Advice on traffic numbers - new website

[Claire H]

Hi,

I'm hoping to set up an ecommerce business selling gifts. I'm in the process of researching the market and have also received significant positive feedback on my idea.

Before launching into writing my business plan and investing time and money in my website and stock, I'm trying to get the best idea I can of potential traffic numbers to my site so I can try and forecast potential sales/profits. I know this is a little 'finger in the air' and depends on many factors but I was wondering if any one can share their experiences of the kind of traffic numbers that can be expected in the first few months and thereafter. I believe the avergage conversion rate for e commerce is 1-2%?

As an aside, I have also looked at competitor traffic numbers on various sites such as compete.com but I'm not sure on the accuracy of these kind of sites.

Ideally (or perhaps naievely!), my goal would be approx 15k visitors a month - I realise a lot of hard work will be required to generate traffic and this will take time but would appreciate any thoughts/experience on traffic numbers to e commerce sites.

Many thanks,

Claire

 

[fisicx]

That's a pretty high target for a startup website.

But to give you some idea of timescales:
1 year to get the site established and working effectively
1 year to build up traffic
1 year to start making money

Which means turning a profit in year 4.

The biggest hudle you will have to overcome is the competition. THey have been out there selling gifts online for a long time and for you to even get foot on the ladder is going to take a lot of time and effort.

But if you have really good site and use adwords you can get very good conversions. To do this though you need a website built for adsense, you can't just use a normal ecommerce site.

 

[antropy]

Hi Claire

I can say that after about 6 months one of our clients with a new ecommerce website and about 1,500 products was getting 300 unique visitors per day, about 9,000 per month.

Now 2 years later, they average over 1,000 per day or about 30,000 per month.

Marketing was mostly very good on-site SEO with OpenCart and some (but not much) off-site marketing. They now also use Google Product Ads to drive traffic, I wrote a blog article about this here:
http://www.antropy.co.uk/blog/selling-on-google-shopping-with-opencart/

Hope that helps.

Paul

 

[fisicx]

Now 2 years later, they average over 1,000 per day or about 30,000 per month.

That's pretty good traffic. How are conversions? Has the site paid for itself yet?

 

[antropy]

I spoke with the owners yesterday - they're making about 10 sales per day of quite high-value items.

It paid for itself in a few months because it was one of our first and we didn't charge very much.

 

[Core List]

I was going to say that is a high figure for a start up, but based on Antropys' customer, it is achievable.
I have found every market and product range has different competition and establishment costs. The more commodotised it is, the more expensive it will be to muscle in and the lower the profits may be.
Maybe get more of a firm idea on what you want to do, check out the competition and how profitable it will be to compete with them, then get Antropy to give you a cost to set it up and see if it is worthwhile.

I follow a guy online called Tim Ferris, who really puts an emphasis on testing ideas for profitability first, he has some really good methods and step by step processes for testing ideas. Just Google 'testing potential of an idea tim ferris' for a good article on this. (I'm not allowed to link as I am a Newbie)

Regards
John

 

[Claire H]

Thanks everyone for all the useful advice. I will be sure to check out the links you recommend.

Best wishes,

Claire

 

[VishalBhatt123]

If you want to see forcefulness of your store then you must work hard for your store.
If your site us live then you must give 6 months to 1 year for getting visitor. If you work hard for creating a brand name at internet then you will get users at your store. All of them many users, just see the product. They not buy any product.
So, In next 6 months you will get trust of your users and then you will get sales and profit from your store.

 

[antropy]

I follow a guy online called Tim Ferris

He wrote the 4 hour work week didn't he:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-4-Hour-Work-Week-Anywhere/dp/0091929113

Good book