Online Store Business Plan Template

How to start an online store business plan template

Are you interested in starting your own online store Business?

Introduction
Starting an online store business can be a great way to earn some extra income, or even make a full-time living. However, it's not something that you can just jump into without any planning or preparation. There are a few things you need to do before you can start selling products online.
1. Choose a niche. The first step is to choose the type of products you want to sell. You might want to sell products that you're passionate about, or items that are in high demand. Whatever you choose, make sure you have a good understanding of the market for your chosen niche.
2. Find a supplier. Once you know what kind of products you want to sell, you need to find a supplier who can provide you with the inventory. You might be able to find a supplier through online directories, or by contacting manufacturers directly.
3. Create a website. Your next step is to create a professional website for your online store. This is where potential customers will go to learn more about your business and make purchases. Make sure your website is easy to navigate and includes all the important information about your products and business.
4. Promote your business. Once your website is up and running, you need to start promoting your business to attract customers. You can do this through online advertising, social media, and other marketing strategies. If you take the time to plan and prepare for your online store business, you'll be in a good position to succeed. Follow these steps and you'll be on your way to starting a successful online store.
Global Market Size
The global market for online retail is growing rapidly. In 2017, global online sales reached $1.9 trillion, and they are projected to reach $4.5 trillion by 2021. This rapid growth is being driven by a number of factors, including the increasing use of mobile devices, the increasing popularity of social media, and the increasing number of people who are comfortable making purchases online. There are a number of ways to start an online store business. The most important thing is to choose a niche that you are passionate about and that you have a good understanding of. Once you have chosen your niche, you need to choose a platform on which to build your store. There are a number of different e-commerce platforms available, such as Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento. Once you have chosen your platform, you need to set up your store and start promoting it. The global market for online retail presents a great opportunity for entrepreneurs who are looking to start their own business. With the right platform and the right marketing strategy, you can tap into this rapidly growing market and start generating sales.
Target Market
When starting an online store, it's important to identify your target market. This can be done by conducting market research, which can be as simple as surveying your potential customers or using analytical tools to identify patterns in your customer base. Once you know who your target market is, you can start creating marketing and advertising materials that appeal to them. Additionally, you can tailor your online store to their needs and preferences, which will make them more likely to shop with you.
Business Model
If you're looking to start an online store, there are a few different business models you can choose from. Here's a quick overview of the most popular options:
1. Dropshipping: In this model, you sell products that are sourced from a third-party supplier. When an order is placed on your store, the supplier ships the product directly to your customer. This model is relatively low-risk and easy to get started with, but it can be difficult to scale up your business if you're relying on a single supplier.
2. Wholesaling: In this model, you purchase products in bulk from a supplier and then sell them individually on your store. This can be a more capital-intensive option to get started with, but it offers more flexibility in terms of pricing and product selection.
3. Manufacturing: In this model, you create your own products to sell on your store. This option gives you the most control over your product line, but it also requires the most upfront investment and risk.
4. White Label: In this model, you sell products that are sourced and manufactured by another company. You simply apply your own branding and marketing to the products and sell them on your store. This option can be a good middle ground between dropshipping and manufacturing, as it offers more control than dropshipping but doesn't require as much upfront investment as manufacturing.
5. Affiliate Marketing: In this model, you promote and sell products on behalf of another company. You earn a commission on each sale that you generate. This option is relatively low-risk and can be a good way to get started if you don't have your own products to sell. Which business model you choose will depend on a number of factors, including your budget, the amount of time you're willing to invest, and your long-term goals for the business. No matter which option you choose, be sure to do your research and create a solid plan before getting started..
Competitive Landscape
When you’re starting an online store, it’s important to understand the competitive landscape. You need to know who your competitors are, what they’re selling, and how they’re selling it. This information will help you determine your own niche and how to best market your products. To start, make a list of your potential competitors. Include both direct and indirect competitors. Direct competitors are those who sell similar products to what you plan to sell. Indirect competitors are those who sell complementary products. For example, if you’re selling women’s clothing, your direct competitors would be other women’s clothing stores. But your indirect competitors could be stores that sell accessories, shoes, or beauty products. Once you have your list, visit each of your competitor’s websites. Take note of what you like and don’t like about their sites. Also, take note of their prices, shipping options, and return policies. This information will help you create a better online store. Finally, keep an eye on your competitors’ marketing efforts. See what they’re doing to attract customers and try to emulate their success. By understanding the competitive landscape, you can create a successful online store.

Developing an Online Store

Setting up an online store is a great way to start your own business and reach a global audience. To get started, you need a solid website design, a reliable ecommerce platform, and payment processing options. It’s important to research the different website design and ecommerce options that are available and to find the right ones for your business. You should also make sure that you choose payment processing options that are secure and easy for customers to use.

Financing Your Online Business

Starting an online business requires some initial capital. Before you launch your store, it’s important to consider all of the available funding options, including business loans and angel investors. Research the different types of financing available and determine which one makes the most sense for your business model and budget.

Marketing Your Online Store

Once your online store is up and running, it’s time to start marketing it to potential customers. Utilizing online advertising, social media marketing, and content marketing are great ways to reach people and get them interested in your products or services. Experiment with different marketing methods to find out which ones work best for your business.

Fulfilling Orders and Delivery

When orders start coming in, you need to be able to manage your inventory, handle shipping logistics, and provide excellent customer service. Having an efficient system in place for order fulfillment is essential for long-term success in ecommerce. Research different inventory management systems, shipping providers, and customer service solutions that can help you streamline the process of fulfilling orders and delivering them to customers on time.

Legal Considerations for an Online Store

Before launching an online store, it’s important to understand the legal implications of running a business online. Make sure that you have all of the necessary business licenses, contracts and agreements in place, and understand what taxes you need to pay as an online business owner. It’s also important to research consumer laws in the countries where you plan on selling products or services so you can ensure compliance with applicable regulations.

Tips for Long-Term Success

To ensure long-term success with your online store, it’s important to focus on customer loyalty programs, product diversification, and scalability. Consider offering incentives such as discounts or free shipping for repeat customers; diversifying your product line will help keep customers interested; and make sure that your store is set up in such a way that it can easily scale as needed when sales increase or decrease over time.
Conclusion
If you're thinking about starting an online store, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First, you need to choose a niche and build a brand around it. Once you've done that, you need to find a reliable supplier and create a website. Finally, you need to market your store and attract customers. With a little planning and some hard work, you can start an online store that is successful and profitable.

Why write a business plan?

A business plan is a critical tool for businesses and startups for a number of reasons:
  • Business Plans can help to articulate and flesh out the business’s goals and objectives. This can be beneficial not only for the business owner, but also for potential investors or partners
  • Business Plans can serve as a roadmap for the business, helping to keep it on track and on target. This is especially important for businesses that are growing and evolving, as it can be easy to get sidetracked without a clear plan in place.
  • Business plans can be a valuable tool for communicating the business’s vision to employees, customers, and other key stakeholders.
  • Business plans are one of the most affordable and straightforward ways of ensuring your business is successful.
  • Business plans allow you to understand your competition better to critically analyze your unique business proposition and differentiate yourself from the market.
  • Business Plans allow you to better understand your customer. Conducting a customer analysis is essential to create better products and services and market more effectively.
  • Business Plans allow you to determine the financial needs of the business leading to a better understanding of how much capital is needed to start the business and how much fundraising is needed.
  • Business Plans allow you to put your business model in words and analyze it further to improve revenues or fill the holes in your strategy.
  • Business plans allow you to attract investors and partners into the business as they can read an explanation about the business.
  • Business plans allow you to position your brand by understanding your company’s role in the marketplace.
  • Business Plans allow you to uncover new opportunities by undergoing the process of brainstorming while drafting your business plan which allows you to see your business in a new light. This allows you to come up with new ideas for products/services, business and marketing strategies.
  • Business Plans allow you to access the growth and success of your business by comparing actual operational results versus the forecasts and assumptions in your business plan. This allows you to update your business plan to a business growth plan and ensure the long-term success and survival of your business.

Business Plan Content

 

Many people struggle with drafting a business plan and it is necessary to ensure all important sections are present in a business plan:
  1. Executive Summary
  2. Company Overview
  3. Industry Analysis
  4. Consumer Analysis
  5. Competitor Analysis & Advantages
  6. Marketing Strategies & Plan
  7. Plan of Action
  8. Management Team

The financial forecast template is an extensive Microsoft Excel sheet with Sheets on Required Start-up Capital, Salary & Wage Plans, 5-year Income Statement, 5-year Cash-Flow Statement, 5-Year Balance Sheet, 5-Year Financial Highlights and other accounting statements that would cost in excess of £1000 if obtained by an accountant.

The financial forecast has been excluded from the business plan template. If you’d like to receive the financial forecast template for your start-up, please contact us at info@avvale.co.uk . Our consultants will be happy to discuss your business plan and provide you with the financial forecast template to accompany your business plan.

Instructions for the Business Plan Template

To complete your perfect online store business plan, fill out the form below and download our online store business plan template. The template is a word document that can be edited to include information about your online store business. The document contains instructions to complete the business plan and will go over all sections of the plan. Instructions are given in the document in red font and some tips are also included in blue font. The free template includes all sections excluding the financial forecast. If you need any additional help with drafting your business plan from our business plan template, please set up a complimentary 30-minute consultation with one of our consultants.

Ongoing Business Planning

 

With the growth of your business, your initial goals and plan is bound to change. To ensure the continued growth and success of your business, it is necessary to periodically update your business plan. Your business plan will convert to a business growth plan with versions that are updated every quarter/year. Avvale Consulting recommends that you update your business plan every few months and practice this as a process. Your business is also more likely to grow if you access your performance regularly against your business plans and reassess targets for business growth plans.

 

Want a Bespoke Business Plan for your online store Business?

Our Expertise

 

Avvale Consulting has extensive experience working with companies in many sectors including the online store industry. You can avail a free 30-minute business consultation to ask any questions you have about starting your online store business. We would also be happy to create a bespoke online store business plan for your online store business including a 5-year financial forecast to ensure the success of your online store business and raise capital from investors to start your online store business. This will include high-value consulting hours with our consultants and multiple value-added products such as investor lists and Angel Investor introductions.

 

About Us

 

Avvale Consulting is a leading startup business consulting firm based in London, United Kingdom. Our consultants have years of experience working with startups and have worked with over 300 startups from all around the world. Our team has thousands of business plans, pitch decks and other investment documents for startups leading to over $100 Million raised from various sources. Our business plan templates are the combination of years of startup fundraising and operational experience and can be easily completed by a business owner regardless of their business stage or expertise. So, whether you are a budding entrepreneur or a veteran businessman, download our business plan template and get started on your business growth journey today.