What is the best reference book to develop a solid business plan for an e-commerce retail sales site?

This really depends on the type of e-commerce platform and the platform on which it is built.

For my e-commerce clients, with less than 1,000 products, the best business plan reference book would be The Success Principles by Jack Canfield. However, you must first understand the triggers you would need to captivate and persuade your audience to purchase. For that, I would recommend Fascinate by Sally Hogshead.

When you start to get into the larger e-commerce retail websites, you run into more dynamic data and database strategies to ensure that your website runs smoothly and can be indexed by the search engines properly. The book recommendation would depend on what platform your website is built. However, Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug would be a good starting point as the business plan would be contingent on the flow of the website and customer purchase power.

If I can further help you in any way, contact me. I'm always here to help.

I don't have a book recommendation but I will suggest reading everything by Matthew Carroll on Quora.

http://www.quora.com/Matthew-Carroll/answers/E-Commerce

He's brilliant when it comes to financial modelling and biz models

One highly recommended reference book for developing a solid business plan for an e-commerce retail sales site is "The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It" by Michael E. Gerber. While not exclusively focused on e-commerce, it provides valuable insights into building a successful business from the ground up, including the importance of having a clear plan and strategy. Additionally, resources like "The Lean Startup" by Eric Ries and "Business Model Generation" by Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur can offer valuable frameworks and methodologies for developing your e-commerce business plan.

In my opinion no one source can give you everything you'll need to make this business plan.

Plus E-Commerce is quite a general topic. Let us know what your business sells specifically if you'd like some really great detailed reports about your market over the past 5 years, and insights for the near future.

That being said, a good business plan should cover all of the concerns of your current business model, as well as a lot of considerations for the future that you'll need to research in different locations around the web.

A solid business plan is a bad business plan. You will find snags. You will find a need to pivot. The market will speak and you will be forced to listen and adjust.

Ask yourself this first; Have I sold anything yet? If the answer is no, forget the business plan. The number one mistake I see in all my mentees is this need to have this “stuff.” Whether it’s a business plan or a formation and bank account. All the fixings but no product. No idea if anyone wants the product. Not just wants it but is willing to pay for it. Find this out first. I mean put real money in your pocket by test running. Or lose money. Failure is a better teacher than success. Get on social. Get on Craigslist. Get on the street. Covid be damned. Then go to some site where you get a template and bang out a business plan. Then you revisit it when things don’t go as planned and you adjust.

Sem Limites – José Eduardo Costa

There are several books available in the market.
The Complete Book of Business Plans: If you’re not ready to put your faith in just one method of business planning, then this is the book for you. Inside this staple of the business world, you will find over a dozen business plan templates you can use to jumpstart your business and attract investors quickly. You will also find advice on getting and staying motivated, how to make sure you are bringing the best possible partners onto your project, and how to propel your business forward for decades to come. Before you even sit down to write your business plan, this book will help you decide whether it is worth doing so in the first place. Written by small business expert Rhonda Abrams, this book has worksheets, sample business plans, and plenty of advice from other experts in the field of business planning, as well as advice if you are entering competitions or hoping to secure funders. As you start writing your business plan, you will also be thinking about who will run your organization in addition to all the other information contained inside.
You can read more here: https://www.thebalancesmb.com/best-business-plan-books-2890050
Besides if you do have any questions give me a call: https://clarity.fm/joy-brotonath

If I had to recommend one standout book for crafting a top-notch business plan for your online retail store, it would be "The Lean Startup" by Eric Ries. It's all about staying nimble, learning from real-world feedback, and making quick adjustments—essential for any e-commerce startup aiming to thrive in a fast-paced market. But there are other great resources out there too. "The E-Myth Revisited" by Michael E. Gerber teaches you how to build solid systems for your business, while "E-Commerce Business Plan" by Tara West gives you a step-by-step guide tailored specifically for online ventures. If you're just starting out, "E-Commerce For Dummies" by Don Jones and Mark D. Scott is an easy-to-follow primer, and "Start Your Own e-Business" by Entrepreneur Press and Rich Mintzer offers practical tips for getting your online store off the ground. Each of these books brings something valuable to the table, helping you create a business plan that sets you up for success in the e-commerce world.

if any of ya need any other advice regarding this, feel free to have a call with me, we can elaborately discuss about this or any other related topic!