Effective online shop management – 6 tips

Effective e-shop management – 6 tips

Setting up an e-shop is nothing difficult, but managing an online shop is a real challenge. What is e-commerce optimisation all about?

The performance of an online shop and its optimisation are highly dependent on its size. The larger the e-shop, the more difficult it is to manage it efficiently. It turns out that it is not necessary to employ a large number of people to operate it. The operation of an online shop can be based on systems and applications and can be automated to varying degrees. How do I manage my web shop?

Web shop management and the administrator

For an online shop to work well, it should be managed by an administrator. What are his or her responsibilities? He or she is responsible for contacting customers, solving problems, updating price lists, adding new product descriptions, shipping goods and returns and complaints. This is the person who has a key influence on the image of the e-shop.

How do I organise shipping in an online shop?

The choice of a specific logistics model should be made when setting up the e-shop. This is a key decision that will affect its operation. The choice depends on financial, premises and technological possibilities. There are several solutions – the first is to have your own warehouse – for this you need a warehouse service. The shop sells what it physically has in stock in the warehouse. This allows the goods to be dispatched quickly. The second model is pseudo-just-in-time, i.e. making the full range of suppliers available on the shop’s website. The goods are ordered after the customer has placed the order, so shipping time is extended. The third model is fullfilment, i.e. outsourcing the warehouse logistics to an external company. Another solution is so-called dropshipping, i.e. offering goods available from a wholesaler – the order is transferred with payment less the shop’s margin – the wholesaler sends the goods to the customer. There are also hybrid models, i.e. a combination of different logistics models.

Packaging for e-commerce

Optimising e-commerce for packaging is just as important as shipping itself. To streamline the packaging process, use packaging that can be easily adapted to the goods being shipped. Boxes with adjustable height and automatic bottoms are ideal – they can be quickly assembled and adapted to the size of the products. Optimising your e-shop also means personalising your packaging and packaging accessories. With individually printed boxes, the shop stands out from the competition and advertises itself. The question of how to organise shipping in an online shop can be answered in such a way that the shipment stands out and promotes the respective e-shop.

Optimisation of an online shop

If the e-shop is large, it is often the case that existing management methods fail or are not sufficient. It is then worth betting on the optimisation of e-commerce by introducing modern IT tools, i.e. an ERP IT system. It can be implemented in areas such as finance, accounting, logistics, warehouse management, sales and customer service. The system allows for the elimination of human errors. In addition, it provides the opportunity to increase the efficiency of the operation of the e-shop, thus generating greater profits by increasing sales and the number of satisfied customers.

Communication with the customer

It is very important to take care of proper communication with the customer. Some shops inform about each stage of the order – order accepted, in progress, in completion, etc. The most important thing is to inform about shipping, as this is of most interest to the buyer. It is good practice to send the consignment note number, which will allow the customer to track the shipment. It is also worth informing about the possibility of returns and complaints. It is essential to inform about any delays related to the delivery of the order. Nothing annoys a buyer more than silence from the shop when there are delays.

Operation of an online shop in times of pandemics

It was a huge challenge for e-commerce operators to adapt their online shop to the requirements of the pandemic. This is because at this time it is important to maintain hygiene when packing shipments. The packing process should run smoothly and with all safety procedures in place. It is therefore necessary to optimise shipping costs by using size-appropriate packaging and to prepare orders more quickly by using cartons with automatic bottoms and adjustable heights. Contactless delivery, i.e. dispatch to parcel machines, can also be used. For this purpose, use packaging adapted to the dimensions of the boxes.