Some may think that setting up and building an online store for their business is an easy decision (and it might be!).

But without a precise, data-driven approach to setting up and building your online store, things can quickly get completely out of hand, and you may find yourself

wondering why your store hasn’t delivered the results you expected or wanted.

You may find yourself asking:

- Did I make the right decisions when setting up and building my online store from the start?

- Am I using software and technology systems suited to the products I sell in my store?

- Have I carefully planned the customer journey, from their first interaction with the store through to delivery of the product?

That’s right. Every step in building an online store must be carefully considered—and, above all, smart and appropriate.

“Sales at online stores offering products and services continue to rise significantly every year!”

In this article, we’ll cover several essential considerations to help you build an online store with ease. We’ll also help you choose the right content management system

or software for your store.

The article will also focus on several points to consider when planning to build your store, using a series of questions to ask yourself before

you start investing in your store.

Key Considerations When Building an Online Store

What kind of product do you sell?

First and foremost, you should clearly describe the products you want to sell to customers through your online store.

The right description and nature of your products will determine which e-commerce software is best for you. For example:

- Will your online store sell physical products such as printed books, clothing, electrical appliances, and so on?

- Or will it sell digital products such as website subscriptions, software, designs, and other technology-related work?

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منتجات مادية

If you plan to sell physical products through your store, you’ll need to determine:

- How those products will be shipped to customers, and who will handle the shipping.

- The shipping costs and estimated delivery times for getting products to customers around the world.

Are there any countries where your products are unavailable?

Of course, all of this depends on the audience your store is targeting.

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Digital Products

If you want to sell digital products such as e-books, website subscriptions, and so on, you’ll need to decide how users will access the digital product after completing their purchase,

and whether they’ll be able to download it more than once through their account.

Customers of stores that sell digital products expect to be able to download their purchases right away. After payment, the customer should be taken directly to

the digital content they purchased—or, at the very least, sent a download link by email.

What kind of shopping experience do you want to offer in your store?

Will you let users purchase just one product per shopping session, or encourage them to buy multiple products in the same cart?

Will the products in your store come with options for buyers to choose from (for example, clothing sizes or smartphone colors)?

Will you offer users multiple ways to search for products—for example, by price range or category, such as products for boys

and products for girls?

Could the products you sell belong to more than one category (for example, phone types and models)?

Will the store offer discount coupons that customers can use?

Will you tie discounts to a minimum purchase amount that customers must reach to receive a price reduction (for example, if a customer buys products

worth $500, their products will be shipped free of charge)?

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How will you apply these discounts?

Do the store’s software and technology allow you to implement these measures?

User accounts and order tracking

This refers to how customers track the orders they’ve purchased from your store. It’s an essential part of the user experience on your online store, especially

if you sell physical products.

Here are some things to consider:

- Should users have to sign up for your mailing list to purchase a product, or should sign-up be optional?

- Will you let customers track their products while they’re being shipped?

Of course, user account management also includes standard features such as password recovery, changing the shipping address, and updating the email address.

And so on—your store software should support all of the above.

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How will you manage payments?

Do you accept credit card payments?

There are online payment options that let customers pay directly by credit card. You can integrate one into your store so that customers can enter their card details

and then pay the specified amount.

If you decide to implement one of these options in your store, you may run into several challenges, particularly here in the Arab region, where not all options are available.

There are other payment methods through intermediaries such as PayPal, MoneyBookers, and others. However, keep in mind that each payment option has its advantages.

وعيوب وحدود!

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How do you deliver products to customers?

If you plan to sell physical products, you’ll need a shipping provider, which involves shipping costs.

The shipping provider you choose should also offer an online shipment tracking system. Your store will likely attract customers from other countries

around the world, so shipping costs and estimated delivery times should be clear to both you and your customers.

Online stores often offer free shipping when an order exceeds a certain amount that covers the shipping cost.

Some of these stores offer shipping through different carriers—or, in other words, a choice of shipping options, such as standard or express delivery.

Don’t forget: these are important considerations when planning your online store, even if they seem simple.