Picking the right ecommerce platform for your business can be challenging. With plenty of options available, how do you choose the right one?
Throughout this blog, we’ll cover everything that you need to know when it comes to e-commerce platforms. We’ll walk you through the basics- what e-commerce is and how they work.
We’ll also walk you through some of the essential features you need to look at when picking an e-commerce platform.
What is e-commerce?
In a nutshell, e-commerce is buying and selling anything online. From consulting to online services to selling physical to digital goods, e-commerce happens when you buy something online.
Now here are the features to look for when it comes to choosing an e-commerce platform to jumpstart your business:
1. Pricing plans and payment options
Many sites will try to distract you with custom services and other fancy features. But it all boils down to nailing what you need.
In the same way, most pricing plans can also be too good to be true. It’s an excellent idea to compare every pricing tier. That way, you don’t need to be stuck with those crazy website fees in the long run.
2. Easy to set up and design
Another thing that you need to do is to go with a paid or free ecommerce platform that’s easy to set up and design. The essence is to capture the unique feel of your brand. Make sure that you look at the different templates that every platform offers.
Templates are excellent because you don’t need to hire someone, which can be costly. In the same way, you don’t need to be a genius in design to create a bold and professional look for your e-commerce platform.
3. Easy to navigate and secure
Have you ever come across a site that’s difficult to navigate? The last thing you want is to waste an hour trying to navigate your way to the checkout aisle.
Don’t expect your customers to be mad if a similar experience happens. Ideally, you want to provide your shoppers with a quick and painless experience. They don’t need to jump through hoops to purchase your products.
In the same way, when it comes to payment processing, the e-commerce platform you choose should provide you with excellent security features. Your customers will be mad if their credit card details get stolen and they’re unexpectedly charged for something they didn’t purchase in the first place.
4. Integrations with your other programs
When choosing the best ecommerce platform, you should also consider your environment. A stand-alone system isn’t as effective as integrating with your existing tools.
Study the different marketing plug-ins that you’ll be using to attract your customers and accounting plug-ins that help you track your sales and grow your revenues over time.
5. Mobile friendliness
When it comes to how your customers interact in the e-commerce industry, one trend is crystal clear. Mobile shopping is now the norm. According to data by Statistica.com, the mobile retail revenue worldwide is projected to be at $3.56 billion.
When you look for an e-commerce platform, make sure that you allow customers to have easy access to your site. The easier it is for customers to interact with your brand, the easier it will be to make a sale.
In the same way, think about the mobile features that you need to add based on your products and services. This will allow more customers on the small screen.
6. Checkout and payments
A payment gateway also needs to be integrated to collect payments. Ideally, your site should offer different payment options that way, and customers can pick their preferred payment mode, as they check out their e commerce shopping cart.
Here are some essential things that you might want to consider:
- How many days will you be receiving money in your bank account?
- Is the gateway providing single-page checkouts?
- Is this safe and easy to use?
It would help if you considered these things when it comes to choosing payment gateways.
7. SEO friendliness
If prospects are looking for a product or service that your store sells, it should be easy for them to look up your business online.
Ensure that you have search engine rankings, especially if you’re a small online shop or a new e-commerce store. Ideally, you may want to look for an SEO-friendly ecommerce platform. Here you can put your blog, use your own domain name, and gather customer feedback. All of these things will drive shoppers to your business organically.
Take note that 43% of e-commerce traffic comes from organic Google searches. So, go for an SEO-friendly ecommerce platform that will drive traffic to your site.
8. Customer service
Before picking an e-commerce platform, look up user reviews to gauge what kind of customer service they’re providing.
Quality customer service can significantly impact knowing whether something is wrong with your site.
Over to You
So there you have it. Whatever e-commerce platform you pick, the most important thing is that you feel confident about selling your goods and services in it. What separates one platform from the rest is its extra available features.
So, before you decide, do your research, and think about all the perks and benefits that come with it. Most of all, make sure that you listen to your gut.