7+1 Things to Check Before Choosing the Right eCommerce Platform

Are you a big business owner? Or, do you have a small store? Then this blog post is the right for you! 😉

Ecommerce is accelerating, especially since the spread of COVID-19. The pandemic encouraged more and more retailers to open online shops. So, the growth of eCommerce and digitalization was massive. According to eMarketer’s Global Ecommerce Update 2021 report, in North America Ecommerce sales grew by 31.8% and in Western Europe by 26,3% in 2020. Similar growth was noticed in Cyprus as well.

But first of all, what is eCommerce, and what is an eCommerce platform? Ecommerce – or electronic commerce – is the act of buying and/or selling services and/or products over the Internet. So, it’s an online shop. And how do you build an online shop? Through an eCommerce platform! An eCommerce platform is a software application through which you can create your online business’ website and monitor your sales and operations.

So far, so good. And how do I know which platform is the best to use for my online shop? There’s not a single answer to this question. Some popular eCommerce platforms are Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, Magento, Ecwid, Volusion, etc. All of them have their pros and cons. But to help you, we prepared a list of some foolproof tips you should keep in mind before choosing one of them. 📜

7+1 tips for picking the most suitable eCommerce platform for your shop:

1. Easy shop setup: This is the number one factor to think about! You should decide on a platform that you can use without difficulties. In this way, you can easily design your website. Check out various templates from different platforms to see which one of them works the best for you and your brand.
2. Integrations: Is your shop on Instagram and Facebook? If yes, you would like to connect these accounts to your website. Choose a platform that you can integrate plugins (pieces of software that add extra functions to an existing computer program) and your social media and marketing channels on your website. The result? You increase your sales, strengthen your online store’s presence, and make it easier for your customers to buy from you.
3. SEO-friendly: Good content is not enough to attract visitors to your webpage. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is essential for driving organic traffic to your website. And by organic traffic, we mean any user who visits your webpage through a search in a browser (without paid search). To have a high ranking in search results, you should select an SEO-friendly platform that allows you to include blog posts and customer reviews on your website.
4. Mobile-friendly: Who doesn’t make a mobile purchase these days? Because more and more are buying something online from their mobile devices, look for a platform that offers a mobile-friendly version of your website.
5. Analytics: You do have your online store and you do a great job! But how do you know this without checking your analytics? That’s why you should pick a platform that enables you to manage your payment methods, sales, order amounts, and other essential things in a simple way.
6. Tech support: Bear in mind to use an eCommerce platform with a trustworthy and helpful customer support team.
7. Customer payment options: Use a platform that includes various payment methods, such as PayPal, Credit Cards, Apple Pay, etc. Remember that if you offer your customers several payment options, it’ll be easier for them to buy from you.
8. Price: It’s the last step before deciding on a platform. You should do careful research and think of your budget. The payment options are flat rates, standard monthly fees, cost per transaction, or charge per app subscriptions.

To sum up, having an online business (apart from your physical shop if you have one) is necessary if you want to increase the number of your customers. An eCommerce platform helps you achieve this. But before making your decision, it’s important to pay attention to some key features. The platform should allow you to easily build your website, integrate your marketing channels and plugins, and manage your analytics. Moreover, it should be SEO-friendly and mobile-friendly to attract more potential customers. An excellent tech support team is something you should not forget. Estimate how much money you can spend, and you are ready to start!

Last thing to consider: Be sure that the platform you’ll choose enables your customers to access your website without any obstacles. The easier a customer can interact with your brand, the easier it’ll be to buy your products!

If you want to learn more about how to choose the most suitable eCommerce platform for your online store, feel free to contact us on 22 010 018 or send us an email at [email protected].