ECommerce is one of the fastest growing online market sectors today. With nearly a 15% increase in sales across the board, we’re set to see more businesses join the eCommerce industry. If you’re planning to sell products online, an eCommerce site is a must-have, so you can capitalize on the explosive growth in online sales.
While you can have your own eCommerce store developed, you’re certainly going to face challenges in the process. Opting for an already established eCommerce platform is the best way to go. With many options available, how do you choose the right eCommerce platform? Here are a few things to consider.
Pricing & Payment
Whether you’re a small eCommerce start-up or an already established retail chain moving online, it’s important to know exactly how much you’ll be paying. Almost all eCommerce platforms usually have a monthly fee. According to Paymotion.com, an eCommerce hosting provider, costs may vary depending on the type of platform you want.
Consider the processing fees associated with the eCommerce platform. The biggest mistake you could make is to overlook your needs over a cheaper option. Consider what you’re getting from the platform and opt for the best pricing based on your budget. Find out if the platform accepts top third-party payment vendors like PayPal for your customers’ convenience.
ECommerce Integrations
What type of integrations or plugins does the eCommerce platform allow? The ability to integrate numerous features and third-party plugins into the eCommerce platform means customization, adaptability, and innovation for your business. The right platform should provide plenty of tools to run your eCommerce business.
These include:
- Accounting plugins to help with managing sales, revenues, taxes, and profits
- Email marketing tools to help you interact with customers
- Customer reward certificates to encourage customers purchases
- Mobile app integration to tap the huge mobile eCommerce market
- Shipping apps for easy product fulfillment
Customer Service
Customer service is a key aspect of any business. Unlike brick & mortar businesses where owners have more control over how their business runs, eCommerce requires a different approach. Considering that eCommerce software or server downtime can prevent customers from accessing your eCommerce store, having dedicated customer support is critical.
Problems can occur at any given time. You need reliable support that can help you fix problems as quickly as possible to avoid revenue loss and damage to your brand’s reputation. Do they provide 24-hour customer support? How can you reach them? Do they offer different levels of support and at what pricing? Ask these questions before you settle on a platform.
SEO and Mobile Friendliness
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a key aspect of running an online business. Every business wants to top search engine rankings. Some of the critical factors to look for in a SEO-friendly eCommerce platform include:
- The ability to add a business blog to your website
- The ability to use your personalized domain name
- The ability for your customers to leave reviews
A mobile-friendly eCommerce platform is also critical. Over half of today’s web traffic and 30% of retails sales come from mobile sites. Choose a platform that easily allows your customers to access your website and also make purchases on their mobile devices.
Security
Security is indeed one of the biggest concerns for customers. You need to choose an eCommerce platform that has put in place robust security measures and stays up-to-date with the latest developments in e-commerce security to ensure safe and secure checkout for customers. Verify if the eCommerce platform is also Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliant.
Scalability
Every business hopes to achieve progressive growth into the future. The best eCommerce platform should be flexible and scalable to allow changes as your business grows. You’re not just paying for features when starting out but selecting a platform that can meet your demands as you expand.
Choosing the right eCommerce platform is the first critical step when moving away from a traditional storefront to an online based business, and making the right choice gives you a head start into online business success.
