Planning an ecommerce website: questions to answer before you build
Most ecommerce problems start before the first line of code. Answer these questions first and your online shop will be easier to build, run and grow.
By Logic NI2 min read
An online shop is part website, part operation. The design is the visible part, but most of the success, and most of the headaches, come from decisions about products, delivery, stock and fulfilment. Answer these questions before you build and everything else gets easier.
Products
- How many products, and how often do they change? Ten products and a thousand need very different approaches to management.
- Do products have variations? Sizes, colours, made-to-order options or bundles all affect how the shop is structured.
- What information do customers need to buy confidently? Dimensions, ingredients, allergens, compatibility, care instructions.
- Do you have good photos? Product photography often makes more difference than any design decision.
Delivery and collection
- Where will you deliver? Northern Ireland only, the UK, the Republic of Ireland, further afield?
- How will you charge? Flat rate, by weight, by postcode, free over a threshold?
- Will customers collect? If so, from where and when? Do you need time slots?
- Who delivers? Your own vans, a courier, Royal Mail, a mix?
Selling into the Republic of Ireland or elsewhere outside the UK can raise customs, VAT and regulatory questions. Check those with your accountant or adviser before you launch; the website can then be configured to match.
Payments
- Which payment methods do customers expect? Card, Apple Pay and Google Pay are standard; some B2B customers need invoices or account terms.
- Do you need deposits, subscriptions or pay-later options?
- Which provider? Established providers handle the security of card data so it never touches your website. They charge transaction fees, which should be in your pricing.
Stock and operations
- Where does stock live today? If you also sell in a shop or at markets, how will stock stay in sync?
- Who processes orders, and when? What does a good day look like, and a busy one?
- How will you handle returns? Know your process and your legal obligations to consumers.
- Which systems need to connect? Accounting, till, courier, email marketing.
Platform
There are broadly two routes:
- An established ecommerce platform, configured and designed properly. Usually the most cost-effective option for standard retail.
- A custom or extended build, when your ordering process is unusual: trade pricing, made-to-order configuration, delivery slots with capacity, or ecommerce that's part of a wider business system.
Choose based on how you trade, not on what's popular.
Marketing from day one
A new shop doesn't attract visitors by itself. Plan:
- how customers will find you: search, social, email, marketplaces, in-store promotion;
- how you'll measure sales by channel;
- how you'll bring customers back: email marketing with proper consent is often the most profitable channel for repeat sales.
Launch checklist
Before going live, test real orders end to end: payment, confirmation email, stock change, fulfilment, delivery notification and a refund. Check the checkout on a phone. Make sure your terms, privacy policy, delivery and returns information are clear and accurate.
If you'd like help working through these questions, tell us about your shop.