December 17, 2025
E-commerce is a great space to start a business in right now. Online shopping is bigger than ever and only set to get larger, so whatever you’re selling and to whom, there’s most certainly a market for you.
That said, it’s certainly not a ‘get-rich-quick’ scheme as many influencers would have you believe. Running an e-commerce business is a lot of work, and you’ll need to put a great deal of effort into learning how to use a variety of systems and techniques to your advantage.
To help you on your way, here are four of the most important elements for a watertight e-commerce strategy.
One of the most important things you need to nail down early on is having a clear value proposition. No matter what you’re selling, your customers need a reason to go with you and not the thousands of other businesses doing similar things on the internet.
Think hard and do your best to come up with something that solves a clear problem and is unique to your competitors. Remember: the internet is virtually infinite, which means the potential for competitors is, too.
While the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) has shaken things up a little (and will continue to in the future), the SEO principles of old still stand. Namely, if you want your website to appear in people’s search results, you'd better pay close attention to the quality of your copy, what sort of keywords you’re using, and what your competitors are doing to maintain a high ranking.
This is a complex topic that can get confusing quickly, so check out this great guide on E-Commerce SEO for Beginners to learn what you need to know to get started.
Especially in the smartphone era, UX is more important than ever. How fast your site loads, how seamlessly customers are able to browse, and how painlessly payments are processed, make a huge difference; people will simply click off if things are too long-winded.
Using a website builder that’s been specifically designed for e-commerce operations, like Wix, for example, is your best bet. Their templates are quick and easy to use, and ensure great UX with minimal effort.
As technology continues to evolve, so do marketing strategies. The way people buy products and consume content is forever changing, so it’s important to stay one step ahead of the game from a marketing perspective at all times.
Marketing is another complex topic, so take things one step at a time. Social media is a great place to start: everyone has a smartphone, so Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok each present unique opportunities to tap into your target market and communicate with your potential customers effectively.
You should now be a little clearer on where to start with planning your new e-commerce business. There’s a lot to learn, and you won’t be successful overnight, but ensuring you have all your ducks in a row from the beginning is the fastest way to progress. Good luck!
A clear value proposition is your unique selling point. It tells customers why they should buy from you and not a competitor. In the vast online marketplace, a strong value proposition helps you stand out and attract the right audience.
A great first step is keyword research. You need to understand what terms your potential customers are searching for. From there, you can create quality content and product descriptions that match those search queries to improve your visibility.
Website speed is a massive part of the user experience. Modern shoppers are impatient; if your pages take too long to load, they will likely abandon their cart and go to a competitor's faster site. This directly impacts your sales and reputation.
Social media is an excellent starting point. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok allow you to connect directly with your target market in a cost-effective way. You can build a community and drive traffic to your store. For more tailored advice, consider resources from Online Business Startup.
The Entrepreneurs Guide to Launching a Fast, Lean and Profitable Online Venture.
This is where the magic happens.
