With the growing popularity of online stores, more and more people are turning to the internet to purchase things required for their daily use. While brick and mortar stores are still making more sales than online stores, these virtual malls are steadily on the rise over the past couple of years, primarily because of the increased speed and convenience it offers.
If you have dreamed of starting an online shoe business, now is the time to make those dreams into reality. Starting your own shoe store business in the UK or any other country can be cost-effective if you choose to start on a small scale by shipping to customers within your city and state. In this blog, we will guide you on how to start a shoe store online to help you get started with your business venture.
Start Your Own Shoe Store
Step 1: Create a Business Plan
A business plan will help you manage your online business by stating your goals, how they will be achieved, and exactly when. It technically serves as a road map and provides more cohesive vision that will guide you along the way. Your business plan should include marketing and public relations plan, analysis of competing shoe stores online, details about your niche and target market, three-year expense budget and profit projections, etc.
Step 2: Register Your Business Domain Name
Domain registration refers to the process of registering a domain name, which identifies one or more IP addresses with a name that is easier to remember and use in URLs to identify a particular web page from another. So whatever business you’re doing online, it starts with a domain name–one that will attract customers and gets visitors into your business.
Step 3: Create & Design Your Website
In this step you will be having to create a website for your shoe store online that reflects your unique brand. You can either utilize a ready-made website template or hire a web designer who can professionally do the job for you. It is important to ensure that your website is easy to navigate and user-friendly.
Step 4: Prepare All Your Needed Documents
Just like in any other business, starting your own shoe store also involves complying with the required local business documents prior to the commencement of the online business.
Step 5: Prepare Your Inventory
One of the most important steps is to find reliable suppliers and wholesalers for your shoe merchandise. Feel free to visit HOOG for top-notch shoe sourcing. For start-up businesses, it is advisable to obtain at least 10 sizes for each shoe style to ensure that your customer selection is varied.
Step 6: Promote Your Own Shoe Store
Drive traffic to your website either through content marketing, email communications, social media ads, search engine optimization (SEO), partnering up with complementary brands, participating online events, and more.
Shoe Store Franchise
Another option is to open a shoe store online through franchise. Instead of starting an online shoe store from scratch, you can invest in a developed business operation and buy the rights from other entrepreneurs who offer franchises. Such a system of doing business allows you to simultaneously use already proven technologies and business concepts, learn and receive necessary advice, and use the established reputation of a well-known brand.
However, while the franchisor provides overall resources and support to help franchise partners succeed, franchisees are still responsible for managing the day to day operations of their shoe store franchise and ensuring its growth.
HOOG is a leading Design House and Supplier within the shoe industry that offers product development, line merchandising, sourcing, and product distribution. For more information about our product offerings, please feel free to visit our shop at https://www.hoogstore.com/shop/