Did you know that close to 20 billion was spent online last Christmas season in 2009? E-commerce is a booming phenomenon and any merchant can see that opportunities are endless when it comes to selling on the Internet. Retailers who have been delaying their online venture need not feel fear. It’s never too late to get into the game. Developing an e-Commerce website to accommodate your transition from offline to online sales can be pretty dicey but not completely impossible. So many merchants have made the transition, so why can’t you do the same? Why should you be left out and be content with crumbs when you could have the whole pie, dish and all? Setting up a full fledged e-Commerce site is very doable, here’s what you need to get started:

1. Your very own website
Setting up a website is not difficult if you know how. Even so, this can take up a lot of your time. You may want to hire a good web developer to help you create a masterpiece while freeing up your time to put your plan action. Consider roping in adept freelancers from sites such as the Digital Point forums, Odesk as well as Freelancer while leveraging on a pool of talented developers.

2. Product photos
A picture speaks a thousand words. And that is exactly why you need to get your products’ photos online to grab customers’ attention. Enlist help from a professional photographer or a friend to put up good looking photos of your products. This will certainly help in increasing sales, if not traffic to your site.

3. Product copy
Your products need good descriptions and not just for customers but for the search engines too. Search Engine Optimization is one topic you should read up on. Rope in a good copywriter and let her dish up tantalizing product descriptions that will catch potential customers’ eyes.

4. Shopping cart software
This is an essential element in your e-Commerce business. Without a shopping cart, your customers cannot purchase your products. Get several quotes from reputable software providers and choose the best based on features and prices you can afford.

5. Merchant accounts
A trustworthy merchant account provider will never fleece you. Try to get one that suits your needs so that you can quickly accept your customers’ credit cards online.

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