A successful webshop: here’s how to build one yourself
![](https://www.combell.com/en/blog/files/Tips-for-webshop-success-1-1024x536.jpg)
Do you plan to start a webshop either now or in the future? Then you obviously want to expand your online business into a successful online store. Quite right! However, if you're going to make it happen, be sure to do it properly right away. With the e-commerce tips below, you can immediately start a successful webshop.
Successfully running your webshop? Make it a party!
Think of it this way: starting a successful web store is like having a good party: it attracts a lot of people, they like to linger there and come back again and again for more.
But instead of drinks and snacks, a successful webshop offers, among other things, a great user experience, high-quality products and an efficient payment and shipping process. So we dig deeper into those webshop tips. 😉
![A user-friendly website ensures a successful shop](https://www.combell.com/en/blog/files/A-user-friendly-website-ensures-a-successful-shop-1024x536.jpg)
Oh and instead of noisy party numbers waking up the neighbors, a successful webshop creates buzz in another way: happy customers who tell their friends about their great experience (word of mouth!) and return for new purchases.
So if your webshop feels like a vibrant party that everyone enjoys, you're definitely on your way to "webshop success"!
8.5 million Belgians made 170 million online purchases last year
BeCommerce Market Monitor 2022
The importance of a successful webshop
What does a webshop have to meet to be successful? Good question! Starting a successful shop is about a combination of different factors. You better not leave anything to chance.
Especially when you realise that e-commerce is crucial for the economy. To give you an idea: 15% of all purchases are made online! 8.5 million Belgians made 170 million online purchases last year. So start-ups have (barely) no other choice but to go online with their business.
Those who manage to do that with a successful online store win a lot - in the long run. After all, success with your online shop stands for:
- A wider target audience. You reach new customers who can't visit your physical store, for example.
- Higher sales results. A webshop is open 24/7 so you can process many more orders.
- Cost savings. Setting up a webshop is often cheaper than running a physical store. You have fewer fixed costs.
- Ease of use. The right webshop software for your business not only offers customers an easy user experience, you also manage your shop quickly and without problems.
- Analyze customer data and behavior. With your own webshop, you can analyze valuable customer data and surfing behavior. Find out which products sell well, which promotions are most effective and how customers use your store. This is how you improve your webshop and increase sales results.
👍 In short, having a successful webshop is an important factor for the success of your business in today's digital market.
![webshop-checklist](https://www.combell.com/en/blog/files/webshop-checklist-1024x731.jpg)
Tips for a successful webshop
Want to make your own online store successful? Then look over the different aspects of an online store. Check off all the essentials. These six free tips for a successful webshop will get you started right away!
Webshop tip 1: Know your target group like no other
Do you fully intend to score with your webshop? Success starts with knowing your target group. You must - logically - know for who you'll start your webshop. After all, the most important person in your organization is your customer.
Are you going to open a webshop where you sell to everyone, or are you only targeting young people? Or maybe just teenagers between 16 and 18 with an interest in sports and online gaming?
Tip
Use personas to define your target group. On our blog "How to set up an online shop" we give you an example of such a persona.
Other web store tips that focus on defining your target audience:
Webshop tip 2: create a unique brand
A successful webshop needs a strong brand identity. This way, customers always know what to expect from you! 😀 That recognition will make you sound familiar to your target audience.
![Well-considered decisions for your online store](https://www.combell.com/en/blog/files/Well-considered-decisions-for-your-online-store-1024x536.jpg)
In e-commerce, you distinguish yourself from your competitors with a unique brand. Your (new) products can be exclusive. Home-made products play an important role in this process. Shoppers value craftsmanship.
By highlighting authenticity, craftsmanship, unique features and the personal story behind your products, you will surely attract customers looking for a unique product or a fun, original product.
But which products do you want to associate your brand with? This is another area where market research comes in handy. Find out which products are popular, in high demand and where you can make a difference with your products or services. With a good product idea, you can stand out from other online stores.
Therefore, limit your range of products. Sell what you are good at and define your offer. By the way, you have to dare to adjust your product offering. It will only serve to strengthen your unique selling point.
Some other web store tips that focusing on your brand identity:
👍 If you take these various tips to heart, you will create a brand identity that suits your webshop target audience.
Webshop tip 3: select a webshop with good user experience
If you start a webshop, you have to invest in a good website experience. First impressions are very important. So make it as easy and pleasant as possible for your customers.
They will have an easier time finding and buying products. A website that is easy to navigate, that loads quickly, is secure and has an attractive design will result in a positive experience for your visitors.
This can increase your online store's conversion rate and ensure returning customers. If they place another order, it increases revenue and earnings.
Randomly choosing webshop software which is more likely to create a poor website experience? Do not! Because you don't want to lose customers, ruin your reputation or slow down the growth of your shop. Discover quickly the different types of webshop software for e-commerce.
Some other web store tips that focusing on user experience:
Tip
Would you rather not have to worry about updates to your WordPress web shop? Then opt for Managed WordPress. We will maintain everything in for you!
Webshop tip 4 : activating your customers
If a potential customer visits your cheap webshop and actually wants to order something, reward them with an intuitive and user-friendly buying process. For example, no dozens of clicks, shopping baskets that suddenly turn out to be empty ... Consumers should find it easy to buy from a successful online store.
Therefore, tips for a webshop often come down to the same thing: to have consumers find, pay and receive the desired products quickly and easily. On to the next 🙂.
If your buying process is complicated or time-consuming, it can get on the nerves of your customers and cause them to buy elsewhere.
Some other web store tips focusing on customer activation:
![sitebuilder-webshop-payments](https://www.combell.com/en/blog/files/sitebuilder-webshop-payments.png)
Webshop tip 5: focus on marketing and promotion
Once you start your shop, you have to start promoting it. There are several ways to do that. This way you attract customers to your shop.
![Flexmail](https://www.combell.com/en/blog/files/Flexmail.png)
Great news: every Combell customer gets a free Flexmail account. With Flexmail's e-mail marketing tool, you can design professional e-mails and campaigns and send them to the right contacts. Sending newsletters and promotions via Flexmail is a good example of taking control of your marketing.
Quite a lot of time goes into your marketing plan and its realization. Do you have a spare budget or a financial extra? Once your successful webshop is running well, you can eventually work with a marketing agency. They provide online marketing, fluent copywriting, design, new ideas ...
Other web store tips focusing on customer activation:
Tip
You can create your shop with our budget-friendly SiteBuilder, there you can improve the SEO of your shop.
Old school is allowed! Although for e-commerce using Google Ads is the ideal way to advertise in return for payment (it saves you a lot of time), offline promotion is certainly not a bad idea. Make flyers, put a logo sticker on your car, go networking ...
Webshop tip 6: excel in customer service
A successful webshop excels in excellent customer service. Where things are good, you come back. This also applies to your online shop. Visitors count on a clear return policy (even free shipping), discounts and warranty conditions. Think carefully about how you're going to organize all that.
Other online store tips focusing on good customer service:
By making these optimizations in your customer service, you can help consumers in making shopping decisions and thus increase their trust in your online store. It will help bind customers to your brand as well as increase e-commerce sales.
Most important tips for webshop success
Since repeating yourself a second time is not a bad idea, here are the most important free tips:
There! Everything read and about ready to start? Then we wish you ... success with your shop!