Choosing an eCommerce software solution is critical for achieving your revenue goals. There are many eCommerce solutions that you may have heard of, however not all solutions are suitable for your needs and the requirements of your customers.
To decide on what eCommerce software is best for your business, there are many things, you need to consider including:
- Availability of linking to your stock system
- Ability to link to an ePOS system
- The solution is compatible with payment providers
- Scalability
- Usability
- Not development intensive
- Search engine friendly
In this article you will learn about the main factors to consider when choosing an eCommerce solution for your business, but lets start with the basics.
What Is eCommerce Software?
eCommerce software is the solution that has the necessary features to run an online store from displaying an inventory to processing payments and fulfilling orders.
Ecommerce software can be developed on a hosted solution or can be purchases as a software as a service (SaaS) solution.
Advantages of eCommerce?
Ecommerce has several advantages for retailers including:
Your Shop Is Always Open
The main advantage is that if you have an ecommerce shop is always open, 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
You Can Sell To Anyone, Anywhere
Your eCommerce store is not limited to targeting people in a local area, you can target country wide and you can target customers worldwide if you have a generic top level domain.
Here are 6 more key benefits of ecommerce
Things To Consider When Choosing eCommerce Software
Does your online shop link to a stock system?
If you have a storefront and an online store, it is likely that you will need your ePOS and stock system to update when purchases are made either in store or online. Having this functionality ensures that you will have enough stock to be able to fulfil all your orders on time.
The solution is compatible with payment providers?
Do you use a particular payment provider or is there a payment method that you prefer? Some eCommerce managers prefer using a payment system that works with their accounting system.
For some, they prefer to use Realex or Stripe to take card payments while others prefer just to receive payments via PayPal.
Learn more about the best eCommerce Payment Gateway providers
Scalability
For companies who are looking at eCommerce software options may require a software solution that will allow them to scale up in terms of revenue and or transactions. Some companies may need a custom solution that can handle large levels of transactions, while others need to be able to hold large amounts of inventory without any reduction in performance.
Usability
If you have a website that has a simple back end where eCommerce managers can manage inventory, upload products without the need to know any development languages is something that you need to consider.
Most eCommerce content management systems usually do not require any knowledge of any development languages and have "what you see is what you get" (WYSIWYG) editor meaning you can add images and text easily in the back-end which will appear as it set out in the front end.
Search Engine Friendly
For a better return on investment, opting for a search engine friendly eCommerce solution would be a key decision for boosting your revenue.
Most purchases begin with a search on a search engine like Google, therefore, it is essential that your eCommerce website can index properly and rank for keywords related to your products.
SEO when done right on an eCommerce store can provide you with a constant flow of targeted traffic and help to lower your cost per acquisition costs.
See also eCommerce trends that will drive sales
Examples Of eCommerce Software Solutions
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is an eCommerce solution that is widely used by businesses around the world and in nearly every sector. WooCommerce connects easily to any WordPress solution and offers a wide variety of tools for selling your products. As it is opensource software, there are lots of plugins that can give eCommerce owners solutions to meet their requirements. See more eCommerce web design trends.
It's worth noting that you can use platforms like Elementor to make your life far easier. With its WooCommerce website builder, you can create comprehensive WordPress-based online stores, code-free.
Custom Solutions
A simple out of the box may not work for every business. Some businesses require complex systems like drag and drop custom ordering solutions. This allows a customer to build a bespoke product to their own specifications and requirements.
Here are eCommerce marketing best practices
Should I remove my brick-and-mortar business and just sell online?
For small retailers, having both online and offline shopfronts can boost brand awareness. Having online and offline purchase options, you are opening up your brand to the various buying behaviours of customers.
