The main idea of a store or business and everything related to it is often referred to as the concept. The concept includes everything from the products and services that are sold, the target customer groups, marketing tactics and so forth. A concept is the basis of a business plan.
A Strong Concept Means a Competitive Advantage
The concept of an online store may show what is unique about it. Perhaps the products sold through it are one of a kind or they are marketed through entirely new channels. Perhaps the store takes advantage of a new delivery method which cuts the delivery times in half.
On the other hand, the concept may also be the sum of many different parts and come together when you think about the store from the customer’s point of view. You can consider combining the following things:
- The name of the store
- The domain of the store
- The colors and graphics used in the store
- A different way of displaying the products
What Kind of Concept Could an Online Store Have?
In the simplest of terms, the concept is the idea of the store. If there is nothing else that is unique about the store, such as a new product or delivery method, you should look for the idea and concept elsewhere.
For instance, a store selling children’s clothing could be called The Pink Puddle Jumper, an artist’s vision of a puddle jumper as its logo, and the color pink used throughout the website. The product descriptions could be written as through it was the puddle jumper giving information about the products.
The concept of the store should primarily be considered from the user’s perspective, because the point of it is to build a strong user experience.
When designing your own online store, you may want to pay attention to the following:
- Could the products and services sold through the store tell a story?
- Could the name of the store, the products, and the domain come together in a fun or memorable way?
- Could you think of a marketing theme that would differentiate your store from others?
A Concept Is the Beginning of a Brand
If the concept is strong, it carries the beginning of a strong brand. Once you know what is special about your store and what you want it to look like in the eyes of your customers, you can start building your brand immediately.
Building a brand is a long process that can never be fully planned beforehand. It takes time, even years, to fully form. You can use social media to build a brand, because social media channels are effective at reaching consumers. You can think of your store’s social media channels as the voice of your store.
The stronger the original store concept is, the easier building a brand will be. Brands that are born out of strong business concepts are more likely to develop further. That’s why it is a good idea to remember the concept even after you are done with the planning stage of your online store business.