If you’re interested in getting into the electronics business, there’s a lot of legwork that needs to be completed first. After all, you don’t get to be the best online electronic store overnight. Becoming a top retailer of electronic goods like NewEgg takes time, money, and, most importantly, careful planning. Before you rush into opening your new eCommerce site, make sure you’ve taken the following steps.
Examine Other Business’ Models
Part of being able to succeed in a competitive industry comes down to doing your homework. By examining how other successful businesses, such as NewEgg, operate, you can determine what ideas you plan on emulating and what you want to disrupt as a newcomer. For example, NewEgg offers a broad range of electronics and tech in its online storefront, including video games, office solutions, cell phones, and computer components.
While you may want to eventually scale to offer that broad of an array of products, it might make more sense to focus on a niche at first and really build a reputation selling those items. Take a look at other business’ policies surrounding shipping fees and returns, too, as these customer service-centric philosophies can really differentiate you in a crowded field.
Create a Competitive Business Plan
Once you’ve done your research, it’ll be time to create a competitive business plan. In your plan, you’ll want to make sure that you illustrate how you plan to operate and what will make you better than other online retailers. Remember that the more detailed your strategy is now, the easier it will be to attract funders in the future and ultimately execute. As you work on your business plan, make sure to highlight the following elements:
- A description of your business
- An analysis of the market based on your previous research
- How your business will be structured and managed
- What products you will sell
- How you plan to market your business and your target demographic
- What sort of sales pipeline you’ll be using to fulfill customer orders
- A timeline between now and launch
Raise Funds
Once you have a solid plan to stand on, it’s time to use that foundation to attract potential investors. There are dozens of different ways to find investors for your business, so make sure to think about what makes you and your startup unique as you consider different strategies. If you’re a graduate of a business school, talking to your network of fellow MBAs is a great jumping-off point, for example.
Another opportunity is to look into building that sort of network online using websites like LinkedIn or investment-centric resources such as AngelList. Crowdfunding is another option, but it’s a good idea to already have some donors lined up beforehand in order to keep momentum in your campaign going.
Hire A Great Team
You won’t be able to build a great business without a great team. It’s crucial that you attract candidates that stand out and help you grow your company. Whether you’re hiring someone to run marketing for your business, build your website, or help raise future funds, having a good mixture of employees from diverse backgrounds is key if you want to find success.
In some situations, you may be hiring freelancers or independent contractors from other cities in order to manage different parts of your eCommerce pipeline. In these situations, it’s good to have an outsourced method of handling payroll from a website like SmartPayables.
Being able to mail checks online securely and remotely is an important task to be able to complete if you want payroll to run on time. By picking the right employees and treating them well from the get-go by offering them a consistent and reliable paycheck, you’re more likely to get the investment of time and energy from your staff you need.