For years, my friend Mia sold personalized T-shirts at local markets and online marketplaces, but she always dreamed of reaching a wider audience. Having her own website. Her e-shop.
So, we joined forces and are finally in the process of realization. The site is still not live, but things are moving forward, so I decided to take you through the steps and visions we have for it — backed up by 6 expert insights and research data.
Take a read for practical information.
Table of Contents
- How to Create a Website to Sell Products
- The Online Marketplace Today
- 6 Tips for Selling Your Product Online
The Online Marketplace Today
Before going online with products, the main concern I heard among peers (even marketers) was that the market was oversaturated, and Mia wouldn’t receive a piece of the pie. So, I did some research.
In 2024, the global ecommerce market is growing like crazy, expected to reach $6.07 trillion and account for 21.2% of all retail sales. Statista predicts global ecommerce sales will hit $8.1 trillion by 2026 and grab 24% of retail sales.
Although we talk about pretty positive growth here, we should not ignore that in 2023, inflation was a big concern, and 2024 looks to continue that trend. With tighter budgets, people are likely to cut online spending to avoid impulse buys.
However, they aren’t stopping all discretionary spending. Instead, they’re being more careful about where and how they spend their money.
What counts as value is changing, as shown in Mintel’s 2024 Global Consumer Trends report:
“Consumers have increasingly diverse ideas of what indicates ‘quality’ in a product or service. As budget pressures force tighter trade-offs, consumers are becoming more realistic in their search for value as they strike a balance between quality received and cost incurred.”
So, taking all this into account, how can you create a site that truly convinces cautious and budget-conscious customers that your product is exactly what they need?
Let’s take a look.
How to Create a Website to Sell Products
To create a product sales page, follow a clear, step-by-step approach with a well-defined idea and vision. But what does it mean in practice? I can guide you through each step to make a website to sell stuff.
Step 1: Choose a resonating domain name and get hosting.
First, we start with domain and hosting.
Your website’s domain is its online address. Pick something short, catchy, and easy to remember. Once you decide on a name, make sure it's available, and then buy and register it. In my case, it would be charmaloo.com.
Since this topic alone is quite extensive, check out the two guides below on registering a perfect domain name.
You also need to get web hosting. You'll pay a monthly or yearly fee, typically between $5 and $50, depending on your needs.
Pro tip: HubSpot lets you connect a custom domain for free from day one. You can enjoy a beautifully branded website without hidden costs or forced upgrades.
Step 2: Choose a website builder.
Once you’re all set with the technical part, you need to choose between website builders — like WordPress, Wix, HubSpot, etc. Ease of use, design flexibility, ecommerce capabilities, and integration options are things you should take into account.
Payment processing, inventory management, and customer support are equally important.
Since I’m not an expert and needed the simplest option, I chose the HubSpot free drag-and-drop website builder. It’s super easy to use with pre-built templates. No coding or tech skills required at all.
Integrate eCommerce functionality
If you don't create your website directly on ecommerce builders (e.g., Shopify), you need to integrate ecommerce functionality with options like:
- Shopify Buy Button: You can integrate the Shopify “Buy Button” feature into your existing website. It allows you to add shopping functionality without moving your entire site.
- WooCommerce: If your main website is on WordPress, you can add WooCommerce to manage your store. It integrates perfectly into WordPress sites.
- Ecwid: A flexible ecommerce solution that you can add to any website, including those built with custom code or other CMS platforms.
Pro tip: With the HubSpot CMS platform, you can incorporate ecommerce functionalities directly within HubSpot, eliminating the need for external solutions like Shopify. (That’s what I’m doing). But also, if you want, you can quickly connect it to platforms like Shopify, Wix, and WooCommerce.
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Step 3: Design the layout.
At this point, you need to choose a style that fits what your website is about. Think about colors, fonts, and overall design. Decide where things should go on your pages.
You’ll need spots for your main content, like text and images, and areas for navigation, such as menus and buttons. The important parts must be easy to find, so people can quickly realize what your offer is.
In the HubSpot builder, me and Mia started by describing her business, Charmaloo, which offers personalized T-shirts.
The builder then used AI to generate a template with text about my T-shirts. (Pretty cool, huh!) I also selected colors that match the brand, inspired by those Mia used on Instagram:
With yellow as the main color, I decided to make it the dominant theme for the homepage. I opted for a colorful design with clear messages, a simple layout with minimal navigation, and a touch of cheerfulness.
The main menu options are Products, About, and Contact. I created CTA buttons in purple to make them stand out.
Right below the main message, I used three short statements to explain to customers why they should choose Charmaloo.
As you can see, I focused on making the messages simple, engaging, and friendly. No fluff. No novels. No one wants to read a wall of text. Visitors will come here to buy and I’ve got to convince them.
Step 4: Add product information & content.
Now you need to add product information to your website. I suggest creating detailed listings for each item, including a clear title, description, and high-quality photos because SEO technical guidelines matter for a successful launch of the site.
And, of course, add details like price, size, and stock availability.
I decided to showcase a few product categories directly on the homepage to attract customers and give them a preview of what's available before they click on the “Products” category.
Right below the “Why Charmaloo” section, I added three T-shirt categories with short, interesting descriptions.
In the Products section, we plan to show each item with its name, price, and a brief description, including material, washing instructions, size, and a catchy line to draw customers in.
While this is still in progress, the goal is to present each product clearly and enticingly. Here’s the vision of it:
For content, I’m not planning to include a blog just yet, but I definitely want one in the future with fashion-related topics and my customers' stories and interviews. This will help gain trust among visitors and attract more search traffic.
In the meantime, I’ve added an “About Us” section to present my small business and its main idea in a friendly, easy-to-read format.
There’s also a testimonial from a friend sharing her thoughts. Testimonials are a fantastic way to build trust, and in my opinion, every webshop benefits from having them.
Pro tip: Use HubSpot’s Content Hub to create, manage, and optimize content that resonates with your audience. Streamline your content strategy, increase engagement, and track performance—all from one single platform.
Step 5: Set up payment and shipping.
It’s time to set up payments and choose and integrate a payment processor, like Stripe or PayPal, into your online store.
You’ll need to link your payment processor to your bank account to receive funds. Once set up, customers can check out smoothly, and you can manage transactions securely.
Then, set up your shipping options with clear terms. Here’s what Mia did:
Shipping Terms:
- Standard shipping is $5, or get free shipping on orders over $70. Expedited shipping is available for $15.
- Orders typically arrive within 5-7 business days. Expedited shipping usually takes 2-3 business days.
- We currently ship within the U.S. and Canada. International shipping is not available at this time.
- You’ll receive a tracking number via email once your order ships, so you can monitor its progress.
Step 6: Optimize your site.
You need to optimize your content, improve on-page elements, and add internal links. Use SEO tools to find relevant keywords. Semrush and Ahrefs are the best, but you can also try a cheaper (and decent) alternative like Serpstat. Create content around these terms to improve your chances of appearing in search results.
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That is all called On-Page SEO: Here is your ultimate guide to On-Page SEO in 2024.
Also, install Google Analytics to your website to track your website traffic, conversions, and user behavior. This helps you see how visitors interact with your site and where your traffic comes from, so you can properly refine your SEO strategy and web design to catch more sales.
Pro tip: Plan your content strategy and integrate the right keywords with HubSpot’s SEO management tools. It will help you stay updated and see which pages need updates for the biggest impact.
Step 7: Launch and promote.
Launching your website makes it visible to everyone. If it's not live, no one can find it. After you click that “Publish” button, everything starts.
Actually, not yet. It’s time to promote it. Good promotion brings people to your site. More visitors can mean more sales.
Once we launch Mia’s site, we will promote it on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to tell her existing followers about it.
She is also planning to pay for ads to show up in Google search results (this will be some “quicker” push forward, but I’m aiming for more organic traffic and focusing on SEO in the long run).
We’ll definitely run paid ads on Facebook and Instagram, as well as will team up with influencers, since it really helps in this niche. I’ll also offer a special discount shared on social media and with a pop-up on the site.
Something like this:
Step 8: Monitor and improve.
After launching your website, keep improving it with these simple strategies:
- Add ecommerce plugins: Improve your site with plugins. For example, Shopify has apps for shipping services to help estimate costs and print labels.
- Update content regularly: Keep your site fresh with new blog posts, videos, and product listings.
- Track site performance: Use tools to monitor how customers use your site. Then, use this data to improve your marketing, product offerings, and SEO.
To track site performance, I’ll mainly use Google Analytics because I know it inside and out. I’ll also go with HubSpot Marketing Analytics to keep an eye on marketing performance, website stats, and visitor behavior. It’s great for detailed reports, traffic tracking, and making smart decisions based on what you see.
6 Tips for Selling Your Product Online
Now that you have walked through the process of building a website to sell stuff, it’s time to reveal some juicy tips on how to get the best out of it.
1. Provide a smooth experience for mobile shoppers.
Mobile shopping has become the norm. By 2025, mobile retail sales are expected to more than double and make up 44% of US retail ecommerce sales.
You need to adapt to this. If you don’t have an app or, even worse, if your store isn’t mobile-friendly, you’ll miss out on many opportunities. Especially those who came from Facebook and Instagram ads using their phones.
“Offer a quick checkout option for mobile users. Simplify the process so they can fill their cart and pay with a single click. If you have an app, use push notifications to engage customers and remind them of special offers or abandoned carts,” says Kasey Luck, founder of Luck & Co Agency.
2. You need some UGC.
41% of US consumers spend more time watching user-generated videos online than they do watching TV or movies.
What does this mean for you?
Stop posting only generic pictures and professionally made videos on your site and social media. People want to see real people. Mix things up and show the human side of your brand. That’s what you’ll see in all the promotional videos of Charmaloo.
According to Kasey Luck, there are three good ways you can take advantage of this:
- Create content that looks like user-generated content.
- Collaborate with influencers to feature your brand in their content.
- Motivate your existing customers to post about your brand by offering incentives and sharing their content.
A great example is the Little Bellies site. Its homepage features real user photos and videos, making it feel genuine. When parents see other parents using the products, it somehow shows that they’re high-quality and worth buying.
3. Follow the trends like voice ordering.
Voice commerce with assistants like Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant is on the rise. In mid-2022, 27% of U.S. consumers used voice assistants for online payments. If you want to stay ahead of trends and catch these customers, add voice ordering to your website.
If you think people aren‘t familiar with this yet, you’re mistaken. In the ecommerce Evolution episode from 2020, Anmol Oberoi, Founder and CEO of Emitrr, discussed the rise of voice commerce. And Brett Curry, the podcast host, provided the best example of how customers can use voice shopping.
In the example, Oberoi discusses Alexa. Oberoi can be in the kitchen making breakfast and ask Alexa to order protein powder.
“So I don‘t have to break stride at all in making my breakfast and protein powder is on the way. I’ve also used it, and I don‘t know how common this is, I think it’s less common, but I‘ve also been in the kitchen and hanging out using the Alexa show or Echo show, and I’ll say, ‘Alexa, I want to buy a pH water tester,’” Oberoi continues.
And hey, we’re talking about 2020.
If it was relevant four years ago, just imagine how big it is now. People want convenience, and voice commerce can offer that.
4. Offer flexible payments to draw more shoppers.
Customers love flexible payment options.
The best proof is Klarna’s US user base which has surged to 8 million. It lets users pay now, later, or over time without interest. That’s why offering flexible payments like Klarna and PayPal is a great approach for drawing and keeping shoppers.
I also watched an interesting Discover Global Network webinar with John Jakobe, ex Market Intelligence Manager at the Strawhecker Group who talked about the growing trend of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services.
He noted that traders are jumping on BNPL options because they offer big benefits. For example, Sezzle users see higher approval rates, bigger orders, fewer returns, and easy setup.
5. Regularly update your site.
Google favors sites that are regularly updated with fresh content. “Favor” in this context means driving more organic traffic to your site.
So make sure you regularly update it and don't let it become outdated. Frequent updates mean more pages for search engines to index, increasing the chances of appearing in search results.
To keep your ecommerce site looking lively and relevant, try these tips:
- Keep your inventory updated with new items or refresh existing ones with updated descriptions and images.
- Regularly update product pages with new reviews and feedback from customers.
- Update your site with the latest sales, discounts, and special offers.
- Refresh your site for seasonal trends or holidays to stay current and engaging.
“Chances are, your competitors have updated their websites in the past decade. You don't want to fall behind your competition. Instead, keep your website up to date to remain competitive. Improving your website can help generate more visitors, and consumers will explore your content more. As people visit and explore your site, you can gather more analytics about your customers. This data can help you make informed marketing decisions,” says Hannah Francis for Bipper Media SEO Secrets podcast.
6. Keep checkout easy so you don't lose orders.
According to the Baymard Institute, the global average cart abandonment rate is 70.19%, despite significant investments in various ecommerce strategies.
After researching checkout usability for over 14 years, the Institute’s findings show that poor checkout design is a major reason for cart abandonment, either due to user frustration or confusion.
This research includes benchmarking 250 major ecommerce sites against 110 guidelines, revealing that most sites perform at a “mediocre” level.
Improving checkout usability could potentially boost conversion rates by 35%.
That’s why you need to simplify your checkout process as much as possible. Minimize the number of steps and required fields.
Go for a streamlined, user-friendly experience that allows customers to complete their purchases quickly and easily. You’ll reduce friction and increase the likelihood of conversion that way.
Get Ready to Sell with a Standout Website
What I learned through this process is that a product sales page is not much different than making any other kind of website.
You need to provide quality and relevant content and keep the site updated regularly. Focus on easy navigation and, most importantly, a simple checkout process. You don’t want customers to abandon their cart because they’re confused by a messy layout or complicated steps.
Also, make sure to offer multiple payment options so customers don’t bail because there’s no payment option they prefer.
Keep up with trends. If more competitors are using voice commerce and stats show it works, go for it.
Lastly, put yourself in your users' shoes. That’s the only way to create a successful website that will actually sell these products.
Free Website Design Inspiration Guide
77 Brilliant Examples of Homepages, Blogs & Landing Pages to Inspire You
- Agency Pages
- Ecommerce Pages
- Tech Company Pages
- And More!
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