(On June 1st, we talked with Myron Curtis about topics such as virtual reality and e-commerce. He was kind enough to write us an article with in-depth instructions for starting an online store. For more resources along the same lines, you can also check out Project Hometown’s guide to setting up an online store in just a few hours).

You have decided to open an online store. Fantastic! Before you buy hosting, begin building your own website, or hire a web designer, you need to know what you want and need. So, answer these questions first, and then get out a piece of paper, or open your favorite document creation software to sketch out what your virtual store should look like and include.

Your site is your online identity. It should have an introduction that answer questions such as, “who are you,” “why you are here,” and “what do you offer that others don’t?”

You can also use that in your “about us” link. People want to feel like they know you. You want them to like you.

What are you selling and where is your store? Is it only online, or is there a brick and mortar location as well? If there is a physical location, then plan to link to a map and allow visitors to click on your address to instantly start their gps to find you. Your site should be product-centric and customers need to find what you are selling quickly and easily. Each item sold online should have a “click and buy” feature.

How will customers purchase items? Can products be purchased on the site and shipped, or must they be picked up at a specific location? Make it very clear how your customers will receive their products and exactly what it will cost.

Where is the shopping cart? If purchased online plan on having some way for customers to inspect and edit their planned purchases. Make sure it easy for them to find their way to the checkout system and plan on providing clear and concise instructions about how to proceed. Think of this part of the site as the cashier.

Return policies are often confusing and difficult to enforce. Every customer feels they should be an exception to the rules, and they are often correct. Be as clear as you can and as flexible as you can. Make it clear who pays the return shipping.

This is the most important element to define. Take time to think this through, and ask your current customers why they shop with you. Answers like “because I like you” or “because you’re the only place I can get what I want” provide important information for improving your marketing but can be difficult to project from a website. Try. Define your niche.

Are you strictly local? Where you will ship purchases and what promises you can keep about product condition on receipt are key considerations when making this decision. Many items survive shipping quite well, but perishables take special care. The same is true for fragile items. If in doubt, run some tests and investigate insurance options.

Ok, you now have enough information to begin the basic design of your new storefront.

What colors and shapes identify your store as the “right place”? Some color schemes are associated with certain businesses. For example, greens and yellows are more appropriate for a florist or garden center than for a men’s formal wear outlet.

Customers need to know what you are selling and how to get your products when they first arrive at your site. They will seldom spend more than 8 seconds to decide if your site is worth their time. However, only about the first third of the first page of your site shows in their browser. So, that first third of your home page is prime real-estate. Don’t waste it on pretty, but useless banners. You must sell your site, identify yourself, and lead customers to your products within that prime real-estate. You want a few menus to be seen here, keeping navigation simple.

Who are your customers? Design your site around them. To do that, though, identify your ideal customer, and compare that to your most common customer. They may be significantly different.

Research who they are, and the reasons they choose your current store, and try to match the presentation of your merchandise to match how they prefer to shop.

Even in an online store, product placement is important. Only now instead of a floor plan, you have a Page layout. Here let’s create a Rule of thirds. The first third is what the visitor sees first, the second is what they see if they scroll, and the last third is the footer area. In Ecommerce, if they must scroll more than three pages you better give them a very engaging reason to do so or you will lose them.

That brings us to directing browser flow.

What this means that you lay out the graphics, products, navigation menus in such a way as to draw the visitor to the places you want them to go. Color and contrast are important elements to consider.

I once tried to make a purchase on a site, but had trouble finding the button to open the checkout because it blended in so completely that it was almost invisible. Remember that you want the colors, shapes, and text working together to help the shopper find what they want, encounter suggestions for other items, and make their purchase,

Put the most money up front. The first thing you want customers to find are products that generate the most profit either because of their gross profit or because of the volume at which they sell, or both.

Make sure your products are visible both with easy-to-follow menus that lead to them and with clear pictures and/or descriptions. Avoid clutter and try to create a Flow from one product to another.

Whenever possible, tie in products. Almost every product works in collaboration with other products, so let each act as vehicle to suggest the other. Balance GP and demand, while looking at any opportunity costs.

Suggestive sales are a key to running a successful store weather it is brick and mortar or virtual. Don’t display merchandise in a vacuum if you can avoid doing so. Make every effort to include suggestions during key encounters with each customer.

There is evidence that only about 10% of customers who need help in a brick and mortar store will ask for it. I have no doubt that is also true of online shoppers, but you are not always there to help answer their questions. So, include a practical help solution for them or a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page for them. A “contact Us” link is also useful. The main thing is to let them know that you care.

Most sites just provide a picture of each product with a brief description, links to more information, and the price. That is good, but try to create some display appeal by depicting and/or describing the product in a setting that includes companion merchandise and shows the good experience that comes with their purchase. In other words, instead of showing a picture of raw meat, show the cooked meal with people enjoying every bite.

Still, products must stand out but belong on the website, so try to develop a site theme and keep your depictions consistent with that theme. Color combinations, and how the compliment or clash are often the glue holding a site together. Including action in your displays, like gifs, keeps the site more engaging and can act as sign posts leading the customer where you want them to go.

Maintenance is one area that often gets neglected. At the very least, check prices description and links at least once a week to make sure that they are correct.

Attention: Get their attention. Your site needs to be found quickly and easily. Consider how you can include its presence in your current advertising, encourage customers to review it on services like Yelp, facebook and Twitter, or simply let others know about you.

It will take a while but with consistent effort your virtual store will become more visible to the search engines. Showing up higher on their pages makes it easier for customers to find you. Your store is itself a product, and you need to sell it.

Attention: Keep their attention. They are in your website. Don’t bore them. Engage them in the site’s dialog. Help them. If they feel appreciated and they feel like they can identify as your customer, they will purchase more and return often.

Attention: Pay attention to them. This is where most websites fail. Find ways to learn what the customer wants and what they need. Adjust your store to accommodate those wants and needs on an ongoing basis. What are they looking for? Why? What else do they need? What else might they want?

Deliver on your promises, and make those promises clear and practical.

Follow up. When a costumer finishes making their purchases, thank them and ask them if they would like to receive your weekly ad in their email.

Stand behind what you sell as best as you can, but be very clear what that entails.

Always ask if there is more the customer wants.