How to Build an E-Commerce Website for Dropshipping

Quite often, our clients ask: what is the purpose of building an e-commerce website for my dropshipping store?

Our response is simple!

All across the world, people are increasingly turning to e-commerce websites to search for goods and services and find the things they want.

That tendency is unlikely to change, in my opinion.

Do you want to be a part of the trend?

Nowadays, setting up an E-commerce website for dropshipping is rather simple. You don’t need any technical knowledge or design abilities to participate.

Without question, creating a dropshipping website can take lots of time and effort.

But there’s good news!

Several dropshipping eCommerce website builders will ease your work.

In this article, we will explain why an e-commerce website is essential; plus, we will show you some platforms to get you started!

Continue reading to learn everything you need to know about building an eCommerce website.

What is dropshipping?

Dropshipping is a distribution strategy for e-commerce enterprises that allows vendors to sell products without holding or maintaining inventory.

Your store sells products from a third-party wholesaler or manufacturer using the dropshipping concept.

When a consumer places an order on your site, you purchase the product from a third-party vendor, who then ships it straight to the customer.

Dropshiping is a popular strategy, with 27% of online retailers adopting the dropshipping model as an easier path to tread as a retailer.

Why do you need a dropshipping website of your own?

A dropshipping website serves as your brand’s storefront. It is a cost-effective way to interact with customers. But, that’s not all.

Here are five top reasons why you need a dropshipping website of your own.

Source of vital information

A dropshipping website is a repository for information vital to the customer experience. Web pages like a shipping policy, FAQs, Source Products, and product updates help customers navigate through your site to find critical pieces of information before they can purchase their goods.

Information provided by your website will increase sales and ensure customer satisfaction by lowering the need for customer support.

Make sure to look into translating this information if you use the reverse dropshipping model.

Impress potential clients

Heard of the phrase, “doing business without advertising is like winking at a beautiful girl in the dark; you know what you are doing, but no one else does.”

True, the same principle applies to dropshipping. You need a website to attract and impress potential customers. You also need to know who your customers are, and they too need to know you and your products. You are likely to miss out on great collaborations if you don’t have a website for people to look at to get a sense of your store.

A well-designed and polished website can help you establish new vendor partnerships.

Facilitate digital marketing

Digital marketing activities, such as eCommerce email marketing, are highly beneficial to dropshipping businesses.

But how easy is it to implement digital marketing without a website?

The quick answer is ‘it’s not easy!

You need a landing web page where visitors who view your dropshipping ads can go. Your landing page should also be optimized for eCommerce, so customers can find your site through search engines. In this case, you won’t have to pay for eCommerce PPC advertising.

Online digital catalog

Your website will serve as an online digital catalog, providing customers an opportunity to look at various products you sell.

You can remove products from the site immediately if you decide not to sell them or if there are complications with production or lead time.

Beat the competition

One of the most significant advantages of having a dropshipping website is keeping up with the competition. You simply can’t afford to be left behind if your competitors have websites or listings on eCommerce marketplaces.

Don’t let a lack of a web presence hurt your business.

How to create a dropshipping website using these 4 steps

Setting up a dropshipping website can appear a complex undertaking.

But, if you weigh the advantages of creating an eCommerce website against the possible inconvenience, then you will realize that it is worth it

You’ll need to locate;

• An e-commerce platform
• design a storefront
• develop an eCommerce marketing strategy

Choose an Ecommerce Platform

An eCommerce platform is the most critical item you’ll need to manage a dropshipping website. It could be a headless eCommerce system, a cloud-based solution, or an online marketplace.

Here are two factors you need to consider when choosing a platform.

• Simple and easy to use: Pick a platform that can be used with little training.
• Potential to grow: The platform must be able to grow with your company. Rather than going with the cheapest option, stick with platforms that provide long-term growth.
• 24/7 hour support: The platform should provide 24/7 support to ensure an undisrupted service.

Domain name

You’ll need to have a proper domain name. You can check the availability using Google Domains.

How to choose a domain for your drop ship store

Visit a domain-generating website such as GoDaddy, Bluehost, and Namecheap, type 2-3 words into the search box, click on the search button, check out the suggestion and click on the name you prefer.

You will be redirected to the registrar’s website, which contains the price of the domain name and information on how to purchase it. Follow the registrar’s advice and complete the purchase if you’re happy with the name and its price.

Choose a name that complements your company’s identity and gives your audience a good impression of what you sell. If your website appears to be a hoax, it will be tough to attract customers.

Page templates

Following a specified website plan will make the process of creating your website much more manageable. This includes creating templates for the various types of pages you’ll have on the site.

Here is a list of the primary pages you may want to plan to reflect in your website:

• Homepage with a custom design
• Template for a category page
• Template for a product page
• Shopping cart
• Checkout
• Confirm order

Product pricing

You must decide if you will employ a subscription payment plan or set minimum order amounts, as well as the general pricing model.

The success and growth of your website are dependent on your ability to offer products at competitive pricing and market them appropriately.

Your three minutes cheat sheet.

So you want to open an online store, and you’ve decided to use WordPress to help you do it.

We understand!

After all, WordPress powers 30% of all websites on the internet today, and for a good reason. It’s a robust, scalable platform that’s also completely free!

I’ll show you the nine steps you need to follow to create an eCommerce website using WordPress.

#1: Obtain an ideal domain name

Your domain name is essentially the address for your website. It’s the section of your URL following the ‘www.’ For example, ours is www.wholesale2b.com.

Sites like NameCheap allow you to purchase a domain name. If you’re lucky, the one you desire will be free and selling for the typical cheap price ($10 – $20 each year). If you’re not so lucky, your dream domain name may be unavailable or available only for a limited time.

💡 Important Tip: Keep your domain name short, simple, and memorable. Don’t forget to link your domain name to your brand name.

 

Here is a checklist of what you need to confirm about your domain name before jumping to step number two.

✔ I have come up with a catchy and relevant domain name for my eCommerce website

✔ I double-checked that it’s still available.

✔ I purchased it and set a reminder to renew it the next year!

 

Now, let’s move on to …

#2: Enlist the support of a website hosting provider

So, now that you’ve secured your domain name, it’s time to look for a web hosting company.

Hosting is required for all websites. It’s like renting a piece of internet real estate — just make sure you choose a patch with plenty of room to expand!

When deciding on the finest hosting service and the type of hosting you require, you must consider the type of dropshipping store you have.

We recommend starting with a WooCommerce hosting plan, whether you’re just getting started with a few products or see your business expanding shortly.

WooCommerce plans are both specialized eCommerce powerhouses designed to make your life easier.

 

💡important tip: Avoid shared hosting because in case one of the websites you share a server with is hacked, your website too stands the risk of being hacked, and this is simply not worth the risk when working with people’s credit card information.

 

Tick off your checklist and ensure sure you’ve considered:

✔ decided what web hosting provider you should go for

✔ signed up to a web hosting plan

 

Let’s jump to step three.

#3: Install WordPress

WordPress can be installed in two ways:

1. Install with a single click from your hosting dashboard – as you might think, this is the most straightforward, and it’s the one we recommend. Look for hosting providers that offer ‘one-click installs when picking a provider.

 

1. Physically downloading and uploading WordPress to your hosting account – If your hosting company doesn’t offer a one-click WordPress setup, you’ll have to download WordPress to your computer and then upload it to your hosting dashboard. Check this WordPress installation tutorial to do it yourself.

 

💡important tip: Make sure you’ve installed WordPress, either manually or through your hosting provider, before moving on to step four.

 

#4: Install WooCommerce and set it up

The most popular plugin for adding e-commerce features to your website is WooCommerce. It has over 4 million active installations and has a 4.6/5 rating from over 3,000 users. It’s safe to say it’s a big hit, and it’s easy to see why.

For starters, it’s completely free. WooCommerce, like WordPress, is an open-source platform created by a community.

 

💡 Important tip: While some ‘extensions’ such as the option for clients to book appointments may cost money, you can transform your website into an online store for free featuring:

• Product pages
• Cart and checkout
• Secure payments
• Shipping options
• Integration with Google Analytics, Facebook, Instagram, and MailChimp

Before moving on to the next step, ensure you’ve ticked off the following on your checklist.

✔ I found WooCommerce in the WordPress plugin directory, and it was installed and activated.

✔ I have included your most crucial business information.

✔ I have chosen your shipping and payment options – don’t forget that you can modify them later!

 

#5: Select your theme style

After you’ve got a good number of products ready to dropship, it’s time to get to the fun part: picking a theme!

ThemeForest and Elegant Themes are two popular third-party sites for purchasing themes.

You can also find several free WordPress themes in the theme directory, which you can access from your dashboard:

1. Go to your WordPress dashboard and log in.
2. Click ‘Themes’ after hovering over ‘Appearance.’ This will take you to the theme’s control panel.
3. Click the ‘Add New’ button above the themes, then explore the themes under ‘Featured,’ ‘Popular,’ and so on, or use the search field to look for anything specific.
4. Try out a few themes until you find your preference. Then click install to download the theme.
5. A button labeled ‘Activate’ will appear beneath the theme, and there you go!

💡 important tip: choose a theme that you enjoy and will function well for your eCommerce site, even if it involves paying for a premium design from a third-party site. It will drive you to success.

Remember that your theme will serve as the foundation for all of your website’s content. The advantage of WordPress is that it allows you to completely customize your site — you might easily wind up with something that looks nothing like the initial design by modifying or adding to the HTML code.

Before moving on to the next phase, make sure you’ve done the following:

👍looked at both free and paid themes.

👍 used the ‘demo’ tool to try them out.

👍 double-checked the reviews to make sure it’s legit.

👍 Installed the theme (different processes for themes found in the directory versus those purchased from a third-party site – see above)

Check out step number 6

#6: Add Products

You’ll see a screen encouraging you to add your first product after you’ve installed Jetpack, which is the final step in your first WooCommerce setting.

For every product, you upload, add the following categories.

• Product name – e.g., scented orange glowing candles
• Price – e.g., $5.95
• Main product image – provide the image of candles
• Additional product images – include different angles of the candles
• Long Product description – ‘Add some fantastic summer scents into your home bathroom with a candle. Comes with a lighter, so you don’t have to buy a separate lighter.
• Short product description – Simple smart candles to keep your home with positive vibes all day long.
• Product category – e.g., Home accessories

 

💡Important tip: WooCommerce provides an in-depth guide that explains what each product type represents and how to upload each one.

 

Before jumping on to the next step, make sure you’ve completed the following:

• A title, long description, and a short description for each product you have uploaded.
• Photographs of all products
• Your products have been added  to the WordPress dashboard
• You have categorized and organized the products.

 

#7: Install additional plugins

It won’t matter if you have created the best eCommerce website for your online store if no one can find it! Add Yoast SEO, a useful plugin that will assist you in climbing the search engine ranks, giving you the best opportunity of landing on page one.

Important tip: Add security plugins and install site reviews, allowing visitors to leave a product review.

Before moving on to the next phase, make sure you’ve completed the following:

• Have you considered any additions you might require for your website?
• I was able to find the proper plugins to implement this feature.

 

Before installing, I double-checked the reviews to be sure they were legitimate.

 #8: Add content that converts

It’s now time to tweak the copy on your most important pages. Go to ‘Pages’, then ‘All Pages’ to find these essential pages.

Here is a list of all the content that will drive you along the way to building a profitable eCommerce business:

‘UX copy,’  or Microcopy, as its more commonly known, refers to the tiny bits of navigational copy, error warnings, and ‘calls to action’ on your website (CTAs). It is one of your site’s most crucial content assets, so you need to craft it very carefully.

Important tip:  a button on the homepage that says ‘Learn more’’ or ‘Check us out’ might be more relevant. — At this point, your consumer is curious about your business.

Your product description should be brief yet informative. Place yourself in the buyer’s shoes and consider everything you’d want to know about the product if you were buying it for yourself.

Separate the content with bullet points, and keep the formatting and information similar throughout all products.

• Product Photograph quality

Use a high-resolution camera and a plain backdrop. “The more product photographs, the better” is a basic rule.

Keep your product photos constant, just like your descriptions, for a clean design.

Remember that your website’s image quality can make or break it.

Before making your site public, WordPress will ask you to choose a privacy policy page. You may use a template to help you get started.

Simply go to ‘Settings,’ then ‘Privacy,’ and finally ‘Check out our instructions.’ Once that’s done, simply choose the appropriate page from the dropdown menu below.

Before moving on to the next phase, make sure you’ve completed the following:

👍Your website’s content, including the main cart and shop pages, has been personalized.

👍Persuasive call-to-actions and helpful navigational copy

👍A privacy policy page is written and posted.

 #9: Launch site to the public

This is the most straightforward part!

It’s time to make your site public if you’re mostly satisfied with how it works.

Go to ‘Settings’ and then to ‘Privacy.’ You should see the option to make your site public after you’ve uploaded your privacy policy.

What dropshipping platforms should I use?

Dropshipping has a lot of advantages, but it also has a lot of disadvantages.

These dropshipping platforms will aid you in running a profitable dropshipping store.

Shopify

Shopify is the most popular e-commerce platform, and it’s one of the fastest and most straightforward ways to get your business up and running.

It’s crucial to be conversant with Shopify because it’s not so much a dropshipping tool as it is the beginning point for constructing your store.

Are you wondering how to build a Shopify dropshipping business from scratch?

Don’t worry!

You can use a 14-day free trial to see if Shopify is perfect for your business.

Pros

Simple to use –,Most eCommerce platforms do not offer technical support, as well as Shopify does. Shopify is a robust hosted platform that will also help you grow your business.

Variety of storefront themes – The gorgeous storefront templates that Shopify offers are the company’s most significant selling point. They make a website look attractive and professional, which aids in customer attraction and retention.

Shopify app store plugins – Shopify has over 1,200 different apps that can help you automate your tasks, allowing you to focus on other important areas such as marketing or increasing your sales. Shopify apps will assist you with accounting, customer service, inventory, reporting, shipping, and more.

These tools will provide you with the technology to scale your store and simplify your life.

24/7 hour support: Shopify has a fantastic customer service team. They can be reached by live chat and email. Depending on your location, you can also phone them 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at one of four different lines.

Marketing and discounts: Shopify offers marketing tools that can help you improve your SEO rankings, share your content on social media, and automate some of your other chores.

Cons

• Shopify is not a content management system (CMS) – Don’t use Shopify if you want to include a lot of rich material on your sites, such as movies, carousels, and other things; it is designed solely to sell goods.
• Fewer customization features
• Data control – Every data must be passed through Shopify on Shopify; however, when you move your business to self-hosted platforms, you are entitled to have the console to your store and complete control.

Magento

Magento is a developer-friendly e-commerce platform that necessitates at least a basic understanding of programming.

Pros

• The platform can be set up Completely free of charge with minimal assistance.
• Magento has many dropshipping plugins and includes several off-site resources, such as YouTube channels, blogs, and forums, where users may seek assistance if they run into problems.

Cons

• Not user friendly to people who are not tech-savvy

Woo-commerce

You can create a dropshipping website with woo commerce.

WooCommerce is a free WordPress plugin that turns your site into an e-commerce store. It’s a cheaper alternative to Shopify if you already have a WordPress-based website.

WordPress is responsible for around 35% of the internet, so you know you’re in good hands, and the WooCommerce plugin gives you with significant e-commerce features.

Shift4Shop         

Shift4Shop provides all of the functionality you’ll need to get your online store up and running, as well as connect with your drop shipping vendors.

Build a fully branded, mobile-friendly, SEO-optimized eCommerce site – and save on the costs of running an online store, such as shipping and warehousing, as well as time invested and the need to manage your own inventory.

Pros

• Has plenty of inbuilt features
• Lower pricing – you can get started dropshipping for free on Shift4Shop.
• Greater flexibility

Cons

• The page structure of the group is all over the place. It can be challenging to figure out where to go to make changes to your pages.
• The base platform isn’t very robust, and adding CRM, taxes, and other features necessitates many add-ons.
• The reporting is inadequate, necessitating the use of external analytics.

A custom-made solution like Wholesale2B

With more than a million products available for dropshipping, Wholesale2B offers a lifetime free account and covers their 1 million products, customer service, and customer support.

The platform enables you to sell products on Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce, Magento, and eBay.

Pros

• Push capabilities: Wholesale2b’s plans feature listing capabilities that allow you to push your products with only a few clicks, eliminating the need to manually copy and paste information into your account.
• Free to browse: Wholesale2b does not charge you to browse their catalogs, unlike other membership-based dropshipping providers.
• Cheap: Wholesale2b has more affordable charges for the shipments they offer compared to other dropshipping firms.

Cons

• Limited Contact Options: You can only contact Wholesale2b’s customer service team by live chat or ticket request during business hours; having a phone number or email address would have been more reassuring, especially in an emergency.

Final thoughts

As you can see, you have a variety of eCommerce platforms to choose from for your website. However, you should conduct some studies to select one that best suits your requirements. Before you go any further, be sure you’ve done your homework.

You now understand the purpose of an eCommerce website for dropshipping store and how to build an eCommerce website using WordPress.

We hope this article will motivate you to build a website to improve your dropshipping business!