Running a successful eCommerce business is not an easy task. There are so many factors to consider when it comes to branding, product selection, customer experience and delivery. It can be difficult to know where to start – but that’s where we come in. In this article, we share some of our learnings working with eCommerce businesses and outline the 3 pillars of a successful eCommerce business.

What is eCommerce?

Commerce has come a long way since the days of physical storefronts. With the advent of the internet, businesses of all shapes and sizes can now sell their products and services online. eCommerce is a term used to describe the buying and selling of products and services over the internet. The eCommerce market has seen a steady rise over the last decade and is predicted to reach USD 1.4 trillion by 2025 (source). Nowadays, almost any business can be an eCommerce business, whether you’re selling food, fashion, or electronics items. A few key things contribute to the success of an eCommerce business, and we'll explore them in this article.

Offering good products

The most important pillar of a successful eCommerce business is offering good products. This means that you need to find a unique selling point (USP) for your products and ensure that they are of top quality and up to your customers’ standards. This means doing your research on what needs your customers are trying to fulfill, and offering just the right products to fulfill those needs.

You also need to make sure that your product descriptions are clear and accurate, and that you have high-quality images to showcase your products. Above all, you need to make sure that your products and their price tags are aligned with what customers are looking to pay you.

Creating a strong brand

It is not enough to offer great products. Without the brick-and-mortar storefront and the friendly staff to guide customers, your online brand alone can make or break your eCommerce business.

There are many resources online about the elements of a brand, but we want to share the successes we have seen from our partners. Tyltgo is the official last-mile delivery partner of some successful businesses in Canada, and here are our two principles when it comes to branding:

1. Be unique: “If no one hates it, no one really loves it.” — Jessica Walsh, founder and creative director of &Walsh

Many businesses fall into the trap of wanting to appeal to everyone, but when you try to appeal to everyone, your brand becomes diluted and uninteresting. For your customers to gain a personal connection to your brand, and buy from you, your brand needs to stand for something and appeal to your unique customers.

2. Build trust: “A brand is simply trust.” — Steve Jobs, Apple's founder and late CEO

Customers need to trust your brand to make a purchase, so it's important to build a relationship of trust. One way to do this is by providing consistency across their customer experience. Whether it’s newsletter signups or an inquiry about where their package is, make sure the experience you provide builds trust between your brand and your customer.

Delivering an amazing customer experience

Last but not least, making sure your eCommerce business delivers an amazing customer experience is critical to success. This means responding to customer inquiries in a timely fashion, ensuring your delivery reliability is up to scratch, providing detailed tracking so customers always know where their order is, as well as having a painless return process.

You can also go the extra mile and include a handwritten note or a small surprise gift with each order, showing that you truly appreciate your customers' business. Thank them for their support and let them know you're always happy to help!

How to use the three pillars to build a successful eCommerce business

Using the three pillars of eCommerce businesses—products, branding and customer experience—you now have a strong foundation on which to build your successful eCommerce store. It's important to remember that these three pillars are interconnected; they rely on each other for support. You can't have a great branding or customer experience without great products. Use these guidelines to create an online store that's tailored to your unique business and customers. And most importantly, don't be afraid to experiment! There are no right or wrong answers, only what works best for you and your business.