Make the Sale: Build, Launch, and Manage E-commerce Stores from Coursera

Make the Sale: Build, Launch, and Manage E-commerce Stores is the sixth of seven courses in the Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce Certificate. This course explores how businesses and individuals sell products online, including using popular platforms like Shopify. You’ll go through the process of creating a mock e-commerce store. To do this, you’ll build a Shopify store, add the necessary information, and create product listings. You’ll explore how to reach customers online through e-commerce customer outreach methods like advertisements and campaigns.

Google employees who currently work in the field will guide you, providing hands-on activities and examples that simulate common digital marketing and e-commerce tasks while showing you some of the best tools and resources used on the job.

Learners who complete the seven courses in this program will be ready to apply for entry-level jobs in digital marketing and e-commerce. No previous experience is necessary.

By the end of this course, you will be able to do the following:

- Understand essential e-commerce strategies and practices

- Explain how to conduct market research and product research

- Set up a mock e-commerce store using Shopify

- Use Google Ads to engage e-commerce customers

- Explain how trends and seasonality affect e-commerce businesses

- Use best practices to create an engaging customer experience online

- Describe the order fulfillment process through checkout, point of sale (POS), shipping, and delivery.

- Optimize a checkout flow for customers

What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction to make the sale: build, launch, and manage e-commerce stores

You will explore the field of e-commerce and learn about the benefits of selling products online. You’ll study the common terms, tools, roles, and strategies that are used in e-commerce. Then, you’ll learn how to begin an e-commerce project using market research, competitive analysis, target audience identification, product research, product sourcing, and brand strategy.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Explores the process of developing online stores using a popular e-commerce platform (Shopify)

Addresses key e-commerce concerns, such as market research, product sourcing, and marketing campaigns

Taught by experienced professionals in the digital marketing and e-commerce fields

Suitable for individuals aspiring to enter entry-level digital marketing and e-commerce roles

Develops core e-commerce skills, encompassing essential strategies, customer outreach, and operations management

Provides opportunities for practical applications through real-world scenarios and hands-on activities

Reviews summary

Practical e-commerce store building fundamentals

According to students, this course offers a largely positive and highly practical introduction to building, launching, and managing e-commerce stores. Learners particularly praise the hands-on activities, especially the step-by-step guidance to set up a mock Shopify store, which many found to be a game-changer for understanding the e-commerce workflow. It is frequently highlighted as perfect for beginners with no prior experience in e-commerce, offering a clear and easy-to-follow learning path. While the course provides a solid foundation, some learners with existing marketing knowledge or those seeking advanced strategies might find certain modules, such as those on deep market research, advanced SEO, or multi-channel selling, to be too introductory or lacking in depth.

Heavily features Shopify and Google's own advertising platforms.

"The course is okay, but it felt a bit like a long ad for Shopify and Google Ads."

"Some sections felt a bit promotional for Google products, but that's expected from a Google course."

"I only wish there was more on different e-commerce platforms beyond Shopify, but I understand the focus."

Instructors explain concepts clearly and deliver content effectively.

"The instructors explained concepts clearly, and I feel ready to launch my own store."

"The instructors were knowledgeable. The demos were clear and concise."

"The instructors are clear and engaging."

Tailored for those new to e-commerce, offering a solid entry point.

"Definitely recommend for beginners looking to start e-commerce."

"A solid introduction to e-commerce... great for absolute beginners."

"Perfect for someone with no e-commerce experience. The content is well-structured and easy to follow."

"Very useful course for anyone new to e-commerce."

Provides practical, step-by-step guidance to set up an e-commerce store.

"This course was incredibly practical and hands-on! Building the Shopify store step-by-step was super helpful."

"The guided Shopify setup is a game-changer. I'm now confident in setting up a basic online shop."

"I found the hands-on projects extremely useful for understanding the e-commerce workflow."

"The step-by-step instructions for building a Shopify store were invaluable. I learned practical skills."

Found too basic by those with prior knowledge or seeking advanced strategies.

"I felt some topics, like market research and competitive analysis, could have gone deeper."

"It doesn't cover advanced strategies for scaling or complex marketing funnels. Don't expect to become an expert."

"As someone with a bit of marketing background, I found parts of this course to be very basic."

"I found the course lacked depth in critical areas like advanced SEO for e-commerce, conversion rate optimization (CRO), and multi-channel selling strategies."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Make the Sale: Build, Launch, and Manage E-commerce Stores with these activities:

Shopify tutorial

Show steps

Revisit the basics of using Shopify to set up an online store

Browse courses on Shopify

Show steps

Log into your Shopify account
Create a new product

Read and review: Ecommerce: Business, Technology, and Strategy

Show steps

Overview the fundamental concepts and strategies used to conduct business online

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Read the book, making notes and highlighting important passages
Write a 500-word summary of the book's main points

Write Google Ads

Show steps

Practice writing effective Google Ads to drive traffic to your e-commerce store

Browse courses on Google Ads

Show steps

Identify your target audience
Write a clear and concise ad copy

Six other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all nine activities

Create a Facebook ad campaign

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Develop a targeted Facebook ad campaign to reach your target audience

Browse courses on Facebook Ads

Show steps

Choose your objective
Set your budget and target audience

Design a landing page

Show steps

Create a landing page that converts visitors into customers

Browse courses on Landing Pages

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Choose a template and customize it with your brand
Write clear and persuasive copy

E-commerce resources

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Create a collection of useful resources for starting and growing an e-commerce store

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Find articles, blog posts, and videos on topics like marketing, customer service, and shipping
Create a document or spreadsheet to organize your resources

E-commerce workshop

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Attend an e-commerce workshop to learn from experts and network with other e-commerce professionals

Show steps

Research and find a workshop that is relevant to your interests
Register for the workshop and attend the sessions

E-commerce networking event

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Attend an e-commerce networking event to meet other e-commerce business owners and learn about the latest trends

Show steps

Find an event that is relevant to your interests
Register for the event and attend the sessions

Volunteer at an e-commerce business

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Gain hands-on experience in e-commerce by volunteering at a local business

Show steps

Find a local e-commerce business that is looking for volunteers
Contact the business and offer your services

Career center

Learners who complete Make the Sale: Build, Launch, and Manage E-commerce Stores will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Digital Marketing Specialist

A Digital Marketing Specialist is responsible for developing and executing online marketing campaigns. This course may be useful for someone who wants to become a Digital Marketing Specialist because it provides a comprehensive overview of the digital marketing landscape, including topics such as search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, and email marketing. The course also includes hands-on exercises that will help you develop the skills needed to succeed in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Marketing Specialist

Marketing Manager

A Marketing Manager is responsible for developing and executing marketing campaigns. This course may be useful for someone who wants to become a Marketing Manager because it provides a comprehensive overview of the marketing landscape, including topics such as market research, branding, and public relations. The course also includes hands-on exercises that will help you develop the skills needed to succeed in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Customer Success Manager

A Customer Success Manager is responsible for ensuring that customers are satisfied with a company's products and services. This course may be useful for someone who wants to become a Customer Success Manager because it provides a comprehensive overview of the customer success process, including topics such as customer onboarding, relationship management, and customer retention. The course also includes hands-on exercises that will help you develop the skills needed to succeed in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Customer Success Manager

Content Marketer

A Content Marketer is responsible for creating and distributing content that is valuable to a target audience. This course may be useful for someone who wants to become a Content Marketer because it provides a comprehensive overview of the content marketing process, including topics such as content strategy, content creation, and content distribution. The course also includes hands-on exercises that will help you develop the skills needed to succeed in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Content Marketer

E-commerce Specialist

An E-commerce Specialist is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of an online store. This course may be useful for someone who wants to become an E-commerce Specialist because it provides a solid foundation in the essential skills needed for this role, such as customer service, order fulfillment, and inventory management. The course also includes hands-on exercises that will help you develop the skills needed to succeed in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for E-commerce Specialist

Business Development Manager

A Business Development Manager is responsible for identifying and developing new business opportunities. This course may be useful for someone who wants to become a Business Development Manager because it provides a comprehensive overview of the business development process, including topics such as market research, lead generation, and sales negotiation. The course also includes hands-on exercises that will help you develop the skills needed to succeed in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Development Manager

Sales Manager

A Sales Manager is responsible for leading a sales team and achieving sales goals. This course may be useful for someone who wants to become a Sales Manager because it provides a solid foundation in the essential skills needed for this role, such as sales strategy, negotiation, and team management. The course also includes hands-on exercises that will help you develop the skills needed to succeed in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Manager

Product Manager

A Product Manager is responsible for the development and launch of new products. This course may be useful for someone who wants to become a Product Manager because it provides a comprehensive overview of the product development process, including topics such as market research, product design, and product launch. The course also includes hands-on exercises that will help you develop the skills needed to succeed in this role.

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E-commerce Manager

An E-commerce Manager is responsible for the overall strategy and execution of an online store. This course may be useful for someone who wants to become an E-commerce Manager because it provides a comprehensive overview of the e-commerce industry, including topics such as market research, product sourcing, and online marketing. The course also includes hands-on exercises that will help you develop the skills needed to succeed in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for E-commerce Manager

Entrepreneur

An Entrepreneur is someone who starts and runs their own business. This course may be useful for someone who wants to become an Entrepreneur because it provides a comprehensive overview of the entrepreneurial process, including topics such as business planning, product development, and marketing. The course also includes hands-on exercises that will help you develop the skills needed to succeed in this role.

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Data Analyst

A Data Analyst is responsible for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data. This course may be useful for someone who wants to become a Data Analyst because it provides a solid foundation in the essential skills needed for this role, such as data analysis, data visualization, and statistical modeling. The course also includes hands-on exercises that will help you develop the skills needed to succeed in this role.

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Business Analyst

A Business Analyst is responsible for analyzing business needs and developing solutions. This course may be useful for someone who wants to become a Business Analyst because it provides a solid foundation in the essential skills needed for this role, such as data analysis, problem solving, and communication. The course also includes hands-on exercises that will help you develop the skills needed to succeed in this role.

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Web Developer

A Web Developer is responsible for designing and developing websites. This course may be useful for someone who wants to become a Web Developer because it provides a solid foundation in the essential skills needed for this role, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The course also includes hands-on exercises that will help you develop the skills needed to succeed in this role.

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Freelance Writer

A Freelance Writer is someone who writes content for clients on a freelance basis. This course may be useful for someone who wants to become a Freelance Writer because it provides a solid foundation in the essential skills needed for this role, such as writing, editing, and research. The course also includes hands-on exercises that will help you develop the skills needed to succeed in this role.

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Project Manager

A Project Manager is responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects. This course may be useful for someone who wants to become a Project Manager because it provides a solid foundation in the essential skills needed for this role, such as project planning, risk management, and stakeholder management. The course also includes hands-on exercises that will help you develop the skills needed to succeed in this role.

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