Launching an eCommerce website includes many tasks to be accomplished than just creating an online store. An eCommerce website is a way to turn your physical store into a virtual store. With the help of an eCommerce website, you create an online store where you can sell your products and services.
Ecommerce is the fastest way of providing customers the products or services they want to purchase. Having an online store does not mean the traditional store will shut down. It means you are adding a way to increase your company’s reach as well as revenue.
If you are looking forward to turning up your business a notch and give your audience the liberty to sit at home and shop your products and services then you need to think and analyze the options you have to build an eCommerce website.
There are five simple things that you must consider while deciding the development platform for your eCommerce website.
Digital or Physical
You should be aware of the products you will sell online. Digital goods do not require shipment, these are delivered online in the format they are uploaded or requested by the user in some instances. But physical goods require shipment and delivery, which means you will have to think about major factors such as shipping cost of the product, tax, stock maintenance, etc.
Inventory Size
When you think about an eCommerce website, think about going with a low price with greater features. You may want to add more and more services or products to your stock in the future. This should not become a problem for you or your company. Having an eCommerce platform that confines you to a certain number of categories or inventory will harm you in the long run. So decide the eCommerce platform wisely. Do not just think about the present, but also about the future.
Payment Method
Getting paid is one of the most crucial and important tasks that need to be accomplished. There are many payment gateways available to choose from and integrate in your ecommerce website. These payment gatways charge a specific percent for every sale made. Compare and check the payment and choose the one right for you. This should not compromise the user experience.
eCommerce Usability
Your eCommerce website should display your products and services clearly. If there are multiple categories and subcategories, then each category should be defined well. Following a simple hierarchy will be of great help for backend as well as frontend use. Keep the eCommerce website simple and clean.
eCommerce Management
The backend of the eCommerce platform should be easy to use for you or someone who will use it. A good backend eCommerce management includes features like
Displaying full inventory, products that are in stock, products out of stock, order notifications via email, RSS and/or SMS, payment details, shipping status, customizable views of all active orders, detailed reports, and more.
Conclusion
Consider the above five points as you research different eCommerce builders. There are plenty of options to choose from when you think of building on an eCommerce website. Shopify, woo commerce, Bigcommerce, osCommerce, Zencart, Magento, OpenCart, etc. are commonly used eCommerce platforms. Each of these eCommerce platforms has pros and cons that make them stand out from each other. Most of these eCommerce platforms have the same features and functionality. You will not miss out much or nothing by choosing the other one.
Brainstorm with your team to finalize the features that will be needed for the eCommerce website. Analyze the options you have for choosing the right eCommerce platform. Build a great online store and turn your audience into prospective buyers.