Basic Steps to Starting an Online Store

Many people wants to start their own online stores, whether clothing, gift basket or toy stores on the Web. Using a clothing store as an example, here are some basic steps to creating your online storefront:

1. Define your business - The very first step is to always know what it is you want to do. This includes knowing what type of clothing business and what market will you tap (online clothing shop for plus sized women, for casual men, for babies, etc)

2. Research your market - Understand your target customer as well as know your competitors -- who they are, what are they doing and how are they presenting their store, how are they marketing, are your target market buying online and from where

3. Arrange your startup capital. If you think your idea can work, then it is time to start the ball rolling. If you need to apply for a loan, prepare a business plan. If you have savings or will ask loan from your family and friends, a business plan is optional but it can help you think through the business. There are no grants for starting an online store to sell clothing

4. Line up suppliers - where will you get your merchandise. You may not be able to arrange an account at this stage without a sellers permit, but at least find out who are they. Attend clothing tradeshows so you can meet manufacturers and other industry players personally http://www.apparelsearch.com/trade_show.htm

5. Start the legal and regulatory processes - Register your business and your assumed name (doing business as), get a sellers permit from your state, find out reporting schedules for tax purposes, decide on the legal structure of your business (e.g. sole proprietorship, LLC, S corp, C corp, etc). Go to your county.

Note that some trade shows will only allow you to attend if you can prove that you are indeed part of the industry - which means you have business registration to show to them

6. Start working on your website.

• Get your domain name
• Decide on a web host
• Find a designer/web programmer to create your site, if needed
• Compare and decide on the shopping cart system
• Decide on your payment gateway
• Find a photographer to take pictures of your clothes, if needed
• Hire a copywriter to write your sales and website copy including the description of your merchandise, if needed

7. Apply for a merchant account in order to accept credit card payments

8. Plan your marketing strategy.

• How to market via search engines and whether you need to hire someone to optimize your website and do pay per click advertising
• Decide whether you need to hire a PR person to help you raise publicity for your business