With global retail eCommerce sales projected to surpass $6.4 trillion in 2024 and exceed $7 trillion by 2025, finding the best eCommerce courses is crucial to staying competitive.
Instead of simply choosing the top result from a Google search, you'll achieve better outcomes by exploring curated lists like this one. Here, you'll find 10 of the top eCommerce courses for 2024—some free, some paid, and all high-quality—that go beyond just good SEO.
Do You Need an eCommerce Course?
If you’re starting an eCommerce business or looking to take your existing eCommerce business to the next level, taking an eCommerce course in 2024 will help you out. Ecommerce courses can teach you about both the basics of eCommerce as well as new marketing strategies and business growth strategies you can use. Plus, these courses tend to be run by some of the biggest names in eCommerce, so they draw a nice pool of students that are networking gold.
Starting an eCommerce business is a lot different than opening a brick-and-mortar store. Many eCommerce business owners are starting their eCommerce businesses on their own, meaning they don’t have others to bounce ideas off of. Taking eCommerce courses can give these entrepreneurs the opportunity to connect with like-minded people and can lead to partnerships, business friends, and even mentorships that are invaluable to eCommerce businesses.
In addition to the connections you can make with other eCommerce business owners and the experts who teach eCommerce courses, you’ll also be able to learn or fine-tune your eCommerce skills. There are several things that go into eCommerce business, from SEO to content marketing to business strategy. And, of course, there are eCommerce courses for all of this.
How to Choose the Right eCommerce Course
1. Research the Instructor’s Expertise
Not all eCommerce courses are created equal. Some courses are put together by individuals who call themselves "experts" but lack real-world experience in running a successful eCommerce business. Before enrolling in any course, research the instructor to ensure they are truly an expert in what they're teaching. Look for relevant degrees in business, marketing, or sales, but more importantly, prioritize actual experience in the eCommerce field.
2. Check Access to Course Materials
Once you've found a course taught by a reputable instructor, ensure that you will have access to the course materials even after the course is over. This access makes the course more cost-effective and ensures that you can revisit the content whenever needed, without worrying about missing anything crucial.
3. Evaluate the Course Cost and Investment
Consider the financial investment required for the course. While free or lower-cost eCommerce courses can provide useful tools and checklists to get started, you might want to explore higher-ticket courses that offer in-depth insights into specific skills or advanced strategies. Balancing cost with the value provided by the course is key to making the right choice.
10 eCommerce Courses for 2024
There are tons of options out there for eCommerce courses for 2024. The eCommerce courses we’re including here will let you learn the best eCommerce tips, tools, and strategies to start, run, and expand your eCommerce business.
1. Start and Scale from Foundr
Cost: $1
Start and Scale is for both aspirational and experienced eCommerce marketers. Instructor Gretta Van Riel has seen million-dollar sales days in her online stores. In this course, she puts her skills and experience to work to help you create and build a successful eCommerce business.
This is a step-by-step eCommerce course that includes private mastermind groups and takes you through the entire eCommerce process from finding and validating an idea to building your audience and launching your product. The course is self-paced so you can work through the eight modules as slowly or as quickly as you need to, to absorb and apply the information.
The eight modules include more than 50 videos by Van Riel and the Foundr staff and you also get professionally produced workbooks in a Shopify-approved course. Here’s what you’ll learn:
- How to find your idea. Learn the framework that Van Riel uses to start new eCommerce businesses.
- Branding and store setup. Discover how to create a brand that stands out and attracts buyers and influencers.
- How to develop and plan your idea. Work through the entire process of building your idea from prototyping to first sample to international orders.
- How to turn a profit. Part two of developing your product idea.
- How to build your audience. Learn how to launch stores to day one sales.
- Where influencers fit in. Learn how to find, work with, and use influencer relationships.
- Launch and operations. Discover all you need to know to launch your store.
- How to scale your store’s operations. Learn how to scale your store post-launch.
While the course is more expensive than the rest of the eCommerce courses on our list, it’s a powerful and comprehensive course that can help you start or scale an eCommerce business.
2. Ecommerce Marketing Mastery
Cost: $495
Digital Marketer is a well-respected name in digital marketing and eCommerce. In this 4-hour eCommerce course, you’ll learn about the marketing tools you need to run a successful eCommerce store. The course includes 40 video lessons, worksheets, and quizzes. It covers topics like the eCommerce ecosystem and supporting technology, store architecture, how to optimize your store, and email automation as well as some of the basics of lead nurturing and content marketing.
3. E-commerce Essentials: How to Start a Successful Online Business
Cost: You’ll need a Skillshare account
This eCommerce course is taught by Tracey Wallace, editor-in-chief at BigCommerce. She has expertise in marketing, design, development, strategy, and more. She regularly works with retail experts and influencers to educate business owners on how to drive more traffic and increase sales.
The course itself takes about an hour to complete and promises that you’ll have a better understanding of the marketability of your product, how to create an online store and set up a successful marketing strategy, ways to increase your site traffic, and how to get more sales. This course covers:
- Finding your product niche and choose the right product to sell
- Evaluating market viability
- Conducting a competitive analysis
- Finding the right eCommerce platform to sell your product
- Creating a content marketing strategy.
4. Digital Marketing Specialization
Cost: Free from Coursera.
This specialization is presented through Coursera by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and will help you gain a better understanding of digital marketing concepts and how you can apply them to your business. The specialization includes seven courses:
- Marketing in a Digital World. Learn how digital tools like the Internet, smartphones, and 3D printing are changing marketing.
- Digital Marketing Analytics in Theory. Learn about web analytics and how you can use data to inform your marketing and business strategies.
- Digital Marketing Analytics in Practice. Learn how to apply the knowledge you’ve learned from the previous course.
- Digital Media and Marketing Principles. Learn about the impacts of digital technologies on marketing communication strategies.
- Digital Media and Marketing Strategies. Gain a deeper understanding of the core processes of planning a digital marketing campaign.
- Marketing in an Analog World. Find out how digital has changed the analog world.
- Digital Marketing Capstone. Complete a project that draws on everything you’ve learned.
This is an in-depth course that’s part of the iMBA degree offered through the Illinois MBA. The specialization takes about five hours each week for completion in up to eight months.
5. E-Commerce – Introduction to Internet Marketing Strategies for Businesses
Cost: Free from Alison
Alison is an enormous online platform and provides free courses to anyone who wants to learn. This free online eCommerce course introduces you to digital marketing strategies for businesses. The course will teach you about the most successful Internet marketing strategies and techniques employed by marketing professionals, and teach you how to apply these strategies and techniques to your own business.
6. Shopify Power: Building an Ecommerce Website Using Shopify
Cost: $9.99
This eCommerce course is presented by Jason Miles who is one of the most successful Udemy eCommerce trainers. He is an eCommerce expert with specialized knowledge in web design. In this course, you’ll learn all about:
- The Shopify eCommerce platform
- Setting up a Shopify website quickly
- Adding features through the Shopify App Marketplace
- Setting up products and integrations with Amazon, Etsy, and other eCommerce platforms
- Collecting money on Shopify
- Integrating your email marketing and social media
- Shopify’s reports and analytics
7. Basics of eCommerce: How to Sell Online
Cost: Free with Alison registration
This is another eCommerce course from Alison. In this course, you’ll learn how to create a strong online business strategy. The course starts by teaching you how to build an online marketing plan and improve your landing pages to increase conversion rates. The course is heavy on Google services, teaching students how to use Google Analytics, Google Ads, Google AdSense, and Google Webmaster to implement your online marketing strategy.
8. Ecommerce Marketing
Cost: Free with HubSpot registration
This free course from HubSpot will teach you how to create an eCommerce strategy that’s based on inbound marketing methods so you can attract and engage your customers. You’ll learn how to set goals for your eCommerce business, attract more traffic to your eCommerce store, and create your own eCommerce inbound marketing strategy.
9. Building an Etsy Shop that Sells: Strategies for E-commerce Success
Cost: You’ll need a Skillshare account
Parker Gard is a content producer at Etsy and uses his vast knowledge of the platform to teach students how to build their best Etsy shop. In this eCommerce course, you’ll learn all about creating a successful eCommerce business on Etsy. Gard shares knowledge he’s learned from years of experience with Etsy to give you the tools you need to succeed on the platform. The course includes:
- How to find the target customer for your product
- Creating a memorable brand that stands out from your competitors
- Targeting the right shoppers
- How to succeed in an online marketplace with a built-in customer base
10. Introduction to E-commerce Management
Cost: Free from Alison
In this free eCommerce course from Alison, you’ll learn all about eCommerce infrastructure, communication, and security. This course teaches different strategies you can use to reach more customers as well as the technologies you need to drive and support your online business. This is a 101-level course that offers a high-level introduction to common questions and concerns for eCommerce businesses.
How to Get the Most from an eCommerce Course
Now you have 10 eCommerce courses for 2024 to explore. But how do you get the most from whichever course you take? In this section, we’ll show you how to milk every bit of knowledge from your eCommerce courses so you can start or grow a successful eCommerce business.
First, you’ll want to set goals. Really take the time to figure out why you’re taking the course and what you want to get from it. We know it seems like an unnecessary step but you’ll approach the course differently depending on whether or not you’re interested in mastering the content or simply getting basic knowledge. Setting goals before you start looking for an eCommerce course can be very helpful, too. That way, you can be sure to find a course that meets your needs. After you’ve set your goals and have chosen the right eCommerce course for you, you’ll want to make sure that you set aside enough time to go through the course and really learn the content.
Once you’ve enrolled in the course, take the time to work through and apply the content. It might even be fun to create a mock business that you use to apply your learning so you’ve done it once before you apply it to your actual business. Putting everything into practice is vital to developing your skills.
Wrapping Up
There you have it! 10 of the best eCommerce courses for 2024 that will teach you how to start and grow your eCommerce business. If you’re just starting out, eCommerce courses can be invaluable to get your business started off on the right foot. If you’re already running an eCommerce business, eCommerce courses can provide the tools you need to scale your business, generate more leads, and get more sales.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most important factors to consider when choosing an eCommerce course?
When selecting an eCommerce course, it's crucial to assess the instructor's real-world experience, the comprehensiveness of the course content, access to materials post-completion, and the course's alignment with your specific business goals. Additionally, balance the cost against the value provided, ensuring the course offers practical insights that can be directly applied to your business.
Are paid eCommerce courses worth the investment, or should I stick to free resources?
Paid eCommerce courses can be worth the investment if they offer advanced, specialized knowledge, hands-on guidance, and opportunities for networking. However, many successful eCommerce entrepreneurs also emphasize learning through free resources and real-world experience. The choice depends on your current skill level, budget, and learning preferences.
What are some of the top free eCommerce courses available in 2024?
Some top free eCommerce courses for 2024 include the "Digital Marketing Specialization" by Coursera, "E-Commerce – Introduction to Internet Marketing Strategies for Businesses" by Alison, and "Ecommerce Marketing" by HubSpot. These courses offer foundational knowledge and strategies that are crucial for starting and growing an eCommerce business.
How do I know if an eCommerce course is right for my business needs?
To determine if a course is suitable, first define your business goals, such as launching a new store, scaling an existing business, or mastering a particular marketing strategy. Then, review the course syllabus, instructor credentials, and student feedback to ensure the content aligns with your objectives and provides actionable insights relevant to your industry.
Can I learn eCommerce effectively without enrolling in a course?
Yes, many Reddit users and eCommerce professionals advocate for learning through a combination of free online resources, community forums, trial and error, and on-the-job experience. While structured courses can accelerate your learning, the most effective eCommerce strategies often come from practical experience and continuous self-education.
