. Keep an eye out for duplicate content, malicious codes, server errors, or malware alerts that could hurt your SEO rankings.

Once your store is live, web analytics will be vital in understanding how customers interact with your site and what areas need improvement. Some popular data analytics tools include Google Analytics. Learn about your visitor’s behavior and trends by installing tracking software like these before you launch your site.

On-page optimization is also essential for both search engine visibility and customer experience. Optimizing titles, tags, keywords, and descriptions for all your products ensures that they are clearly defined on the page, so customers know what they’re getting before buying it.

Page Speed and Mobile Responsiveness

No matter how great your products or services are, potential customers will quickly click away if your website takes too long to load or isn’t mobile-friendly. Optimize your website speed and responsiveness using a content delivery network (CDN) to deliver content quickly and efficiently.

Consider using a cache plugin for static assets like CSS and JavaScript files, which helps keep them ready if someone else visits your site while updating it with new changes. Optimize images and minimize the number of plugins you use to avoid slowing down your site.

With caching enabled, visitors will receive an updated version of the page instead of getting a new one each time they visit. In addition to CDNs and caching plugins, other tactics to make your site faster include limiting redirects on all pages, avoiding animated gifs or videos unless necessary, and optimizing landing pages by removing unnecessary ads and widgets.

Install Essential eCommerce Apps

Before you can start selling online, you need to install some essential eCommerce apps. These include an accounting app like QuickBooks or Xero, a payment gateway like PayPal or Stripe, and a shipping app like Shipstation or UPS.

Ensure your accounting software is appropriately set up and integrated with Google Drive or Dropbox so that you back up financial data outside the company’s network. Some companies outsource the installation of these apps to save time and money. In any case, make sure all your apps are compatible with each other before beginning.

For example, if you use Shopify for storefronts, ensure that it integrates with the accounting software and merchant account services that you’re using. Work closely with your hosting provider to ensure they install the latest security updates to your eCommerce apps.

Set Up Help Desk

A help desk is a key to providing excellent customer service for eCommerce for B2B. A dedicated team to answer questions and resolve issues keeps your customers happy and keeps them coming back.

To set up a successful help desk, have an area of the website devoted to customer service with contact information, FAQs, frequently asked questions, and other helpful resources.

Provide 24/7 support so your customers know when they can reach someone if needed. Hire agents with extensive knowledge about your product line or industry to provide the best answers possible. Offer video tutorials and webinars on how to get started, troubleshoot common problems, and more.

Give out prizes or rewards to agents based on how many tickets they solve each month to encourage them to be more productive and loyal. Keep their work environment fun and comfortable by supplying it with beverages, snacks, music, and anything else that will make them want to come to work every day.

Set Up Email Marketing

Before you launch your store, you need to set up email marketing to help you build a list of potential customers and remind them about your launch. Plus, it’s a great way to stay in touch with your customers after they make a purchase.

You can use this opportunity to cross-sell or upsell other products on your site or even promote special deals. Use these emails to get feedback from your customers so that you know what they want from your business before you’re fully operational.

Build your email list with MailChimp or Vertical Response by inviting customers who visit your website to sign up for more information. You can also add an opt-in box on your homepage so that customers can subscribe to your newsletter.

Tax and Shipping Calculations

Ensure that you are legally compliant with any tax laws that apply to your country. It’s always better to get this right from the start rather than trying to fix it later on. Make sure your tax and shipping calculations are accurate.

First, make sure you have a clear understanding of your local tax laws. Second, use a reliable shipping calculator to get precise quotes for your customers. Third, if possible, offer free shipping as a customer-friendly service.

Finally, create an estimates page with instructions on calculating taxes and shipping fees for different items to inform your customers about their potential costs before buying anything from you.

Connect With Sales Channels, Inventory Management, and CRM

Connecting your eCommerce for manufacturing with sales channels, inventory management, and CRM will ensure that your store runs smoothly and efficiently. Additionally, it is vital to clearly understand your target market and what they are looking for in an online store.

Start by connecting with sales channels which include Amazon, eBay, and Google Shopping. With your sales channels connected, you can focus on your inventory management.

As you grow and add new products, make sure they’re available across your channels. Not only does this ensure easy access for customers, but it also helps ensure accurate pricing and product availability in each channel.

CRM software helps you manage customer data, automate marketing and sales processes, and improve customer service. The CRM system enables you to acquire new customers and maintain those relationships with up-to-date information about their preferences over time.

Wrapping Up

Launching a successful B2B eCommerce store requires careful planning and execution. You must understand your target market, build a strong branding strategy, create a user-friendly website, and develop an effective marketing plan. With these tips, you’ll set your eCommerce for B2B up for success. Also, feel free to connect with an eCommerce expert at ioVista to learn more about how to overcome your B2B eCommerce challenges.

Mike Patel

Mike Patel is the Founder and CEO of ioVista, a leading digital commerce agency specializing in eCommerce solutions. With a strong background in business and technology, Mike Patel has been at the forefront of driving digital transformations for businesses. He has successfully navigated the ever-changing landscape of eCommerce, helping companies leverage the power of online platforms to grow their brand, increase revenues, and optimize their digital presence. Under his leadership, ioVista has become a trusted partner with major technology companies: Adobe/Magento, Google, BigCommerce, Shopify, and Yahoo. He is dedicated to staying ahead of industry trends, adopting cutting-edge technologies, and continuously improving strategies to provide clients with a competitive edge. Mike’s commitment to excellence and client satisfaction is evident in every project ioVista undertakes.

Launching a Successful eCommerce Store

User Testing – Site Navigation, Design, and User-friendliness

User Testing – Site Features and Functionality

Essential SEO Settings, Web Analytics, and On-page Optimization

Page Speed and Mobile Responsiveness

Install Essential eCommerce Apps

Set Up Help Desk

Set Up Email Marketing

Tax and Shipping Calculations

Connect With Sales Channels, Inventory Management, and CRM

Wrapping Up

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