How to create an online store: Overview of steps and deadlines

An online store is a special platform where everyone can buy goods or find the necessary services using a familiar browser on their computer, tablet or smartphone. Consumers can find the best trade offer either on the website or through a search engine.

Often such a platform can have its real embodiment in the form of a warehouse or a real “ground” store. However, not everyone is comfortable to get to such a point, so it is more profitable to place an order from the resource. The terms of site development and the price may be different, in contrast to the task.

In addition, a shopping portal is not created in one day, as some companies offer. In this case, you can get an unfinished version that does not meet the tasks that it should perform. Therefore it will not be superfluous for the customer to know the stages of website development:

1. Preparation. Analysis of competitors and selection of a niche in which the future project will be implemented. You also need to study the demand for goods and identify competitors’ offers on the market.
2. Planning. You should choose a company that can design an online store of high quality at an affordable price and with a concise design. The main thing is to choose a proven digital agency that has a well-established team of professionals.
3. Marketing research and strategy definition. Here we study the product, research current trends and analyze competitors, as well as determine the needs of the target audience.
4. Development of technical task. TOR is a document that contains a description of the future design, layout and technology.
5. Design creation, layout and programming. Based on the TOR, specialists begin to work on the design of the online store to make it interesting, recognizable and easy to use. Then layout designers and programmers get to work, who put the designer’s ideas into practice.
6. Filling with content. This is where an SEO specialist joins the work together with a copywriter. The first develops the semantic core, and the second creates content based on the provided TK.
7. Testing. Before delivery to the customer, the project is tested. Specialists check how the site meets the requirements of the TOR and its functionality.
8. Selection of domain and hosting. This is done so that users can find the online store on the World Wide Web.
   Integration with additional services. With their help, you can manage work with clients or upload/download goods.

After all the activities are completed, the promotion of the project is usually launched using special tools and the chosen digital strategy.