Introduction to e-Commerce
e-Commerce is the buying and selling of goods or services over the internet. This type of commerce is convenient for consumers because they can shop from the comfort of their own homes. Businesses can also benefit from e-commerce because it allows them to reach a larger audience.
Getting Started
In order to start selling goods or services online, businesses need to set up a website and choose a payment processor.
You will need:
A WordPress Website
A Payment Processor
Platforms
Course Requirements
For this Part of the Course, we will be using WooCommerce.
Visit: https://woocommerce.com
When it comes to setting up an online store, there are many different e-commerce platforms to choose from. While some platforms are more popular than others, the best platform for your business will ultimately depend on your specific needs and goals.
Some of the most popular e-commerce platforms include WooCommerce, Shopify, and Magento.
No matter what platform you ultimately choose, setting up an online store can be a great way to reach a larger audience and boost sales. If you’re ready to take your business online, consider one of these e-commerce platforms to get started.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a great option for businesses that want to use WordPress as their content management system and need an e-commerce solution that integrates seamlessly.
Shopify
Shopify is a turnkey solution that is perfect for businesses that want an easy-to-use platform with all the bells and whistles.
Magento
Magento is a more robust platform that is perfect for businesses that need more flexibility and customization.
Tip: While it is possible to set up an e-Commerce store in IMG Funnels, we have integrations for most platforms and IMG Funnels is designed more for services and digital products—single-product pages, where the user can check out on the same page that they view your products or services.
Payments
Course Requirements
For this Part of the Course, we will be using Stripe.
There are many different payment processors out there, and it can be tough to know which one to choose for your e-commerce business. Here is a brief overview of some of the most popular payment processors, to help you make an informed decision.
Stripe
Stripe is a newer payment processor that is becoming very popular. It is very user-friendly and has low fees. It is a good option for businesses of all sizes.
PayPal
PayPal is one of the most well-known and popular payment processors. It is easy to use and set up, and it has a good reputation. However, PayPal does have some fees, so be sure to check into that before using it.
Authorize.net
Authorize.net is another popular payment processor. It is a little more complex to set up than PayPal, but it is very reliable. It also has low fees, so it is a good option for businesses that process a lot of transactions.
Tip: Do the research to find out which payment processor is best for your company. If you already have a payment processor, you may want to consider integrating your e-commerce platform with the same payment processor that you use in-house.
Plug-Ins
Whether you're using a platform like WordPress (with WooCommerce as a plug-in) or Shopify, you have a plethora of plug-ins and addons that are available to you.
WooCommerce has an extensive list of official plug-ins that fit almost any use case.
FYI
If you are only selling digital products and services, you may want to consider just using IMG Funnels and following the Part on Lead Generation instead. We will cover both IMG and WordPress solutions in this Part on e-Commerce, but if you aren't managing a large (20+ product) catalogue of physical products, you may not need the lesson on Inventory Management, but you will be quizzed on it.
Easy Digital Downloads
Easy Digital Downloads is a plugin that’s specifically designed for selling digital products. If you’re selling products that are downloaded after purchase, such as ebooks, music, or software, then this plugin is worth considering.
Themify.me WooCommerce Product Filter
Themify.me WooCommerce Product Filter allows you to create unlimited product filters for WooCommerce. Users can refine product search by applying multiple filters/conditions such as categories, tags, price, in-stock, on-sale, and even attributes such as colors and sizes.
Tip: Keep in mind that plug-ins slow your site down. Try to keep the number of plug-ins to a minimum or upgrade your hosting to improve performance.
