Two-day e-commerce workshop (Harrogate)
25 Sep 2025
Ready to launch or elevate your online store? Join our comprehensive two-day course designed to give you the essential knowledge and advanced strategies you need to succeed!
Day 1: The Essentials covers everything from defining your brand and audience to understanding different sales platforms, payment systems, and how to structure your online store for an optimal customer experience.
Day 2: Advanced Strategies dives deeper into shipping complexities, international sales, product options, stock control, and crucial sales reporting to maximise your profits and understand your customers better.

Trainers: Phil Upton & Maisy Dinsdale
Day 1 – Starter Session (The Essentials)
We’ll be covering:
- The basics to consider for an online shop
- Feeling confident about your Brand – do you have an identity?
- Who is your Audience – do you know who you want to sell to?
- USP – what is YOUR Unique Selling Point to differentiate you?
- Competitors – do your research / do you know who your competitors are?
- Consider Third-party platforms first (eBay / Etsy, etc.)
- Benefits of Direct Sales (requires your own website)
- Pay Now Buttons vs eCommerce Systems
- Intro to Pay Now buttons and what is involved to add to your website
- Intro to the differences and benefits of a full online shop system
- Examples of platforms / solutions – Shopify, WooCommerce (WordPress only), Others
- Planning your online store structure for best visitor navigational experience
- Categories
- Pages
- Managing products
- Loading manually
- Loading via CSV file (if possible)
- Example import file
- Considering content and format for best visual appeal
- Planning and preparing photos
- Where will you sell / ship to?
- Payment gateways for taking payments (PayPal, Stripe, SagePay, WorldPay, Merchant Account with your Bank, etc.)
- Processing your online orders (procedures for logistics, communications to clients)
Day 2 – Advanced Session
We’ll be covering:
- Shipping / Postal rates planning (fixed rates / restricted area selling – UK only, Postcode specific)Where will you sell / ship to?
- Selling beyond the UK
- Cross-border selling (EORI – Economic Operators Registration and Identification for Customs)
- Product Options / Variants
- Colours
- Sizes
- Minimum order value / Allowing Volume discounts / Coupons / Vouchers
- Related Products / People Who Bought This…
- Retail store and Online store stock control monitoring
- Manual stock control and maintenance
- Store terminal Stock Management (EPOS) linked to online shop (overview)
- Sales reporting
- Analysing weekly / monthly sales turnover / profit (is it working?)
- Best sellers
- Products that don’t sell (offer via a Sale)
- Where you are mostly selling to
- Coupon uptake
- Better knowing your audience – who’s buying?
- Email Marketing – allow newsletter sign-ups (overview)
- Multi-channel selling through eBay, Amazon, Etsy, etc.
About the Provider
Purple Creative is an award winning digital agency based in North Yorkshire.
They specialise in beautiful and functional websites, eye catching Graphic Design, stand out Digital Marketing and IT Services.
Where and When
Both days will be hosted at Co-Lab Harrogate.
Day 1: Thursday 25 September, 10am -4pm, with arrival at 09:30 for room set up.
Day 2: Thursday 2 October, 10am -4pm, with arrival at 09:30 for room set up.
Co-Lab Harrogate – Entrance 3, Convention Centre, King’s Road, Harrogate, HG1 5NX