19 Oct 2023
The importance of “getting customers on your website” is often underestimated. While there are many successful websites and webshops that attract millions of visitors and earn substantial profits, the reality is that the online market is highly competitive. Thousands of webshops offer products and services for sale, making it challenging for new businesses to stand out.
Before starting a webshop, it’s essential to ask yourself some critical questions:
1. Is my product or service already available on the internet? If yes, can you compete and are you willing to take on that challenge? If not, have you done market research?
2. What is the net profit margin of your product or service? It’s crucial to consider all costs, including investments, expenses, and overhead, to determine the actual profit.
3. Are you starting this webshop as a hobby or a serious business plan? Understanding your commitment and goals is crucial.
4. How much are you willing to invest, and what sacrifices are you prepared to make to achieve your goals?
Once your webshop is up and running, you will face various challenges:
1. Building a customer base and establishing a brand may take 2-5 years.
2. Dealing with customer complaints and issues, even if your product or service is excellent, is part of running a business.
3. Determining the duration and level of customer service you can provide is essential.
4. Handling negative publicity effectively is critical.
5. Acquiring and retaining customers require a thoughtful marketing strategy.
6. Ensuring steady income streams and long-term business growth is essential for sustainability.
7. Having a clear vision of where you want your business to be in 5-10 years is important for setting goals.
8. Having a backup plan (plan B) in case things don’t go as expected is essential.
Starting a webshop with a positive outlook is natural, but it’s important to be prepared for the challenges and responsibilities that come with it. Online webshops have at least 60% of the problems and challenges that physical stores face.
To succeed, you need to find a way to differentiate your webshop among thousands of others and attract customers on the vast internet. It may seem easy to start an online business, but it comes with various challenges that require careful planning and preparation.
If you have a WordPress website or are planning to have one, WPbeveiligen specializes in securing WooCommerce webshops, which is crucial for WooCommerce and WordPress due to potential vulnerabilities.
