Want to create an online store?  If so, welcome to the exciting world of e-commerce!  You should know that building your online store correctly the first time saves lots of headache and hassle down the road.  To help you get started on the right path, here’s an overview of the 7 must-have components of an online store:

1.  Domain Name – Just like opening any business, you’ll need a name—but you’ll also need an address too, right?  Well, in many cases, your domain name is kind of your website address and name rolled into one.  Getting your domain name just right is important—here’s how to choose the right domain name.

2.  Web Hosting – If you think of your domain name as your address, then your web hosting could be considered your online business’s “building.”  Technically, your web host is the computer server for your website—it’s where all of your website files are stored for the world to see.  Just like you would avoid choosing a dilapidated, falling down building to host your brick and mortar business, you certainly don’t want to skimp when it comes to your online web hosting either.

3.  Dedicated IP Address – Without getting overly technical, one vital benefit of using a dedicated IP address is the fact that you won’t be penalized for having “bad neighbors” on a shared IP.  In other words, with cheap hosting, it’s common to share your IP with up to hundreds of different websites.  If just one of these sites uses black hat SEO tactics or broadcasts spam, you’ll be subject to penalties from the search engines…simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  If you’re serious about your online business, then it’s definitely wise to procure a dedicated IP address so you’re not adversely affected by bad neighbors.

4.  Web Design – As an online business, the image you portray to your customers can either make or break you.  Sure, web design must be eye appealing—it must look awesome—but at the same time, there are other components that quality, professional web design must account for too.  Effective navigation, accessibility, ease of use, and clean standards-compliant coding are just a few web design goals you should seek to achieve for your online store.

5.  Shopping Cart Software – This is what enables customers to browse through your portfolio of products, select the items and quantities they’d like to purchase, and ultimately, enter their contact and purchasing information to complete the deal.  Essentially, your shopping cart software works in harmony with your web design.  No online store would be complete without shopping care software!

6.  SSL Security Certificate – When it comes time to collect sensitive information from your customers to facilitate a sale, you’ll need a way to make sure that the contact and payment details they provide are transmitted securely across the internet without making it privy to prying eyes.  This is accomplished by maintaining and installing an SSL security certificate to ensure your customers that their data will be fully encrypted as it’s transferred.

7.  Payment Gateway – Finally, the last step in the online store process before fulfillment takes place is collecting the payment.  In most cases, the best way to achieve this is by using a merchant account provided by a bank along with a payment gateway (like Authorize.Net) to actually carry out the transaction.  It is this vital link that connects your store’s online shopping cart to your bank account.

While these 7 components are the basics of any online store, naturally there are few more things to consider as well.  This is why it always helps to work with experienced pros to get it right the first time!