3 Steps for Launching an Ecommerce Store in One DayFast, functional, sharp and informative, all for free.

ByNathan Resnick

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Shutterstock

Trying to launch your own ecommerce store can seem like a daunting task, but it's really not. This essential part of building your business can actually be accomplished in a single day. And don't worry -- I'm not going to suggest simply throwing low-quality work onto the web.

Launching a functional, great-looking ecommerce store in a single day may sound impossible, but when you take the correct steps in the right order, you'll be up and running in no time at all --without any cash investment.

1. Pick a design.

While some companies choose to invest quite a bit of money into building a custom store design, it's much easier -- and cheaper -- to rent a ready-made design using Shopify or a similar service. Of course, you need toselect a designthat will mesh well with your product and encourage customers to buy. In general, it's best to choose a theme with a simple, conventional design and mobile functionality to give your shoppers the best user experience.

Related:To Invest in Mobile or Not to Invest in Mobile... That is the Question

Fancy banners and animations may seem like a good idea, but for many ecommerce stores, this ultimately distracts from the main purpose -- selling your product. When browsing design templates, consider how your store will appear when the template has been filled with your own product images. A simple, clean design will place the focus where it belongs and be more visually appealing to your customers.

2. Fill in content.

Once your design is in place, the next step is to fill your store with content. This doesn't just mean to fill out text for product pages, either. Many ecommerce design companies help you add return policies, terms and conditions and other important common text to your site in minutes. And while it's up to you to write your own about us, shipping information and individual product pages, this information doesn't necessarily need to be completely finalized to make your store go live.

Related:3 Fatal Ecommerce Mistakes You Must Not Make

This doesn't mean you should just throw up the first thing you type without checking for grammar, spelling or clarity, but you can have more peace of mind knowing you can always go back andadjust your copyas necessary later. At this point, the most important thing you can do is decide which products will be included in your store and write direct, engaging copy that will encourage shoppers to make a purchase.

3. Add products and prepare shipping.

A functional ecommerce layout is great, but without products and a method to ship them, your store won't do much good. Thankfully, drop-shipping apps likeOberlohave made filling your store with products and getting them delivered to your customers easier than ever. After receiving an order, all you need to do is confirm the order via your drop-shipping app, and your product will be sent to the customer.

Installing this app on day one ensures that you'll be ready to start filling customer orders right away. This is the final step to creating a fully functional ecommerce store.

Related:5 Less-Known Challenges of Running an Ecommerce Store

With these crucial steps taken care of, you can startmarketing and selling your products, while still having the option to make additional upgrades and improvements to your store when needed. By launching your ecommerce store in one day, you'll have already cleared one of the biggest hurdles to your sales success.
Wavy Line
Nathan Resnick

Entrepreneur Leadership Network Contributor

CEO of Sourcify

Nathan Resnick is a serial entrepreneur who currently serves as CEO of Sourcify, a platform that makes manufacturing easy. He has also brought dozens of products to life over the course of his career.

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Business News

An 81-Year-Old Florida CEO Just Indicted for a $250 Million Ponzi Scheme Ran a Sprawling Senior Citizen Crime Ring

Carl Ruderman is the fifth senior citizen in the Miami-Fort-Lauderdale-Palm Beach metropolitan area to face charges in connection with the scam.

Business News

Taco Bell Slammed With Lawsuit Over 'Especially Concerning' Advertisements, Allegedly Deceiving Customers

The class action lawsuit claims the chain is advertising more than they deliver.

Business News

Steve Jobs's Son Is Diving Into Venture Capital — and His Focus Hits Close to Home

里德工作,31日推出Yosem风险资本公司ite, which already boasts $200 million from investors and institutions.

Business News

Body of Missing 27-Year-Old Goldman Sachs Banker Found in Nearby Body of Water

John Castic, a 27-year-old Goldman Sachs employee, went missing around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday after attending a concert at the Brooklyn Mirage in East Williamsburg.

Money & Finance

Want to Become a Millionaire? Follow Warren Buffett's 4 Rules.

太多的企业家也数他狗万官方vily on a company exit for their eventual 'win.' Do this instead.

Marketing

This Industry Is Making More Money Than Hollywood and the Music Industry Combined — Here's How Your Business Can Get Involved

With mobile gaming revolutionizing product placement and brand awareness, one surprising demographic is leading the charge.