Running an eCommerce store is not as easy as it might seem. You have to make sure it’s visible on major search engines, customers can shop 24/7, and sales increase over time. It’s a lot of work, but it can be rewarding when you see your business grow.
One of the most important components needed for a successful eCommerce store is choosing the right eCommerce software. The ideal eCommerce software simplifies your business, increases your sales, and provides you with an overall positive experience every time.
In this article, we’ve outlined the key factors to consider when choosing the right eCommerce software for your store.
Security
You’re going to be dealing with a large amount of sensitive information every day, so you must have your store backed up properly at all times. In addition, you want to make sure that you have some form of a backup plan if anything was to happen with your eCommerce software.
For example, AWS cloud security is outstanding for Amazon FBA businesses. Amazon has high-security measures set in place and prides itself on being very resilient. You can even have AWS host your website backups automatically to ensure that you never lose data to human error or downtime issues.
Apart from this, you can also host your store on platforms such as Shopify and BigCommerce. These platforms offer SSL security to keep all of your data secure during transactions, and most offer monthly reports showing where your money is going and how much revenue you make each month.
Flexibility
As your business grows, you’ll need the ability to implement new features and add new products. Make sure you choose software that can scale your business. It’s essential for your eCommerce software to keep up with or ahead of your company’s growth patterns.
For instance, if you want to start selling internationally but your software can’t provide multi-currency, then you might miss out on overseas revenue.
Database
Your eCommerce software should have a database that tracks all of your customer information. This allows you to store everything from name, shipping address, billing address, contact number, birthdays, and any other personalized information that might be relevant.
This data will allow you to send targeted email campaigns to your leads, which are more likely to get opened and read than a generic marketing email. It also allows you to send personalized thank you emails after a purchase is made, increasing your customers’ satisfaction and decreasing your return rates.
Marketing Integrations
Your eCommerce software should allow you to integrate with third-party marketing tools, such as Facebook, or Google Analytics. These integrations allow you to easily track and target your customers and even provide them with personalized product suggestions.
Additionally, if you’re looking to expand your store’s reach through SEO, the software you choose should have an effective SEO feature. A modern search engine ranks your website based on keywords, quality content, and several other factors. Therefore, an eCommerce software that focuses on improving your SEO ranking will make it easier for customers to find your store in search results.
Ease of Use
It is important that the software you choose is easy to use. You don’t want one that will take days to learn how to use. It’s important that the software is streamlined and provides a seamless experience.
For example, look for eCommerce software with a user-friendly interface where everything you need is just one click away. This will make it easier to use the features of your eCommerce platform and saves valuable time.
Customer Support
You need software you can rely on at any time. The best ones have an extensive knowledge base with user guides and video tutorials, as well as a great customer service team that’s always there to help you solve any issues or answer any questions.
You shouldn’t have to waste your time searching for answers yourself – the software company should provide them right when you need them. It’s also important that they have multiple ways of getting in touch, whether over the phone, email, or live chat.
Inventory Management
Inventory management is a hard task for any business owner to manage. For your store to run efficiently and your customers to have a positive shopping experience, you need software that makes this easy for you.
Look for eCommerce software that provides performance metrics, sales estimates, and an easy-to-read dashboard to make managing your inventory easier. You can also look for unique features like pricing rules which ensure you’re always listing products at the lowest price possible without having to do it manually.
Final Thoughts
Overall, an ideal eCommerce software will provide ease of use, a great customer support team, and ensure peace of mind knowing your data is secure.
If you follow the above guidelines, it’ll be easier to narrow down your choices and find an eCommerce software that makes running your business easy. Once you’ve found the right one for your store, all you have to do is focus on growing your business and increasing profits.
