Open your own online shop: 5 tips to help you succeed

In 2022, Swiss people bought around 14 billion Swiss francs online. Digital purchases at Swiss online shops — i.e. shops that end in .ch — have increased by 44% since 2019*. It is hardly surprising that many sense the great opportunity to set up their own business with an online shop.
If you too dream of being your own boss, then we now have five tips for you on how to start your successful online business and what you should definitely pay attention to.

1. Find the right product or service

In the beginning, you need an idea. An idea for a product or service that can be sold online. There are two types of prospective entrepreneurs.
Those who have a passion or hobby that they want to make their job and those who want to start their own business but don't yet know what they want to sell.

If you belong to the first category, the path to your online shop is of course a bit shorter. But if you're still looking for the big idea, here are a few suggestions for what you could offer in your online business:

• Home-made products (e.g. scented candles, soap or marmalade)

• second-hand products (used clothing or recycled furniture)
• Custom printing services (custom printed T-shirts, mugs, or custom mousepads)
• Offer your own know-how (e.g. as a sports trainer or interior designer)

2. Analyze the market

‍

Regardless of which product or service you want to sell via your web shop, you need to carry out a market analysis. It helps you find out whether your project is feasible. First, you should take a look at the existing competition. Is the market already well developed? Is it overcrowded or is it dominated by a few large companies?

A lack of competition is not always a good sign. It may also be that consumer interest is too low or that the market is too specific to sell enough volume.

In addition to competition analysis, the target market can be surveyed to determine consumers' needs and to flesh out their own business idea.

To find out, the following questions to people from the target group are helpful:

• What are they currently buying to meet their needs?
• Is that enough for them?
• What else are they missing?
• How much would they be willing to spend to fully satisfy their needs?

3. Establish a company

‍

If you're clear about what you want to offer in your shop, it's time to start your business. You'll probably start small, but there are a few things you should be thinking about right now.

What you definitely need to consider are the legal aspects of your company. Which legal form is suitable? Do you have to pay sales tax?

We are happy to help to found your successful company.

Starting an online shop is an attractive way to earn money online, particularly in Switzerland, where the digital shopping experience is constantly growing. The concept of making money online in Switzerland (making money online in Switzerland) is diverse and ranges from creating and selling your own products to running an online shop and offering digital services. The opportunities are almost endless, and with the right strategy, you can build a successful online business and create a new source of income.

4. Open an online shop

‍

Once the paperwork is done, you can get on with your project and focus your energy on making your online store a success. You can easily do this with one of the many providers on the market and do not need any programming knowledge. Choose the right URL that's right for your company. We've put together some tips for you on how to The perfect company name for your online shop find.

‍

5. Promote the online shop

‍

The most important thing on the road to becoming an entrepreneur is to make yourself known to the target group. Communication is essential for a successful start.

This communication can start even before the store opens. For example, you can collect email addresses for newsletters before they go live on your website or set up a countdown that shows future customers when it starts.

As soon as the company is online, you must immediately make an effort to publicize it. Update your social media feeds and build a community. Respond to inquiries across all channels and regularly try out new features on the various social media channels. This includes product tags on Instagram, for example. You can also run paid ads on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Google. Offer your products directly on social media, on comparison portals such as Google Shopping and other marketplaces.

But don't underestimate the power of traditional offline sales channels. Stores, physical markets, and your own social environment are great sources of potential sales.

Findings

• Choose a product or service for your online shop that you are enthusiastic about.

• Check the feasibility of your project. Analyze the market.
• Get help setting up a business and carefully clarify legal issues in advance.
• Make your online shop known via various marketing channels.

*Source: Handelsverband.swiss

‍