Setting Up An E-commerce Store

In today’s digital age, an online presence is essential for businesses looking to reach customers beyond physical boundaries. The Online Store feature within your CRM allows you to extend your reach globally, operating 24/7 to engage customers wherever they are. This guide will walk you through setting up and managing an online store, offering step-by-step guidance to help you maximize this powerful tool.

Getting Started with Your E-commerce Store

Navigate to the Stores tab within the Sites section of your CRM. Here, you can select the +New option to create your online store. 

Choose either a blank canvas or a template to customize your e-commerce site, then click Create. 

After creation, the system will take a few moments to integrate all the essential store elements, bringing you to the website builder interface.

Setting Up Essential Store Pages

The CRM's online store integration automatically generates several crucial store pages:

1. Product List for customers to browse your offerings.
2. Product Details for each item’s specifics.
3. Cart where customers review their selected items.
4. Checkout for completing the purchase process.
5. Thank You page to confirm orders post-purchase.

Click edit to adjust the layout and add elements like buttons and promotional banners to enhance user experience and streamline customer navigation through the shopping process.

Adding a Store To a Website

Still, within the Sites section, click on Websites. You can create a new website or pick an already existing website to integrate a store.

For those websites you created in the past that you decide to make into a store, enter the website builder, select the site, and click Edit on any page.

Adding The Store Element

Inside the website builder, look for the “+” icon to access the Add Elements section. Find and click on the Store option, then click on +Add to site. This will enable your site's e-commerce features, allowing you to sell both physical and digital products. 

Wait for a few seconds as your store loads.

It automatically generates the essential store pages:

1. Products List
2. Product Details
3. Cart
4. Checkout
5. Thank You Page

Managing Products

To add your products, click the Product List element, then Manage Products. This will take you to the Payments > Products tab.

Here, you can add new products or manage existing ones.

When creating a new product, Toggle on Include in online store to automatically include them in your website store. Ensure you include detailed descriptions, pricing, and any variants.

When Include in the online store is toggled on, it automatically enables Search Engine Listing. Fill out the required fields to ensure your products show up in Search engines.

Click on Save to continue.

Back in the website builder, in the General settings, you can customize your product list element by adjusting the font options, color options, layout options, etc. 

Within the layout options section, you can set the number of products, which is restricted to a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 24, and the columns they are displayed in.

Finalizing Your Store

Once you've added and customized your products, navigate through the store pages, such as Product Details, Cart, Checkout, and "Thank You" pages, to ensure everything is set up correctly.

Make any necessary adjustments to these pages to provide a seamless shopping experience for your customers. Once satisfied, click Save to keep the changes and Publish to make them live.

Managing Orders and Payments

Go to Payments > Orders to monitor all orders and process refunds if necessary, ensuring smooth management and customer satisfaction.

Fulfill Orders and Share Shipment Details

Once an order is placed, mark it as fulfilled, and share shipment details with your customer, including:

• Tracking Number
• Shipping Provider
• Tracking URL

By taking these steps, you’ll unlock the full potential of the Online Store feature in your CRM, driving growth and enhancing the customer experience. Whether you're just starting or looking to expand, this feature gives you the tools to succeed in the digital marketplace.

Troubleshooting and FAQs

Q: How do I import products from another platform? 

A: You can import products directly if you're using Stripe by navigating to the "Products" section and selecting the import option. 

Q: My changes aren't saving. What should I do? 

A: Ensure you're hitting the "Save" button after making changes. If issues persist, clear your browser cache or try a different browser. 

Q: How do I process a refund?

A: Refunds can be handled directly in the CRM by navigating to Payments > Transactions. Simply select the transaction in question and process the refund. 

Q: Can I sell digital products through the online store?

A: Yes! The store supports both physical and digital products. For digital products, make sure to provide download instructions or access details in the product description or follow-up emails.