Module Two

Technical Setup of Your Online Store – Complete Guide

Now, after exploring different aspects of an online store and developing an understanding of UI and UX, we come to another important aspect of an online store, i.e., the technical setup. How to technically set up an online store? What are the aspects that you need to keep in consideration? Are there any tools that you should be familiar with? 

We will be covering these details in this chapter. Here, we are going to understand every factor that one should note to ensure to establish an online store. By the end of this chapter, you will understand: 

 

• Domain registration and hosting
• Setting up the platform
• Integrating essential tools and plugins

 

So, let us proceed to the chapter and explore all the technical aspects of setting up an online store you should know about. Let’s start. 

 

Domain Registration and Hosting

The first step that you need to carry out is domain registration and hosting. But what is a domain and how to complete this step? Let us find out. 

Domain Registration

What is a Domain?

So, the primary question that you might be having is to know what is a domain. Well, domain refers to the address of your website on the internet. For instance, someone wants to visit your website. How they are going to reach you? 

 

Well, by entering your domain on the search bar, they would be directed to your online store (e-commerce website). Thus, in the simplest terms, if someone wants to visit your website, the address they would be entering is referred to as a domain. Examples of a domain are: zopoxo.com, nike.com, etc. 

 

What to Consider When Choosing a Domain Name?

Should you be selecting a domain name randomly? Are there any factors that you should consider? Yes! Keep the following aspects in mind when choosing a domain name:

• Keeping it Simple: The primary aspect is to keep it simple. Choose a domain name that is easy to remember. It’ll help people to remember it for longer.
• Relevant to Your Business: Another important consideration is to choose a domain name that is highly relevant to your business. Yes! The domain name should be such that it should reflect your business or the products that you are selling. 
• Avoiding Numbers and Hyphens: Do you remember from the first point to keep your domain name simple? Yes. Do not use any numbers or hyphens as it becomes confusing and hard to remember. 
• Check Availability: Before finalizing, check on domain registration sites like GoDaddy or Namecheap to check the availability of the domain. 

 

Steps in the Domain Registration Process

Step 1: Selecting a Registrar

The first step is to select the registrar for your domain name. There are services like GoDaddy, Namecheap, or even Google Domains from where you can select the registrar for the domain name.

 

Step 2: Searching your Domain

Now, the next major step is to search the chosen domain on these sites to check if they are available or not. If available, you can move to the next stage of the registration process. 

 

Step 3: Registering your Domain

Finally, by following some simple steps, you can purchase your domain. In addition, you can also consider purchasing variations or related domains to protect your brand.

 

Thus, in these simple steps, you can purchase the domain of your choice for your e-commerce business. 

Web Hosting

Now, after you have successfully purchased your domain name, the next crucial step is to find a web hosting provider for your domain. What is web hosting and how to enable one? Let us understand. 

 

What is Web Hosting?

The role of a web hosting service is to allow your website to be accessible on the internet. A hosting service is going to store your website’s files on its servers and make sure that the website is available to users when they want to visit it. 

 

Do you know that there are different types of hostings? Yes, they are: 

• Shared Hosting: A shared hosting service is cost-effective and is ideal for small businesses. In shared hosting, your website shares server resources with other websites. 
• VPS Hosting: VPS, also referred to as Virtual Private Server, provides more control and resources to the user than shared hosting. So, for a growing e-commerce business, this type of hosting is the right solution. 
• Dedicated Hosting: In a dedicated hosting, you own the server, and hence have the most control and resources. It is a perfect option for large businesses that have high traffic. 
• Cloud Hosting: Cloud hosting is scalable and reliable and uses multiple servers to make sure that your website stays online. 

 

How to Choose a Hosting Provider?

Choosing the right hosting provider is crucial for the seamless operations of your e-commerce website. What are the qualities that you should consider when choosing one? Well, keep the following points in mind:

 

• Reliability and Uptime: The primary point that you should consider is to choose a hosting provider with at least 99.9% uptime. 
• Support: Customer support is essential. Look for platforms with proven 24/7 efficient customer support. 
• Usability: Choose a provider that can support the e-commerce platform that you are planning to use, for example, WordPress, Shopify, etc. 
• Cost: Before finalizing compare and analyze different plans for your website and choose the hosting provider that provides a cost-effective solution that does not compromise the quality. 
• Scalability: Always choose a host that allows you to upgrade your plan as your business grows.

 

Setting Up the Platform

Now, that we know what a domain name is and what all are the aspects to know about domain and hosting, let us start with setting up our online platform. 

 

Before you start setting up your online store, did you choose your e-commerce platform? Yes, as we discussed in the previous chapter. You need to make the right choice of e-commerce platform from the diverse options available. There are platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and more that you can choose from. 

 

Once you do that successfully, let us set up your online store together, step-by-step:

 

Step 1: Sign Up

Start by creating an account on your chosen platform. It is the first stage that you have to complete to proceed further. 

 

Step 2: Choose a Theme

With so many design templates available, choose a design template that suits your brand. There are many free and paid themes that you can choose from. However, take some time here and ensure that you select the right one that goes well with your brand. 

 

Step 3: Customizing Your Store

Now, you have to give your brand’s touch to the online store you have chosen. For this, upload your logo to brand your store. In addition, create a menu to help customers find products easily. Also, include essential pages like Home, Shop, About Us, Contact Us, and FAQ.

 

Do not miss to add elements that will highlight your brand’s presence and identity. These elements include aspects like matching your store’s design to your brand’s look and feel.

 

Step 4: Adding Products

The way you add products to your e-commerce store will decide how the store is going to perform in the long run. It affects customers, so you should add products in a manner that your store look organized and easy to navigate. 

 

Write clear and descriptive product titles along with detailed descriptions, benefits, and features. Make sure that you provide high-quality images showing different angles. Moreover, set competitive prices and consider discounts or sales.

 

Step 5: Setting Up Payment Methods

Now comes the final step of setting up your e-commerce store, setting up payment methods. With so many options available such as Credit/Debit cards, PayPal, and Stripe, make sure that you include diverse payment options. It eases the overall checkout process for the customers, thus, reducing cart abandonment and increasing customer satisfaction and retention. In addition, set tax rates based on your location and shipping options for your products.

 

With this, you complete setting up your e-commerce store. Easy, right? 

 

Integrating Essential Tools and Plugins

 

Do you know that it is also helpful to integrate essential tools and plugins into your e-commerce store? Why? Well,  integrating essential tools and plugins into your store enhances the overall functionality of the store. Using plugins, you can add features that were not available on the platform earlier. 

In addition, these tools help with site speed, navigation, and customer services, improving user experience. Moreover, you can boost sales and marketing using different plugins that assist with SEO, email marketing, and even social media management. 

Examples of Some Essential Tools and Plugins

• SEO Plugins: Yoast SEO (for WordPress) and SEO Booster (for Shopify).
• Analytics Tools: Google Analytics and Hotjar.
• Email Marketing: Mailchimp and Klaviyo.
• Customer Support: Zendesk and Tawk.to.
• Social Media Integration: Hootsuite and Social Media Share Buttons.
• Performance Optimization: WP Rocket (for WordPress) and TinyPNG.
• Security Plugins: Sucuri Security and Jetpack (for WordPress).

How to Integrate These Plugins?

Now, we know the usability of these plugins. But the question is, how to add these plugins? Well, follow these simple steps for adding these plugins to your e-commerce website: 

 

1. Identify Needs: First, determine which features you need to add to your online store depending on your requirements. 
2. Search for Plugins: Once you know, use your platform’s marketplace (e.g., Shopify App Store, WordPress Plugin Directory) to find plugins that you want to install. 
3. Install and Activate: For the installation process, follow the platform-specific instructions to install and activate plugins.
4. Configure Settings: Now, adjust the settings to match your requirements.
5. Test Functionality: Ensure the plugin works correctly without conflicting with other tools on the website. If not, you have successfully installed the plugin to your e-commerce store, and is ready to be used. 

 

So, with this chapter, we understood the technical aspects and details of setting up your online store. Always stay updated about the latest technical developments that you can use to your advantage and can include in your e-commerce website. Learn more about it in the module further. 

 

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Crucial Takeaways from this Chapter

• Domain registration and web hosting are the initial steps for setting up your online store, ensuring your website is accessible and has a unique address.
• Choosing a domain name requires simplicity, relevance to your business, and avoiding numbers and hyphens for better memorability.
• Different web hosting options like shared, VPS, dedicated, and cloud hosting cater to varying business needs and scales.
• Setting up your platform involves selecting an e-commerce platform, customizing your store with a suitable theme, and adding products and payment methods efficiently.
• Integrating essential tools and plugins enhances your store’s functionality, aiding in SEO, analytics, email marketing, customer support, social media integration, performance optimization, and security.