Preparation for online store
Preparation is an important step before you start any type of business. An online store is no different.
There are a lot of things that need to be taken care of, so it's best if you have a checklist handy. Keep reading below for the most important items on your checklist!
An online store requires products, images, information applications etc. It can become overwhelming but with effective planning and preparation these projects can take shape rather quickly.
We will guide you through the entire process to make the preparation and launch a smooth one.
|
At Kingcom, we are dedicated to providing top-notch online store setup services for our valued clients. We understand that organizing product categories and information is crucial for a successful online store. However, we would like to address a recurring challenge we face when clients provide their product categories in an unsuitable format. It is important to note that the responsibility of supplying product categories in a well-organized manner lies with our clients. We kindly request our clients to provide a spreadsheet or list containing all the necessary product categories. This will ensure we can create an accurate quote and effectively plan the project. While we can offer guidance on various formats for a suitable product sitemap, we cannot guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of the product categories provided by our clients. In cases where the data is inaccurate or incomplete, any resulting issues or discrepancies will not be the responsibility of Kingcom. We are here to assist and support you throughout the project. In order to empower our clients, once the initial setup is finalized, those with ongoing support or premium quotes can easily add new categories or products to their online store. We recommend utilizing a consistent spreadsheet format for scalability and ease of management. Our aim is to deliver exceptional online store solutions tailored to your specific needs. We are committed to providing expert guidance and support. However, it is crucial that clients take responsibility for ensuring comprehensive and suitable product category data. If you have any questions or require further clarification, our team is always here to assist you. |
Quality In, Quality Out (QIQO)
Quality is extremely important as it translates to better sales, better search visibility and cheaper ad spend. Quality inputs increase the likelihood of quality outcomes.
Research
Research is most often overlooked but is the single most important step. From research we can learn what to do and what not to. This will prevent us from making unnecessary mistakes, which are often expensive. Pay special attention to style, product categories and product information.
Managing and sharing data
It is recommended to open a Google Drive or Dropbox Account.
This is important as we can share and comment on projects and files in realtime. Reduce duplication and confusion. If you are not familiar with these tools, we can get you up to speed quickly.
The content below is specific to the store or cart features, we have other guides which are more specific for regular pages.
Product Categories
The product categories are central to website projects,
- They form the container for products and will be used to define each product,
- Can affect user experience
- Affects all other marketing efforts related the website for example Ads and SEO
- Affects the menu creation for products, this becomes even more important on shopping carts with large product numbers.
- They help from a internal management business perspective
Keep the following in mind
Items can belong to multiple categories for example; a woman’s top can be categorised as -
Gender - Men, Women, Boys and Girls
Product Categories: Clothing
You are required to create a list in a spreadsheet, of all the categories and sub-categories, we will access and might make adjustments and recommendations.
We might require a category image for each category.
For projects where we migrate product information, we will provide access to the data for editing and modifications.
Products
The following information is required for each product, provided to us in a spreadsheet. We can provide a template for which you can fill in the required content.
SKU - Stock Keeping Unit
Is a unique code that is used to reference each product, identify and track its inventory, or stock. SKU’s can match our supplier or could also be a barcode
Product Name & Title
Use descriptive product names that are not too long, pay attention to how your competitors name their products. Try to include important specific information like that is relevant to differentiate it.
Product Description
A detailed product description of each product, try to answer common questions that the buyer would have about a specific product. Highlight the features that might confuse the average buyer
Product Short Description
155 Character short description that summarises the important points, these will show search pages and just before you can leave a short description.
Product Price
We require the product price for each product
Regular Price
Sale Price - You can select a date range which manages the visibility of the sale.
Make sure to indicate if these products are inclusive or excluding VAT
Product Variations
Product variations occur when an item that has different attributes, such as color and size, is grouped together with its variants on a single product page.
- Colours
- Sizes - Example Small $50, Medium $75, Large $100
Do variations affect the price?
Product variations can also have different prices for example, if a product has 3 sizes, we can have a separate price for each size. Then add a list of variations to each
- Sizes - Example Small $50, Medium $75, Large $100
Product Images
- Image file name should appear on the item list
- We require clear high res images of each product saved in jpeg, png, for better performance these images can be optimised.
- Each image should be at least 300 x 300 pixels but 600 x 600px is ideal (Normally square but can be adjusted to suite the product)
- Product images should be cleaned and ready for upload.
- Product sizes should be relative to each other (for example if you are selling like a size 8 shoe should be consistent on photos with the correct spacing all around)
- Name the files using a descriptive name followed by the SKU, if possible
- Multiple images are allowed for each product, If you have more than 1 image per product, save all the related images for that product within a folder
Bulk image editing such as removing backgrounds, colour touch ups are not included in a general website design project. These need to be handled on a per project basis.
We also have guides available for taking better photos for your online store
Physical Products Dimensions
If possible we require Actual product Weight, Length, Breath, Width.
It is good to include this as it helps customers during their purchase decisions
Box or Package Dimensions for shipping:
We require for the 1st set,
- Weight
- Length, Breath, Width
Digital Products
If you are selling digital products e will require a PDF, JPEG, name of file should appear on product list spreadsheet
Company Details Address
Company Name:
Registration:
Vat Registered:
Shipping Address:
Collection Address
Shipping Details
Work out your shipping zones.
Local:
National:
International:
Shipping rates
We will cover various shipping methods, you need to consider your shipping costs per product. The various options are
- Flat Fee per Order
- Flat Fee per Item
- Percentage Based
Shipping Classes
Shipping can become complex and might require 3rd party integrations or software, We handle this on a per project basis
Other Content
We require the following content,
CTA
Prominent Call to actions that motivate the buyer to make a sale. You can highlight your benefits to the customer for example
- Free Delivery
- Easy Returns
- After sales service
Legal Documents
- Terms and Conditions
- Shipping/Delivery Policy,
- Return Policy
- POPIA Compliance
About Us & Social Links
It is good to have an about us document or paragraph as well as Social Links.
