E-Commerce Consulting

What is an ecommerce business?
Ecommerce business is a business model where buyers and sellers exchange goods and services with consumers over the internet. Two common types are Business to Business (B2B) and Business to Consumer (B2C) ecommerce. B2B sellers focus on selling products that other businesses may need, while B2C focuses on selling products to shoppers (or the end customer). 8 key steps to launch your ecommerce business Ecommerce businesses are booming.

In 2020, more than 200,000 selling partners from around the world began selling in Amazon stores in the U.S. This represents a 45% increase over the previous year. If you’re starting from scratch, here are key steps to tackle, plus we’ll get into a lot more detail below.

Research your business idea to come up with a product that will meet a customer need.
Validate your product idea by talking to potential customers.

Consider how you will sell and ship your product to online customers (11 tips for choosing the right product).

Source products by procuring inventory or manufacturing your own. Select online selling channels, which may include Amazon, your own website, or both. Build your online storefront and add products. Prepare an ecommerce fulfillment strategy to deliver orders to customers.

Attract customers with ecommerce marketing and promotions, and other ways to grow your business. Small businesses graph showing growth earnings in sales on Amazon Starting an ecommerce business can feel overwhelming. It doesn’t have to be. Yes, there are a lot of considerations, but you’ve got this. As you’ll soon see, many online businesses started out small, selling just one or two products online and growing from there.

If you’re thinking of starting your own ecommerce store, or you’re looking for tips and ideas to grow from brick-and-mortar to digital, this guide (and checklist) is for you.

Starting an ecommerce business from scratch
Running your online business
Marketing and product promotion
Ecommerce business FAQs
Example of an Amazon storefront using Amazon Stores
How Anker grew from a side business into a global brand
Did you know Anker Technologies, the worldwide provider of phone chargers and power banks, started as a small ecommerce business in Amazon stores? Steven Yang and his wife initially ran a dropshipping business that sparked the idea of selling portable charging devices; this became Anker. As sales took off, the couple went full-time with their business. Today, Anker is a global enterprise.
cork board with product ideas pinned to it
How to start an ecommerce business from scratch
Here’s how to go from dreaming about your million-dollar idea to running your own ecommerce store.
Step 1: Research your business idea
Before you start building a store, research your business plan to help make choices quickly and efficiently. There are several ways sellers decide what products to sell or build. Here are some common decisions to make when trying to start your ecommerce business.
Find a pain point or challenge worth solving
Finding a problem to solve for a specific audience is crucial for successful ventures. Some ideas—however innovative—can fail when they don’t have customers to support them.

What problem or challenge are you seeking to solve? Who feels that pain point the most? Who would be most excited about solving this challenge?

For example, do you seek to make high quality kitchen utensils? Then people who enjoy cooking meals might be loyal customers. Are you selling thicker and more durable yoga mats? Then yoga practitioners and instructors might be your best advocates and fans.

Think of the challenge your product may meet. Identify the users who will truly appreciate what you’re trying to create, and keep them top-of-mind. This will guide your priorities.
Be observant to find great product ideas
You don’t have to go far to find a good product idea. Oftentimes people sell to a familiar group because it is a lot easier to spot problems and pinpoint needs quickly. Think about your own interests to identify product opportunities for people with similar interests or hobbies.