eMerchantClub ecommerce guide
What is ecommerce? A beginner’s guide to starting an online store.
Ecommerce is the buying and selling of products or services through the internet. Ordering a household item from a website, purchasing a digital download, and buying a service online are all examples.
$39 initial signup. Hosting is $29.95/month beginning after 30 days and continues until canceled. Other applicable fees and additional services may cost extra.
Opening your own store puts you on the other side of an online transaction. You choose what to offer, introduce it to potential customers, and help people feel comfortable buying from your business.
The first step is understanding how the pieces fit together. This guide explains what happens during an online sale, what running a store involves, and where eMerchantClub can help you get started.
Your starting plan: choose your product direction, prepare your store with guidance, and build a manageable marketing routine.
How does ecommerce work?
Imagine a shopper looking for a finishing touch for their living room. They discover a home décor item in your store and decide to buy it. Here is the process from your side of the sale.
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A shopper finds your business
They might arrive through a search, a social media post, an advertisement, an email, or a recommendation. Part of your work is giving the right people a reason to visit.
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They consider a product
Photos, descriptions, dimensions, pricing, and delivery information help the shopper decide whether the item fits their needs. Clear information also helps you answer questions before they become obstacles to a purchase.
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They place an order
Your storefront records the order, and your configured payment service processes the payment. Before promoting your store, learn how checkout works and how you will review orders.
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The order moves to fulfillment
Someone must prepare and ship the product. A participating dropshipping supplier ships to your customer. Learn which steps you must complete to submit and pay for a supplier order.
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You look after the customer relationship
Stay available for questions, monitor the order, and coordinate any issues through the relevant supplier or service provider.
What is the difference between ecommerce and dropshipping?
Ecommerce describes how a sale takes place. Dropshipping describes how an order is fulfilled: a supplier ships a product to the customer while the retailer makes the sale. The U.S. Census Bureau’s ecommerce glossary explains both terms.
Some online sellers buy inventory in advance and pack orders themselves. Others use suppliers to fulfill eligible orders, allowing them to operate without storing those products at home.
With supplier fulfillment, you still need to understand product costs, shipping charges, order submission, and returns. Learn the process for your chosen supplier so you know what to do when a customer buys.
eMerchantClub connects members with product suppliers that ship orders to customers. The available products and fulfillment arrangements depend on the selected store and supplier.
What can you sell online?
Ecommerce covers several kinds of offers. These are three familiar examples:
Physical products
Items such as home goods, jewelry, electronics, and gifts.
Digital products
Downloads, online courses, templates, and software.
Services
Consultations, lessons, design work, and other services bought online.
eMerchantClub focuses on stores connected to physical products. Available product lines include home décor, home goods, electronics, jewelry, medical supplies, and adult products. Ask which store option fits the category you want to sell; product availability can change.
A useful starting question is: Who would enjoy or benefit from these products? Understanding that customer helps you choose what to feature and explain why it is useful.
Explore eMerchantClub’s store options and product categories.
What are the common ecommerce business models?
You may see ecommerce described by who sells and who buys. These are three common examples.
| Model | Who buys? | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Business to consumer (B2C) | An individual customer | A shopper buys a lamp from an online retailer. |
| Business to business (B2B) | Another business | An office orders supplies from a wholesaler. |
| Consumer to consumer (C2C) | Another individual | Someone sells a used table through a marketplace. |
A retail store selling to individual shoppers generally operates as B2C. Dropshipping can support that store; it describes fulfillment, rather than a different kind of customer.
What does eMerchantClub help you do?
Getting started is easier to understand when you know where to get help and which decisions remain yours. eMerchantClub prepares your storefront, connects products, and provides training and guidance for running the store.
| Part of the business | How the work is handled |
|---|---|
| Store setup | eMerchantClub prepares the website and connects the selected product line. |
| Business direction | You choose your focus, make business decisions, and work on reaching customers. |
| Learning the platform | eMerchantClub provides training resources and technical support for members. |
| Product fulfillment | Participating suppliers ship eligible orders. You follow the required ordering procedures. |
| Customer relationships | You answer your shoppers’ questions and coordinate order issues with the appropriate provider. |
Real people to help you move forward
Know where to turn for your next step.
Early questions are often practical: Where do I log in? How do I complete setup? Which task should I tackle next?
eMerchantClub offers U.S.-based support, and the Learning Center includes guidance on customization, payments, website management, and promotion. For help with an existing account, visit Member Support.
How do online stores make money?
Sales revenue is the money your business earns from sales before expenses. Profit depends on what remains after business expenses. Start by looking at the costs connected to an individual order, then consider the expenses of running the business.
Here is an invented example to make the arithmetic clear. It is not a product quote or an estimate of eMerchantClub earnings.
| Example order | Amount |
|---|---|
| Selling price, excluding sales tax | $50.00 |
| Less supplier product cost | −$28.00 |
| Less shipping paid by the seller | −$6.00 |
| Less payment processing cost | −$2.00 |
| Remaining before advertising and other expenses | $14.00 |
If you also spent $10 on advertising to obtain that sale, $4 would remain before hosting, returns, other business expenses, and taxes. Actual prices, costs, and results vary.
Reviewing the whole picture helps you make better decisions about pricing and promotion. Plan for the cost of fulfilling orders as well as opening the store, and understand when customer payments become available to you.
What does it cost to start an online store?
eMerchantClub currently advertises a $39 initial signup offer. Hosting is $29.95 per month beginning 30 days after signup and continues until canceled. Other applicable fees and additional services may cost extra.
Build your budget around the full business, including product fulfillment, shipping where applicable, payment processing, and any marketing you choose to purchase. Review the current offer and terms before enrolling so you understand the costs for your selected option.
How to start an ecommerce business in three steps
1. Choose your product direction and customer
Start with a category you can explain comfortably. Picture a specific shopper and what would matter to them: practical features, style, convenience, gifting, or solving a particular problem.
For example, someone furnishing a small apartment may care about dimensions and versatility. A person buying a gift may care more about presentation and delivery timing. Those differences give you useful ideas for product descriptions and promotion.
2. Prepare your store with guidance
Review the store options and costs, then follow the setup instructions for the option you select. With eMerchantClub, the customization form lets you choose your product line and domain name.
Use your new website training to understand the store and the next setup tasks. Before you invite customers to shop, review your contact information, product details, payment setup, shipping information, and order process. Ask for help with anything you do not understand.
3. Begin a focused marketing routine
Choose one manageable way to introduce your products. That might be useful social media posts, product demonstrations, or email updates to people who have asked to hear from your business.
Make each message specific. Show what the product does, explain who it is for, and give the reader a clear way to view it. Set aside regular time to share, answer questions, and review what happened.
Track visits, inquiries, orders, and expenses. If few people reach the store, focus on attracting suitable visitors. If people visit without buying, review the offer, product information, delivery details, and checkout experience. Choose a practical next improvement based on what you observe.
The eMerchantClub Marketing Center includes guidance on introducing your store, promoting individual products, and using social media to reach potential customers.
Frequently asked questions about ecommerce
Do I need to know how to code?
You do not need to code the storefront that eMerchantClub prepares for you. You will still need to learn how to manage your store, understand orders, and promote your products.
Do I need to keep products at home?
For eligible products fulfilled by a participating supplier, you do not store or pack the merchandise yourself. Learn the product costs and order requirements for your supplier before you begin selling.
Will my store get customers automatically?
You need a plan to attract shoppers and give them reasons to buy. A published website is the starting point; promotion and customer service need ongoing attention.
How soon will I make a sale?
There is no fixed timeline or guaranteed income. Results depend on factors such as your offer, audience, competition, pricing, and marketing. Focus on completing setup, learning the process, and improving your business as you gain experience.
Take the first step with eMerchantClub.
You can begin by choosing a product direction and understanding what your store will need. eMerchantClub can help with the storefront and supplier connections, while its training and support give you a place to turn as you learn.
$39 initial signup. Hosting is $29.95/month beginning after 30 days and continues until canceled. Other applicable fees and additional services may cost extra. Building a business takes effort and promotion; earnings are not guaranteed.