If you’re an online small business entrepreneur looking for that elusive magic formula for success, there is really no quick recipe for success. However, here are ten ways you can build a sustainable ecommerce business regardless of the age, size or scale of your venture.

Offer a solution to an existing problem

Consider what your offering will do for your target customers. Rather than doing something that fifty other online sellers are doing, offer a unique solution to a problem that exists but has not been discovered yet. Seek advice from successful—and not-so-successful—entrepreneurs before diving into the competitive world of ecommerce.

Build a robust marketing strategy

Even if you’re a small, home-operated e-business, make marketing a priority. Plan social media and offline campaigns and events, invest in internet marketing, and if you can’t do it on your own, hire a freelance professional.

Employ tools to save money—and time

When you use technology to automate/computerized key operations of your business, such as invoice generation, social media management, intra-office communication, cloud computing, and so on, you save both time and money which can be used for growth and expansion.

Don’t hesitate to outsource

Admit it—you can’t do everything on your own. For some tasks you need to hire full-time staff, but many others, such as accounting, can be outsourced for a medium retainer fee. Instead of trying to do everything on your own, delegate and outsource your way to success.

Don’t oversell or undersell yourself

To take your small online business to great heights, you need to believe in your offering and your ability to make a successful enterprise out of it. At the same time, be open to learning to be able to fix shortcomings and continually improve your product or service.

Never compromise on quality

To build a niche brand known and trusted for its quality, maintain the quality of products or services you offer. Discerning customers will know the difference and willingly pay for quality and exclusivity.

Create a distinct brand identity

Whether you’re an online cupcake company or a plumbing service, your customers should know what makes you different from your competitors. And a great way to establish a unique brand identity is through a blog, discussed next.

Set up a blog

A blog on your ecommerce website can bring much credibility to your online business. Publishing useful, informative and interesting articles on niche topics shows your customers that you have the knowledge and expertise they’re looking for.

Take feedback seriously

Any successful online entrepreneur will tell you that customer feedback is essential to make better, more intuitive products. Listen to your customers—at the same time, don’t get deterred or distracted by trolls.

Don’t chase the invisible

There is no magic trick to succeeding in the highly competitive online marketplace. A ton of hard work and consistent upgradation and enhancement is the only way an online brand can stay relevant for today’s online shoppers. So avoid chasing unrealistic targets and focus on building a resilient e-business.