Now is the perfect time to start the eCommerce supplement store you’ve been dreaming of. The supplement industry is continuing to grow at a rapid pace, especially in light of COVID-19, and eCommerce is becoming the predominant — and preferred — channel for many shoppers. With global eCommerce sales expected to hit $6.54 trillion by 2023, investing in your own eCommerce website is a strategy that will help your business in the long run. Here is how you can create and optimize your own direct-to-consumer eCommerce website.
1. Choose an eCommerce platform
You cannot start an eCommerce store without an eCommerce platform to power it. There are many platforms out there that will let you create your own website. WordPress, Squarespace, and Wix are all fine options for building general websites, but Shopify is one of the best choices for eCommerce. Shopify is a fully hosted solution that has all the built-in features eCommerce businesses need to thrive, such as:
- Dozens of payment gateways options
- Abandoned cart recovery service
- Mobile responsive themes
- Customizable app integrations
- Marketing tools, such as custom gift cards, discount coupons, and email marketing
- SEO features, including meta descriptions, title tags, and image alt text
- Access to advanced analytics
This means you’ll have marketing tools, full payment processing functionalities, and the site speed and security you need to gain customer trust in today’s competitive eCommerce market.
2. Create persuasive and compelling content
There’s more to a successful eCommerce store than just listing your products to sell. You’ll need informative and valuable content to build a website that will convert visitors into customers. A good starting point is to research some of your favorite sites to give you a better idea of how the overall site should look. However, there are a few elements that every supplement eCommerce website should have:
- Informative Website Content — Always include valuable and detailed product descriptions about your supplements. For customers who don’t know what your products are best used for, the content you create will educate them on why they should buy your product. Include a breakdown of the benefits the supplement will provide and any user testimonials to further the value you are providing to customers.
- Compelling Brand Story — Potential customers who are new to your brand are going to want to get a feel for who you are as a company before spending money on you. Talk about the reason you started your company and the issue you wanted to address. If you can tell a compelling brand story, your audience will remember who you are and choose your brand over your competitors.
- Clear Customer Service Channels — Customer service is crucial to the success of an online store. Your customers will want to know that they can quickly find help if something goes wrong with their order. On your site, make sure you have a clear contact us page that users can reach you through. You can even install some live chat plug-ins or add links to your social media platforms to provide easier options for your customers.
- Cohesive Branding – Besides the content of your site, you should take the time to style the entire site to match your company branding. The colors and logo on the site should be consistent with your company branding because this is how your customers will recognize and distinguish you from your competitors.
3. Obey all regulations
The FDA is very strict about how supplement companies can advertise and, even, manufacture their products. The FDA regulations for supplement labels are stringent and require certain procedures to be followed to protect consumers from harm. As such, it is crucial to ensure compliance with FDA requirements when selling products online. Without it, your supplement product cannot be sold in the United States.
Partnering with an experienced contract supplement manufacturer, like Paragon, will help you navigate the complex, and often confusing, FDA requirements. A good partner will leverage their knowledge of the industry to maximize the potential of your eCommerce business, such as prepping your products for Amazon eCommerce.
4. Optimize your site for Search Engines (SEO)
Simply creating a website and launching it online isn’t going to bring people in. You need to make your site as friendly and relevant as possible for customers looking for your type of supplement. By optimizing your site through search engine optimization (SEO), you’ll be able to grow your organic traffic.
One of the biggest variables in SEO from a content perspective is the proper use of keywords. Optimizing your site with the best keywords will make sure your pages rank higher whenever your customer searches for your type of supplement. To find the best keywords to use throughout the website, make sure you conduct keyword research. A good way to jumpstart this research is to brainstorm some terms and phrases that best describe your product and its benefits. From there, plug them into a keyword research tool to help you find the perfect list of keywords to build your pages around.
5. Find a trusted 3PL fulfillment partner
Your third party (3PL) fulfillment partner will be the one distributing your supplements. The services they provide will have a direct impact on how your customers view your brand. Since many customers have been conditioned to expect superior customer service by services like Amazon Prime, an experienced fulfillment partner that offers fast and affordable shipping to your customers will be the ideal partner for your business. However, there’s more to finding a trusted 3PL fulfillment partner than the number and speed of shipping options available. Here is a quick guide that will help you find the right supplement fulfillment partner.
Start Your Supplement eCommerce Store
Did you know that the pandemic has accelerated the growth of eCommerce by 4 to 6 years? This means that having your own eCommerce store is no longer optional; it’s a necessity in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to stay competitive in the supplement industry, your company needs to enter the eCommerce space and leverage digital strategies to grow your business.