How to Build an eCommerce Website Like Amazon: A Complete Guide

Retail has become a thing of the past; eCommerce is the present and future of selling. If you’re thinking about starting an online business, it might seem daunting. Many people believe that creating a website like Amazon would be a challenging task but it’s not rocket science. 

Amazon, with its vast collection of over 500 million products, holds immense value. Boasting more than 300 million monthly users and being the largest online store globally, this success has propelled Jeff Bezos to the position of the world’s wealthiest individual.

As a result, eCommerce platforms like Amazon have gained popularity and recognition among customers. However, this doesn’t mean that you can effortlessly create your own eCommerce website and expect it to achieve the same level of fame as Amazon.

The lingering question is how to develop an eCommerce website that can rival Amazon’s popularity and replicate its profitability. This blog post will delve into all of these aspects and provide insights into the matter.

Why Should You Create an eCommerce Website?

The global eCommerce market is expected to reach $8.3 Billion in 2026. Unquestionably, a significant portion of these sales will come from multi-vendor marketplace models.

This stat points to a growing demand that aspiring online retailers can capitalize on. Developing your own marketplace website offers the advantage of diversifying your business and protecting your brand from depending solely on a single market. The benefits of creating an eCommerce website are numerous, such as:

1. Access to a Larger Market: With an internet connection and a device, any potential customer can easily engage in online transactions, granting you access to a broader customer base.
2. Cost Savings: Building an online platform eliminates the need for maintaining a physical office, a separate warehouse, and retail space, leading to cost savings.
3. Local Search Visibility: Leveraging local search engine optimization allows you to reach a wider audience when they search for products online, especially within your local area.
4. Operational Efficiency: Online marketplaces can achieve operational efficiency without the necessity for a large workforce.

The encouraging news is that, despite fierce competition, there remains ample opportunity for new businesses. The success stories of Amazon did not happen overnight. It excelled by prioritizing exceptional user experience and customer service. 

Steps to Build an eCommerce Website Like Amazon

Amazon is a marketplace that was specifically made for buying and selling a high range of products. Since then, many have been inspired to do the same. By following these steps thoroughly, you can do it too:

Step 1: Market Research and Planning

Begin by analyzing the needs and preferences of your target audience. Gather sufficient information to assess the compatibility between your business goals and your customers’ expectations.

Developing a valuable eCommerce website becomes simpler when you take into account the behavior patterns of your target market. Consider factors like their age, geographical location, interests, preferences, as well as their likes and dislikes.

It’s also essential to conduct an analysis from the perspective of a “seller,” as they will rely on your platform to efficiently manage their products and inventories and facilitate seamless transactions with potential clients.

Step 2: Choose Your Business Model

eCommerce website like Amazon commonly employs a hybrid business strategy, combining multiple monetization approaches to ensure a steady income stream.

Amazon Marketplace generates revenue through a combination of methods including:

1. Commissions: This is the most widely-used revenue-generating method for a website like Amazon. Commissions at Amazon vary depending on the product category, typically ranging between 12 and 16 percent.
2. Fixed Fees: The platform charges a fixed fee for each transaction, currently set at $0.99.
3. Subscription: Amazon Prime offers customers benefits such as free two-day shipping, unlimited access to streaming movies and music, secure and unlimited photo storage, and more. Customers can subscribe to Amazon Prime to enjoy these perks.

Step 3: Choosing the Right Online Store Platform

When formulating your business strategy and revenue models, it’s crucial to keep this factor in mind. There are a lot of open-source eCommerce platforms available for building your marketplace. 

While software developers might recommend specific platforms, we’ve outlined the most popular ones: Magento, Shopify, and Bigcommerce. Each platform comes with its own distinct features, so you should select the one that aligns best with your vision.

Step 4: Selecting a Domain and Web Host

Given your intention to use the website as an online store, it’s advisable to opt for a web host specialized in WooCommerce web hosting.

Understanding Web Hosts and Domain Names

The online address users type to access your site is known as the domain name. For instance, the domain name for WordPress is wordpress.org. Your web host is the service that hosts your website, storing all your data so that people worldwide can access your site at any time.

Step 5: Creating a Wonderful UI/UX Experience

When customers visit your website or app, their initial interaction is with the user interface (UI), and their interaction with it is called user experience (UX). This serves as your first chance to make an impression. Prioritize the use of original and informative content alongside high-quality product photos when designing your website.

This can significantly enhance the overall visual appeal of your website. To ensure that customers can easily find the information they need when browsing your website across various devices like mobile, tablet, and desktop, your website’s design elements should be user-friendly and easy to navigate.

Step 6: Mobile-Friendly Design

Considering that 54% of global internet traffic in 2022 originated from mobile devices, it’s imperative that any eCommerce platform incorporates both responsive design and a mobile app to ensure a positive user experience.

When developing a website like Amazon, prioritize performance, particularly for mobile versions. Swift loading times for mobile websites are crucial, given that the rate of cart abandonment is higher on mobile devices compared to desktops.

Step 7: Development 

This is the most crucial phase of this process. Skilled software developers work on your website using an array of tools. This process might span from four to several months for completion, depending on the website’s initial scope and content complexity.

For your eCommerce website development, it’s advisable to hire proficient middle- and senior-level specialist developers. The technology stack required to build a website like Amazon can differ based on the specific programming tools each development team employs to achieve particular goals.

Step 8: Testing

Amazon undoubtedly employs a significant number of QA engineers who rigorously test the website. Similarly, your eCommerce website should also be dependable and flexible.

Thorough testing is crucial prior to launch. It’s unwise to leave this task to users, as numerous complaints could arise. Moreover, if issues arise within the financial module, substantial costs might be incurred.

Step 9: Launch and Marketing

Once the project is live, you’ll need to promote it. Initially, no one will be aware of its existence, so it’s essential to invest effort and funds into establishing an eCommerce website like Amazon.

Web advertising can attract two main groups:

1. Vendors (Online Retailers): These active users frequently list their products on various websites. Convincing them of the benefits of your platform can lead to their participation and product listings. 

You can build an email database using platforms like Yelp or Craigslist, and then individually invite potential vendors. At the start, aiming to attract 50–100 online stores is sufficient, resulting in a range of 1,000 to 10,000 items on the website.

2. Buyers: Attracting buyers can be challenging and may require the allocation of funds to advertising agencies. Different traffic sources are available, such as:

   – Organic search engine results, which are cost-effective and require internal SEO. It can yield between 100 and 50,000 daily users, depending on your budget.

   – Google Adwords can be pricier but effective if set up well. It’s advisable to work with a Google Adwords specialist. Click costs usually range from $0.05 to $0.50.

   – Facebook Ads, an affordable traffic source, provided you use appropriate settings and filters. Without proper management, it’s possible to exhaust your budget without significant returns.

Features of an eCommerce Website Like Amazon

It’s crucial to integrate a set of features that streamline the buyer’s journey and deliver an excellent user experience. Let’s explore a few key components for your eCommerce platform.

For Vendors

1. Authentication & Login

The vendor registration process should incorporate specific criteria that require businesses to validate their credentials and offered services. This approach ensures the maintenance of quality standards across all products. This benefits customers by connecting them with recognized and certified sellers who can provide reliable services.

2. Inventory Management

The product inventory management tool allows sellers to meticulously track each product’s movement in and out of the warehouse. This capability ensures accurate record-keeping, helps maintain organization, prevents costly errors, and offers effortless tracking of inventory activities.

3. Product Reviews and Ratings

Users have the opportunity to share their opinions and shopping experiences through product reviews. Sellers can use this valuable feedback to swiftly and effectively make decisions about product improvements or changes, benefiting both sellers and customers.

4. Order Control

This capability grants sellers access to comprehensive user order details. Sellers receive all information related to orders, starting from order placement to delivery which helps them to facilitate easy order completion and tracking.

5. Dashboard

The dashboard feature simplifies sellers’ ability to track product performance, customer ratings, and reviews. In essence, it offers a comprehensive overview of essential metrics that provide insights into the effectiveness of products and customer behavior.

6. Reporting

Sellers can review daily, monthly, or yearly analytics reports that provide insights into sales trends, popular and less popular products, top and bottom product purchases, and more.

For Customers

1. Registration

Users should be allowed to sign up for your eCommerce portal using their preferred method, whether it’s a phone number, email address, or even a social media login.

2. My Account

This function enables consumers to interact with your site and establish a connection with it. Users can access past orders, adjust settings, manage their cart, select language preferences, and receive notifications, among other features.

3. One-Tap Checkout

Whether customers are shopping on a desktop or a mobile device, the checkout process should ensure a seamless experience. Navigation and the payment process should be concise and straightforward to facilitate a smooth purchase journey.

4. Categorization

The category feature enhances user experience by allowing users to easily select products from specific categories. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the range of products, users can simply click on their preferred category and proceed with the transaction.

5. Product Details 

To provide customers with a closer view of products, this feature should seamlessly combine concise product descriptions with photographs. This approach assists customers in making informed purchases and reduces the likelihood of product returns.

6. Push Notifications

Any changes to a seller’s or buyer’s profile should be promptly communicated to both parties. For example, an order status might be updated to “Accepted,” while a delivery status could change to “Shipped.” Similarly, customers may be notified about new products being added to the website. Utilizing notifications helps people stay informed. 

7. Customer Support

Offering customer support through various channels such as phone calls, emails, text messages, and AI chatbots is a crucial feature. This aspect holds significant power in either building or undermining the trust of the entire market.

Conclusion

After reading this article, you now have a clearer understanding of how to create an eCommerce website like Amazon. Competing with Amazon is a formidable challenge, requiring substantial resources for website development. Rushing through this process could lead to failures and wasteful spending.

Collaborating with a reputable eCommerce development company with seasoned experts can make all the difference if you are looking to build a website like Amazon. Technocrats offer all the necessary tools and expertise for creating your eCommerce platform. Your challenges are our solutions!