Today the importance of an online presence for business growth is indisputable. So when creating an online store, the selection of the e-commerce platform is key; Because this will depend on a reliable online presence, rapid customer generation and a higher return on investment.
What is clear is that it is essential to have an e-commerce store. In 2021, according to Statista figures, global sales via e-commerce accounted for almost 20% of total retail sales and this proportion is expected to rise to 24% by the end of 2025.
Given the multiple options of existing e-commerce platforms, it is crucial to know what are you looking for and which one best suits the business model you want to develop.
Each platform has different features and offers different cost-benefit ratios. Choosing a platform that is incompatible with our business can represent wasted budgets, additional costs, and lost opportunities for growth.
Also, an e-commerce store is not just a tool to sell online but a whole technological infrastructure that will boost the development of our business.
This is why many aspects must be considered when choosing an e-commerce platform, starting with web hosting and security, up to the scalability necessary for the business to grow.
Some of the key points to discuss once you have decided to open an online store are the following:
What to take into account to choose a platform to sell online.
platform type
The three basic parts of an e-commerce platform They are: a) a search function that allows you to find a specific product, b) a shopping cart and c) a payment function.
Depending on its needs, a business can opt for an e-commerce or online store solution that is hosted by an e-commerce provider and delivered via the cloud, or it can opt for a custom solution hosted on its own servers.
The three main types of e-commerce platforms are SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), and on-premises platforms. The first two options are better for small businesses or start-ups.
Cost
The multiple options of existing e-commerce platforms have different costs associated with them. Knowing each one of them is important to be able to calculate the necessary investment for the opening and maintenance of an online store.
The main costs include web hosting fees, payment processing costs, design costs, plug-in and app costs, and finally growth costs once the online store is up and running.
Security
E-commerce platforms must protect their customers in terms of their privacy and the security of their data. So this is a cost that must be borne.
When choosing a technological solution for the creation of an online store, it is important to make sure that the selected platform has:
- SSL certification.
- Fraud prevention.
- Data backups.
- PC compliance (a data security standard for the payment card industry).
- Among other.
SEO friendly
It is important to have an online store, but it is essential that customers can find it. That is, the products that you want to sell must attract organic traffic from search engines.
For this, the platform must allow the content of the store to be easily optimized through SEO tools.
This has to do with optimizing headings and subheadings, metadata, product descriptions, internal and external links, etc.
Optimized for mobile devices
In recent years, many consumers have drastically changed their purchasing habits. According to a recent study by Klarna, a Swedish e-commerce consultancy, in 2021 71% of people claim to have purchased at least once through their mobile device.
Hence the importance of adopting a web design that adapts to different platforms, including mobile phones and tablets, under penalty of losing access to a significant portion of the market.
usability
Usability is the ease with which a customer can interact with an online store, ensuring a better user experience.
An online store must ensure that it is easy for customers to find the products, select them, buy them and pay for them because otherwise, they could go to another store.
scalability
Scalability is the ability of a business to grow. For this, it is essential to have an electronic commerce platform that allows this new store to quickly scale up.
Sales through the Internet continue to grow and according to experts, this trend will increase. An electronic commerce platform, beyond being a tool to sell, can be the impetus for the growth and positioning of small businesses.
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