The 10 point guide to building your own online store

INTRODUCTION

Our present generation is entirely dependent on technology for everything. Then why not the Kirana stores could be an online store? This question gives a solution to long purchasing and billing queues. The e-commerce industry has opened avenues for the Kirana stores to start selling online. Online selling helps save time and effort from the point of the seller and the buyer. Online Kirana stores are trending now involved in selling all types of daily groceries required at home. But there are specific challenges that come up in perishable goods that get destroyed if delivered late. Do you also want to start your own online store? Here is the guide to bloom your business is given below:

1. Location and region to serve:

A successful entrepreneur will always include the regions to cater to while planning. The customers should be analysed well, and their requirements and paying capacity should be clear to the enterprise holder. Along with locational factors, it should focus on the competitor’s action and their work. The initial response of the customer will indicate whether your own online store has a bright future or not. You should try to encompass a maximum number of customers.

2. Prepare an inventory list and categorise them accordingly:

Inventory is the backbone of every Kirana store. You need to have various goods in your list from where the customers can choose by selecting as per their requirement. Inventory management tools will help you in database management with ease and proper flow to find each product in your grocery store. The wide variety of products will give an excellent choice to the customers. Apart from the collection and piling up of inventory, it is essential to focus on the display and categorization of the products in the store.

3. Appropriate delivery system:

The delivery system of your goods needs to be very strong, prompt, reliable and appropriate. Building and breaking of customers all depend upon the delivery system of your online Kirana store. Having your own online store, then you need to have a good team of delivery agents who can easily reach the customers without delay. To build your online store, there should be a delivery tracking system that could be easily set up by e-commerce. If your online Kirana store provides perishable goods, you need to ensure that the delivery is done within the stipulated period.

4. Use of social media:

Having exposed to social media is mandatory for your own online store. Then why you should stay behind?. Social media helps you advertise new deals and offers. It provides you with a platform to engage and communicate with the customers directly and get their feedback as a response. You can introduce a survey to sort out your customers, conduct short online quizzes and games to understand your target audience’s mindset and desire and cater to them accordingly. You need to do a lot of analysis to know the complete set of requirements near and around you. This will help you build a set of long term online customers who will frequently place orders from your online Kirana store.

5. Multiple online payments:

Different customers prefer different online payment modes. Few customers have limited online payment modes, while others have sufficient. Apart from this, some prefer cash on delivery from the safety point of view. Your Kirana store should open ways for accepting payment through all renowned means of online payments gateways. Your delivery system should be reliable enough to collect cash; it delivers it to you honestly without any unfair means. You also need to see the safety of the customers while promoting online payment gateways. Make sure they are safe from hackers.

6. Create apps if possible:

You can create an app for your own online store from where the customers can easily select the products they want, add to the cart, place an order, and make payment through online gateways. The creation of the app brings gravity and smartness to your online Kirana store. The app is more mobile and user-friendly store for customers to make a purchase at their convenience and comfort. All the products should be uniformly listed under different categories. Provide filter tool to improve accessibility to the desired outcome. You can mention discount coupons as per your wish. The customers get attracted to the various offers listed under each category.

7. Good Marketing to be done:

Your online grocery store needs good marketing if you want to make it a successful one. Your target audience must feel your store’s online presence. Use offline marketing means distributing flyers, banners and coupon pamphlets at local places. Discount and offers are the most tested and tried ones. Go for an eCommerce partner that has a dedicated marketing based module for your grocery store. It also helps you differentiate the regular customers from new customers and generate new discount schemes accordingly.

8. Create a strong bond with vendors:

Whenever you start any business, you forward to expand and flourish. To grow your online Kirana store, you can either boost your inventory or tie up with vendors who sell products you wish to add to your store. Make sure your e-commerce provides you with various vendors. It is very much essential to have a connection with different vendors. You may include multiple sellers to get multiple products with different salient features to attract and build customers. You may also integrate with other stores to promote desired products you want.

9. Mobile-friendly platform:

Online Kirana is the new trend for grocery shopping, numerous and easily enunciated by mobile phones. M-commerce is rocking now in the retail industry. This breathtaking technology has not only simplified things but also made online shopping easy and fun. You don’t even have to open your systems or laptops to shop online nowadays. It is easily possible through mobile from anywhere, without much hassle. But on the condition that your Kirana store is mobile responsive. It should have a dashboard so that the customer can easily land into your Kirana store.

10. Take the support of e-commerce:

Creating an e-commerce website will make you affluent in the online selling business. You can either build up your own online store or choose an e-commerce service provider, which will help you progress in this field. Every e-commerce has its own theme library from where you can select functions. They will provide you with guidance in all aspects. Ecommerce online store builders offer numerous advantages from templates to design your website or store to strategies to display your products on the store when planning to start your own online store.

Conclusion:

Online Kirana stores are buzzing in online business. The various features and offers given by it makes the customers their fan as they get easy accessibility and simplified payment options together with free home delivery. The scalability of the products stars the performance of the online Kirana store. The dense customer traffic rejuvenates the sale of the online Kirana store. They have gained momentum with the ongoing competition. Their effort to strive has fetched them with good opportunities to thrive over time. In the present world, where people have hectic routines, online Kirana stores are rising to give them hassle-free home delivery with just one click.

SOME FAQ’s

What does it take to make an online Kirana shop business successful?

Customer experience and customer services are the two crucial factors that affect an online Kirana shop business. Therefore, the first and foremost step is to focus on customers’ needs and wants.

As online businesses are becoming competitive thus, it also demands to focus beyond your customer’s needs and serve them the best possible.

Even if your starting with a small online Kirana shop business, providing good customer service will keep people coming back.

Why do some online businesses become more successful in very little time?

They grow fast. While it’s sporadic that an online business becomes hit overnight, it also depends on your business niche to taste the success. For example, suppose you are into an online Kirana shop business. In that case, the success of your business will depend on your competitors, and the same theory is applicable for other niches’ as well.