How to Create & Start a Free Online Store in Nigeria in 2024

Your entrepreneurial journey can be easier!

With Bumpa, starting a business online is simple; create your online store in minutes. It doesn’t end there; Bumpa provides you with a host of features for business management - generate invoices & receipts, manage your inventory, get business analytics, manage your orders and more!

Download the Bumpa app, sign up today and get started with growing your business both offline and online, effortlessly!

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In the journey of becoming an entrepreneur or a business owner in Nigeria, a lot of interesting things happen to you.

You get a small business idea in your head and start mapping out how it may work.

You start thinking of how to source products for this business you’ve gotten.

Somewhere in all of these, you start dreaming about how rich you’re going to get from building this business.

You’ve eventually sourced everything, written out your business plan and mapped out your strategies for marketing online (because it’s so much easier to start with and well, everyone is online), which includes social media marketing and setting up your online store.

And now, you’re stuck.

You need to set up an online store or a beautiful e-commerce website, where customers can shop with ease, where you can display your products in the best way, checkout is smooth and easy and you get prompts every time you get an order. You also need to be able to manage your online orders and process them effectively. But what you don’t want is a store that will cost you an arm and a leg, or that will take you forever to build.

You don’t have the time for that; you need to start selling immediately!

In this article, we’ll quickly cover how to create and start a free online store in Nigeria in 2024, without needing to write any line of code or breaking the bank to pay.

How to Start an Online Store in Nigeria

In 2024, it’s so much easier to build an entire website or store dedicated to your business online. It doesn't take minutes anymore. Once you’re ready to launch your business, you can download Bumpa, sign up and set up your store in minutes.

You may ask, “How much is it to create an online store?” Or “Can I create an online store for free?”

Creating an online store doesn’t have to cost you anything. It’s free with Bumpa. All you need is to download the app, sign up with your store details, upload your products, copy your store link, share and start getting customers to know about it!

Now that you know you can do this, let’s quickly delve into everything you need to know about how to start an online store in Nigeria. We’re starting with the belief that you already have your products ready, but if you’re still in the stage of selecting a business idea, that’s great too! Remember to choose unique products that are in demand and have the potential to stand out. Check out some of the best low-cost business ideas with high-profit potential!

After you’re all set with your ready products and a platform like Bumpa, here’s what’s next.

1. Register Your Domain: Choose a memorable domain name that reflects your brand and resonates with your target audience. Register your domain through a reliable domain registrar to establish your online presence. You can also get a registered custom domain after you sign up on Bumpa on an upgraded plan!

2. Upload Your Products: Add your products to your online store, complete with detailed descriptions, high-quality images, and accurate pricing. Organise your products into categories and optimise product listings for search engines to improve visibility.

3. Set Up Payment Gateways: Enable secure payment options for your customers by integrating trusted payment gateways. Make sure your platform provides a seamless checkout process to enhance customer satisfaction and encourage repeat purchases.

4. Establish Shipping Methods: Define shipping rates, delivery options, and shipping zones to ensure efficient order fulfilment and timely delivery of products. Communicate shipping policies clearly to set expectations for customers.

5. Implement Marketing Strategies: Develop a marketing plan to promote your online store and attract potential customers. Utilise digital marketing channels like social media, email campaigns, influencer partnerships, and search engine optimisation (SEO) to drive traffic to your store.

6. Monitor Performance: Track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as website traffic, conversion rates, and sales metrics to evaluate your online store's performance. Analyse data insights to make informed decisions and optimise your store for better results.

What to Look Out For When Setting Up an Online Store

Finding an online store builder is one thing, but making sure you’re creating an online store that will be easy to use for your customers is another thing. You don’t want to risk creating a store that will be hard to navigate or cause you problems along the way. That’s a store for your business, remember? So even if it’s free, it should be perfect!

Here are the things to look out for when creating an online store for your business:

1. Ease of Use: a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to set up and manage your store without technical expertise.

2. Customisation Options: to create a unique and visually appealing online store.

3. Responsive Design Features: to optimise your store for all devices, including mobile phones and tablets.

4. Integrated Payment Gateways: to make it convenient for customers to complete transactions securely.

5. Robust Inventory Management Features: to track stock levels, restock products, and manage orders efficiently.

6. SEO Tools: to help optimise your online store for search engines and improve its visibility to potential customers. Here are some ways to optimise your Bumpa store for more visibility!

7. Reliable Customer Support: such as live chat, email, or phone support, to assist you with any technical issues.

8. Scalability: to ensure it can grow with your business and accommodate increased traffic and sales over time.

9. Analytics and Reporting: to track key metrics, monitor performance, and make data-driven decisions to optimise your store.

10. Security Features: SSL encryption and data protection measures to ensure customer data is secure and build trust with your audience.

Set Up a Free Online Store in Minutes with Bumpa

Creating your online store with Bumpa is easy and with just a few simple steps, you can bring your business to the digital forefront and reach a broader audience in minutes. It’s also completely free to sign up, with no hidden fees at all!

1. Visit the App Store or Play Store to download the app.

2. Sign up with your details; store name, full name, phone number, email address, etc. Remember to put in the accurate details.

3. Customise your store with your logo, store description that sells your business properly and a theme.

4. Add your products to showcase your merchandise on your website. Make sure to include crisp images, product descriptions and pricing. You can also add details like size, color, quantity and more.

5. Set up payment options with our secure payment gateway. You can also add your bank account for direct payment to your business account.

6. Launch your store! When everything has been set up, copy your store link and share it on social media, connect with potential customers and start generating sales.

And that’s it! You have a free online store in minutes! The Bumpa app also provides business management tools; business analytics, inventory management, order processing and fulfilment, invoices and receipts, discounts and coupons and so much more. Find out just how much you can do with the Bumpa app here.

Conclusion

If you’re already thinking of moving your business online and setting up an online store, you’re on the right track! More customers are doing their shopping online now in Nigeria and with the right visibility online, you can make more money without needing a physical store, and it starts with creating your online store with the right tool! Check out the Bumpa app today and set up your online store in minutes with zero hassles!

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