With the advancement of technology and especially the e-commerce industry evolution, retail e-commerce sales are projected to reach a whopping $6.5 trillion globally in 2024 and it will reach by approximately $8 trillion by 2027. That is why it is considered as a massive market with endless opportunities for anyone having a great product range or services to sell. But opening a physical store could be a much difficult in terms of investment and other resources. Here comes a point where the true magic of e-commerce comes in and anyone can take advantage of it. This blog is a detailed guide let you understand the aspects and concerns while building an e-commerce store.

I. Getting Started with PrestaShop

PrestaShop could be your way to build an optimized store without breaking your bank. PrestaShop is a free, open-source e-commerce platform, empowers you to create a beautiful, user-friendly website and manage your entire business from a central location. This guide will walk you through every step of setting up your PrestaShop store, making your dream of having an online store come true.

II. Preparing for Your e-commerce Journey

Before we get into the details of the design and product listings, let us take a moment to make some strategy.

• Finding Your Niche: The world of e-commerce is very vast. The only thing which can make you stand alone in this competition is the uniqueness that you can offer to your customers. Initially, identify a profitable and sustainable niche market with a strong customer base. Research popular online marketplaces like Etsy or Amazon to see what’s trending nowadays.
• Identify and Understand your Competition: Once you have set down and understood your niche, it is now crucial to understand your competitors as well, what strengths and weaknesses they have, in short you have to do their SWOT analysis. Analyze their websites, pricing strategies, product ranges and customer reviews. This will help you differentiate your brand and cater to handle your customer needs.
• Branding: Your brand is your whole identity, especially when we are discussing e-commerce business. You need to have a catchy business name, design a logo that resonates with your target audience, and choose a color scheme that reflects your brand’s personality. Consistency is a key to the lock of success.

III. Installation and Setup

Addressing the Technicalities

Now that you have a clear vision, it is the time to build your online e-commerce store.

• Web Hosting and Domain Name: Web hosting is a virtual land for your store and your domain name is the address to that land. You have to choose a reliable web hosting provider that offers PrestaShop compatibility. Many providers offer one-click PrestaShop installation, making it really easy to get started.
• Installing PrestaShop: There are two different ways you can install PrestaShop: either manual installation or one-click installation through your web hosting provider. PrestaShop offers detailed guides for both methods on the respective websites.
• PrestaShop Dashboard: Once you have installed PrestaShop, you will get access to a user-friendly admin panel. That is a place from where you can manage your whole store. Dashboard gives you complete control over your store content, products, orders, customers, and much more. All you need is to familiarize yourself with the key sections like Products, Categories, Orders, and Customers.

IV. Adding Products and Categories

Showcasing your offerings

Now just discuss the setting of your products to your online shelves. Detailed steps on how do you will deal with the stock.

• Organize your Products: You have to structure your website for a seamless navigation. Create clear and concise product categories to make an easy navigation for your customers. Think about how customers would naturally browse for your products and structure your categories accordingly.
• Product Range: This is a point to discuss showcasing your amazing products. You can write compelling product descriptions highlighting the features and benefits of your products, and address customer needs. Make sure to add high-quality and well optimized product photos. Do not forget to manage variations and combinations (i.e.; product’s size and color) and keep your inventory updated regularly.
• Make use of SEO: Search Engine Optimization helps potential customers to find your store online. You can optimize your product titles, descriptions, and image alt tags with the relevant keywords to improve your search ranking and the visibility.

V. Optimize the checkout process by configuring Payment & Shipping methods

• Seamless Payment Processing: Integrate secure and global payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, or Amazon Pay to allow customers to pay conveniently. Ensure your chosen gateway offers fraud protection and is compatible with your target region.
• Shipping Strategies: Configure different shipping methods based on weight, location, and customer preference. Offer free shipping on orders above a certain amount to incentivize purchases and to get your customers back to your store and shop again.

VI. Launching Your Store

• Testing: Before you take your store into the online world, thoroughly perform all testing, include single functionalities. Make sure the checkout process should be smooth, payments are processed securely, and shipping options are accurate as per the customers.
• Marketing your store: Now you have an online store, it is the time to attract your customers. You can utilize social media marketing, email marketing, and influencer partnerships to spread the word about your brand.
• PrestaShop Addons: PrestaShop offers a vast marketplace of free and paid addons that can add powerful features to your store.

Let us take a look at some of the most important modules selling on PrestaShop official marketplace.

Marketing & Promotions:

• Abandoned Cart Recovery: Tempt your customers to complete their purchases with the automated email reminders for their abandoned carts.
• Loyalty Programs: Reward the repeat customers with coupons and discounts and encourage brand loyalty with the points systems and exclusive offers.

Shipping & Logistics:

• Real-time Carrier Rates: Offer your customers the accurate shipping costs at checkout based on their location and the chosen carriers.
• Order Tracking: Provide your customers with the peace of mind, by integrating an order tracking system. So that they can track their orders at every step.

SEO & Search:

• Advanced SEO Tools: Optimize your store’s search engine ranking with features like automatic Meta tag generation and the keyword management.
• Improved Search Functionality: Enhance your store’s search bar with the features like autocomplete suggestions and product filters.

Security & Backups:

• Security Enhancements: Security enhancements are needed to protect your store from cyberattacks. Add features like two-factor authentication and website firewalls.
• Regular Backups: It helps you ensure you do not lose your valuable data, with automated backup solutions. The backups allow you to restore data due to any human error.

Costs to Consider:

While PrestaShop itself is free to use, there are some associated costs that you have to to keep in mind:

• Web Hosting: Web hosting plans are of varying degrees, depending on features and storage space. Budget around $3- $10 per month for basic plans suitable for small stores.
• Domain Name: Domain name registration typically costs around $10- $20 per year.
• PrestaShop Addons: Many addons are free, while premium options with advanced features can range from a one-time fee of $50 to $200 or more.

The Final Word

PrestaShop helps and enables you to create a professional and scalable e-commerce store without a huge investment. You could have your online PrestaShop store with a user-friendly interface, vast community support, and an extensive PrestaShop addons marketplace. This is why PrestaShop is considered an excellent platform for entrepreneurs of all experience levels.

Considering the market situation right now, this is the time to enter the market and rule without any issue.

Author: Joseph Chain

Joseph Chain is a Professional Digital Marketer having experience of more than 5 years in the field. Currently working in a PrestaShop development company, FME Modules and striving to deliver engaging content across diverse industries.