How Tech-Savvy Do You Have To Be To Run An Ecommerce Business?

Ecommerce Business, Mompreneur-Chispa MagazineFor many mompreneurs, the idea of an ecommerce business is undeniably tempting. Ecommerce is relatively simple; you buy (or make) products, you sell them online, and then you send them to your customers—as far as home-based businesses go, it’s just about as flexible and simple as it gets.

However, there is one aspect of ecommerce that can hold mompreneurs back—a concern over the technological requirements. Online stores, management of receipts, and all the tasks associated with running such a business sound incredibly complex. If you have no history in creating websites and related tasks, is it really possible to start a small business that is entirely reliant on tech skills?

The answer to the above question is “yes”—but there are a few things you need to know…

There will be a learning process. If you hope to be able to create an ecommerce business without engaging at least partially in learning about the tech side, then you’re going to struggle. While you don’t need to sign-up for in-depth coding classes and learn to write HTML from scratch, you do need to be willing to learn some of the tech details behind running a site.

If you’ve never stepped into this world before, then a small venture into learning about the various mechanics of running an online site will be beneficial. Here are a few areas you might want to research:

  • The management of domain names and how to control your nameservers. There’s a helpful guide that can explain this for you here.
  • The different types of ecommerce software and which may be right for you. You may wish to take further advice on this, but having a decent background knowledge to help you choose your preferred software will be very beneficial.
  • Seek to gain an understanding about how web hosting works, such as the difference between shared, virtual, and private servers, so you can have an idea of what kind of web-hosting package you might need.
  • It’s also beneficial to know a little about security measures you may need, such as protecting your site from suffering through data breaches or preventing a DDoS attack. While the threat level from these concerns may be small, it’s not non-existent, so a little learning can go a long way to ensuring your new business venture is able to survive the rigors of life on the internet.

Gaining a background knowledge on these areas will definitely stand you in good stead when it comes to negotiating the simple mechanics of running your site. You don’t need to become an expert, but decision-making is easier when you’re as informed as possible going into the website creation and management process.

There is help available. Many people who are new to site development worry about “doing something” to their site which brings it crashing down. They don’t want to try new things or improve their software, because they’re nervous about upsetting an established site, and not having the know-how to get things back to normal.

If you fall into this category, it’s important to remember that there is help available to you—you don’t have to become a tech and software whizkid overnight and only rely on your own knowledge. Companies like Svitla Systems are able to work with you to ensure that all of your software requirements are met, lending their own expertise to ensure that all is well with your site at all times. Outsourcing is a common requirement for any business, so if you do feel you need the extra help, then by all means reach out to a company who can assist you.

It’s okay to make mistakes. How many times have you tried to shop at an online store and had a problem with your transaction? Unless you have been extraordinarily lucky, you’ve probably encountered more than a few ecommerce blips in your time. The vast majority of internet users are accustomed to minor tech problems, so provided you fix any issues as soon as you become aware of them, you won’t need to worry about losing customers.

If you’re concerned about not noticing problems as soon as you would like, then get into the habit of running simulations of the checkout procedure on a daily basis. There is software that can do this for you, but sometimes, the simple solution is the best: go through the site and attempt to buy something, moving through every stage and then stopping before payment is fully processed. If everything proceeds as it should for you, then you’re safe to conclude it is the same for your customers. If you find a glitch, get in touch with your software company or attempt to resolve the issue yourself.

Keep it simple. If you’re concerned about your lack of tech prowess when it comes to your ecommerce store, then just strive to keep things simple. Some online stores are all-singing and all-dancing affairs; they have chatbots to communicate with customers, special flash deals that pop up during checkout, and various other features that aren’t essential to the basic process of buying an item.

In essence, the less “bells and whistles” your ecommerce site is, the less that can potentially go wrong. By keeping the checkout process simple and streamlined, you will have fewer potential points of failure. As time passes, and you become more adept at dealing with the tech side of your site, you can implement these features if you think they are beneficial—but they don’t need to be there until you’re ready to handle them.

Running an ecommerce site is relatively simple, but can seem difficult to those with little to no experience in web design and development. While there will be a learning curve you have to adjust to, it’s important to note that it is possible to run an ecommerce store even with a sparse knowledge behind you. In time, you will learn and develop your skills, allowing you to reach the business heights that you want to reach.

Photo by Kevin Bhagat

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedinmail
Mia Guerra

Mia Guerra

Executive Editor at Chispa Magazine
Executive Editor at Chispa Magazine, Mia Guerra is a writer at heart. Regardless the topic, she loves to investigate, encourage, and ruminate on topics that can make us better people. Aiming to live a Proverbs 31 life, Mia is ecstatic to be following her calling with Chispa. At home she is her husband's sidekick and together they are raising a God-fearing family in Atlanta.

Mia Guerra

Executive Editor at Chispa Magazine, Mia Guerra is a writer at heart. Regardless the topic, she loves to investigate, encourage, and ruminate on topics that can make us better people. Aiming to live a Proverbs 31 life, Mia is ecstatic to be following her calling with Chispa. At home she is her husband's sidekick and together they are raising a God-fearing family in Atlanta.