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As most sectors of business have been revolutionized by the implementation of modern technology, no industry has been quite shaken up like commerce. Commerce has embraced the internet in a unique way that has not only extended technological benefits to long-standing companies but also to everyday consumers. The product of these two elements, labeled e-commerce, has given birth to a powerful tool used by individuals to huge corporations alike.
E-commerce, for those unfamiliar with it, is when commercial transactions take place online. If you’ve ever bought something over the internet, you’ve been involved in e-commerce.
Today, a vast majority of all major retailers have online stores, which diversifies the way we go about shopping. One of the best parts about e-commerce is that it gives anyone who wants to start a shop the ability to do so without having to buy or rent an expensive, physical location or spend funds on inventory. Though it’s unlikely your online store will put Amazon out of business, the e-commerce sector is so large that, with the right training, you can be successful.
If you’re ready to start a store, or simply intrigued by the idea, becoming properly educated on the topic will get you one step closer to your dreams. However, not all educational materials for e-commerce are up-to-date or provide the most useful information. Based on our specified criteria, we’ve compiled some of the best online, e-commerce courses you can take to jump-start your online business venture.
Quick Look: The Best E-Commerce Courses You Can Take Right Now:
- How to Build an Online E-commerce Store Website - Get it now
- Shopify Tyrant - Get it now
- 2020 Selling on Amazon: Amazon SEO, Ads, E-commerce Marketing - Get it now
- Business Branding for Ecommerce - Get it now
- Shopify Power: Build An E-commerce Website Using Shopify - Get it now
- Wordpress for E-Commerce: Build Online Stores with Wordpress - Get it now
- Security Awareness Training- Get it now
- Digital Product Management: Modern Fundamentals - Get it now
- Digital Media and Marketing Strategies- Get it now
What Does a Good E-Commerce Course Look Like?
If you’re serious about pursuing a career in e-commerce, you might be ready to dive right into an online course right away. But before you type that credit card number into the nearest site with a class, you need to take a step back and assess your current position and needs.
The truth is, no course is ideal for everyone. Some people will take to certain teaching methods while others won’t. Here are three elements that will undoubtedly play a large role in deciding which course will work best with you.
1. Instructor Reputation
When it comes to business, whether the instructor has a degree from a University you recognize or not, there are no assurances in who will be successful. That being said, real-life experience is essential in the world of e-commerce. You’ll want to look for instructors who have the credentials to back up the claims they make about their course and themselves.
This can also mean looking for courses with good user ratings, plenty of past and present students, and classes offered by well-known academic institutions with results to back up their course material.
2. The Level and Skills Taught
You need to take into account your current situation and experience with e-commerce before exploring courses. Why do you want to start this store, and have you interacted with any platforms like this before? You may be a complete novice to e-commerce and thus require a beginner’s course. Alternatively, you may already be familiar with a lot of the concepts, meaning you’re on the hunt for some advanced skills. Or, you may own a brick-and-mortar business and plan to transition a part of it online.
These are important distinctions, and you need a course that doesn’t waste your time going over information you already know or confuse you with topics that are too advanced.
3. Price
Though one of the many appealing elements of e-commerce is the low start up cost, that doesn’t mean you have to put your extra funds towards the education to get you started. With that being said, a high-costing course isn’t a waste if it gives you the education you need; just note that high price does not always equate to high-level insight.
As education is a cost to your overall business venture, ensure you know how much you’d like to budget for this step.
Best E-Commerce Classes for Beginner Entrepreneurs
If this is your first time exploring the world of e-commerce, then you should be looking for two, specific things in a course.
First, look for one with a low entry point. Since you don’t have any experience with e-commerce, your skills in this sector are likely to be limited. Find a course that accounts for this, including your experience and level of comfort with technology in general. Second, you’ll want a course that covers a lot of different topics. You can’t just focus on a single skill this early in the beginning; focus on getting an all-around introduction to e-commerce. Naturally, such a course won’t be particularly in-depth, but it should provide you with a foundation to build on.
1. How to Build an Online E-commerce Store Website by Udemy
Who it's for: Beginners
Price: $109.99
Are you interested in starting an online business but aren’t quite sure how to get up and running? This introductory course from Udemy is worth considering.
How to Build an Online E-commerce Store Website consists of 10 sections that cover web hosting and site development, logos and images, site design, email marketing, WooCommerce, plugins and so much more. You’ll have the skills and expertise to launch your own online store when you finish the class.
The enrollment fee includes full lifetime access to 4 hours of on-demand video and 4 articles. Be sure to budget $60 for class materials before you register.
2. Shopify Tyrant: How To Start An Ecommerce Biz From Scratch from Udemy
This highly rated Udemy course explains how to start your own e-commerce shop on the extremely popular platform Shopify, and how to scale it up. In terms of scale, the course covers conversions, product ratings and how that affects your shop, and specific categories your products will fall under.
The course also touches on digital marketing, including Facebook and Instagram, researching niches, and apps which are essential to take your store to the next, more profitable, level. The goal of the course is to get your shop to the point where it is a passive income that you can rely on.
3. 2020 Selling on Amazon: Amazon SEO, Ads, E-commerce Marketing by Udemy
Who it's for: Beginners
Price: $49.99
Consider this Udemy bestseller if you want to master the essentials of selling on Amazon. It is facilitated by Amazon guru Alex Genadinik and will take you from novice to subject-matter expert in record time.
2020 Selling on Amazon: Amazon SEO, Ads, E-commerce Marketing features modules on keyword research for Amazon SEO, Amazon listings, reviews, ads, social media marketing and influencer marketing to boost sales. You will also learn how to avoid common Amazon selling mistakes, identify optimal products for your e-commerce site and leverage Google search to sell your Amazon products.
Register today to unlock a vault of resources that includes 4 hours of on-demand video, 4 articles and 9 downloadable resources.
Best for Entrepreneurs Looking to Expand Their Brick-and-Mortar Business
If you already have a brick-and-mortar store and are looking to expand into e-commerce, then the requirements for your course will look slightly different than someone with no experience. For starters, you won’t need guidance on choosing your product as that’s already settled. But, with the right knowledge and tools, you can expand your business and diversify the revenue streams.
1. Business Branding for E-Commerce by Udemy
Who it's for: Intermediate students
Price: $99.99
Your branding strategy for your e-commerce store is just as important as the products you sell. So, why put your best foot forward to establish a brand that shines?
Easier said than done, but you can implement the knowledge provided in Business Branding for E-commerce to lend a helping hand. This popular course includes 12 in-depth sections on what it takes to create an exceptional brand that gets results. It is ideal for individuals who have general business experience and have a strong desire to create their own brand.
Top-rated e-commerce instructor Jason Miles divides the course into these segments:
- Free Webinar Training
- The Ideal Customer
- Innovating to Overcome Primary Challenges
- Vision of Success Blueprint
- The Invisible Aspects of Your Brand
- The Visible Aspects of a Brand
- Creating the Graphics You Need For Your New Brand
- Photography for Your Website
- Product Photography Strategies
- Copywriting to Support Your Brand
- Words and Triggers to Support Your Brand
- The Last Lecture and Course Conclusion
You can get started by registering today. It only takes a few minutes of your time, and you will get instant access to 3 hours of on-demand video, 9 articles and 9 downloadable resources.
2. Shopify Power: Build An Ecommerce Website Using Shopify from Udemy
As we’ve mentioned before, Shopify is one of the most popular platforms for e-commerce to live. If you are looking for a more in-depth introduction to the platform and a deep dive into the interworkings of Shopify, this is the course for you.
You will learn ins and outs of what it’s like to use Shopify as your e-commerce business platform. And with 66 lectures, it is very thorough.
3. WordPress for E-commerce: Build online stores with WordPress from Udemy
A popular alternative, and the go-to choice before the Shopify takeover is WordPress. If you already run a site through the online platform or prefer the layout, then Wordpress for E-commerce will help you take your skills to the next level.
You’ll learn how to quickly create an e-commerce website, how to properly use the WooCommerce plugin, and be given marketing tips and Q&A support as a part of the program.
Best for Advanced E-Commerce Knowledge
Finally, these courses are for people who already have notable e-commerce knowledge and are looking to go a step beyond.
1. Security Awareness Training from Udemy
Online transactions bring many benefits, but they also come with new security risks. One of the worst things that can happen to your online store is for it to get hacked. This is particularly troublesome as you can lose both money and the trust of your consumers.
This course can help you take steps to prevent hackings. You will learn about DDoS attacks, malware, phishing, and much more. By the end, you will have a better understanding of the threats that are out there and how to combat them.
8. Digital Product Management: Modern Fundamentals by the University of Virginia
Who it's for: Advanced students
Price: Free
E-commerce is much more involved than merely setting up a store. One way to go further is to take an active part in managing the digital products you can offer. This course explains the techniques and tools you can use to assess user needs, oversee the development of a digital product, decide on its pricing and more.
Digital Product Management: Modern Fundamentals is offered by the University of Virginia as a part of the Digital Product Management Specialization and includes video lectures, readings and quizzes.
Ultimately, it will help your online business innovate and keep up with competitors. You can expect to reach the finish line in 11 hours.
Instructor Alex Cowan is a faculty member at the Darden School of Business.
9. Digital Media and Marketing Strategies by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Who it's for: Advanced students
Price: Free
At the end of the day, your e-commerce business is only worth as much as it can sell. Digital marketing is integral to expand your customer base and sell more products.
With this course, you’ll learn how to optimize your digital assets. You will also learn about the essentials of online, video, social and email marketing and how to put it all together to create an effective digital plan that gets tremendous results and gives your e-commerce business a competitive edge.
It is the fifth component of the Digital Marketing Specialization from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Instruction is provided by Mike Yao, professor of digital media and department head at the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re in the planning stages of your e-commerce business, increasing your sales, looking for advanced skills, or moving a brick-and-mortar business online, these courses will aid you in taking the next step towards your online venture. With the right training to supplement your online store, you will be able to create an educated plan of execution for your shop.
If you wish to supplement your entrepreneurial ventures further, finding the best finance book for your sector can give you a competitive edge.
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Southern New Hampshire University Online
SNHU Online Offers:
- Flexible schedules
- Affordable tuition
- Online tutoring
- Access to electronic research materials
- Specialized academic advising
- Supportive online community