Choosing Ecommerce Software for Your Online Storefront
by Veronica Stone on December 7th, 2007
Once you have chosen to sell a product online, the first and most important step will be to choose an ecommerce software package for your site. So what are the steps you need to take when making a decision? After all, you want to choose a software package that will help customers easily browse your site and make a purchase. How do you find a software program that will help your business grow?
First of all, make sure you know what your needs are from the start. You have several options when it comes to ecommerce software. You can design and build the site yourself, purchase an ecommerce software package that can be installed and hosted on your own server, or subscribe to a software system that has been designed by someone else, and is also administered and hosted separately.
A subscription service makes the most sense for most people starting off in the industry. Now more than ever you have a ton of choices and functionality is vastly improved; plus you can actually save a lot of money through outsourcing than if you build the whole site from scratch by yourself.
Secondly, when selecting the right software for your storefront, look into the future and make sure you leave enough room for growth. A lot of business owners make the mistake of choosing software that can only handle the business volume they currently have. Instead of anticipating the future of their business and preparing for growth through a sound investment, they choose the cheaper option and are overwhelmed when growth does occur.
Next, ensure that the software you choose allows you to create the site of your dreams. You should be given the choice to customize the standard graphic templates and even change them entirely, to achieve the exact look you want. Unfortunately, many companies out there that offer software systems off the shelf or through a subscription may only have the capability to mimic the look of your site, rather then copy the design perfectly. Make sure the software you choose has the ability to copy the look of your company as closely as possible.
Another aspect to consider in shopping cart software is how friendly it is to search engines. Go with software that optimizes your visibility and makes sure that search engines can find you easily and quickly. This is especially important because not all software comes with the ability to be recognized by the major search engines.
Also, choose ecommerce software that will make the shopping and checkout process easy for your customers. According to recent studies, up to 75% of all online shopping carts are abandoned before the sale is made, and over half of those are because of an overly long or confusing checkout process. If a customer comes across your site and finds it difficult or frustrating to use the shopping cart, they will leave and give their money to your competitor.
Finally, it’s also a good idea to choose ecommerce software that is easy for you to use. Subscribe to software that allows you to carry out multiple functions, such as inventory management and accounting. You will get a lot of bang for your buck if you do so. This will also save you a lot of time and effort because all the functions of your ecommerce site will be integrated into one easy-to-manage system.
Good ecommerce software is truly a relative term. Essentially, you should search for a program that will cater to your company’s specific needs and requirements, and fits into your budget. It should provide the functionality you need to carry out day-to-day business quickly and efficiently.
