Business owners who set up ecommerce software on their websites should be looking for elements that are critical to making the website effective and profitable. Some basic choices to be made up front include choosing between buying the software, using a hosted solution or using a freeware version, and accepting limitations that come with both options. Another factor is finding software that is flexible or turnkey, such that it can accommodate the specific tasks the business requires.
Ecommerce software should also be more of a help than a hindrance to the SEO structure of the site, intuitively assisting its promotion and optimization where possible. And the support provided by the software provider needs to be there to aid a start-up, or especially an inexperienced business whenever problems in the operation or maintenance of the program comes up. Beyond these upfront considerations, however, there are more particular issues that are key to using a suitable e-commerce portal, including:
1) Compatibility with your payment processor.
Any e-commerce program you work with must be able to accept and integrate the payment portal of choice for most of your customers, be that credit card, check or electronic money (PayPal, Authorize.net or others). Due to the prevalence of identity theft, the check out system should be able to encode the purchasing process, and be able to alert the vendor if a suspect transaction has occurred.
2) Does it allow adding pictures, content, reviews to the products?
Providing customers with images of what they are purchasing, and subtle props to buy based on favorable testimonials and reviews is the key to properly pre-selling them prior to sale. Your ecommerce software should be able to add content that will encourage sales conversions.
3) Integration with a drop ship service provider like Amazon Fulfillment or Shipwire?
Depending on the complexity and number of products provided by the business, the software will need to have the facility to seamlessly process the buyer through multiple distribution or fulfillment channels complete a purchase. This is one area where getting a ‘bells and whistles’ program may be the better option, as the software will probably be able to support multiple delivery systems from different companies.
4) How much can the design be customized?
Does the software including editing menu where the functions can be modified to suit the company’s needs regarding maintenance or inventory? Or does a new module or add on third-party program needed to be added to provide the customization?
5) Discount codes
Can the program handle a sale, including coupons, rebates or other discount arrangements? Customer should be able to annotate a purchase accordingly, in a manner that does not add excess time to processing the transaction.
6) Inventory management
E-commerce shopping cart programs should include real-time updates for inventory by keeping track of orders versus stock available, and prompt the vendor to consider resupplying when stock is low. Reports should be automatically generated, or readily available at times scheduled by the owner.
7) Does it have a simple administrator interface?
Will you be able to fulfill orders and add products without needing external help from designers or developers. Affective shopping cart software should have a module that permits owners and selected staff to manipulate operation of the online store and perform admin functions as necessary. From viewing statistics, to managing clients, adding or removing products, and dealing internally with problem orders the interface should make it easy to manually resolve miscellaneous issues without adding or consulting outside support.
