Last Updated on April 2, 2024 by Ali Hamza
If you wanted to manage a store before the digital era, you needed an actual brick-and-mortar location. As a result, starting a business anywhere like launching a recruitment agency Virginia would have been difficult. After all, not every would-be business could afford to purchase their own property.
Things are different now. The rise of the internet has ushered in a fascinating new economy in which passion and creativity take precedence over real estate. Anyone can start a business and having a physical address is not mandatory at all. Your website will be your virtual storefront.
Thanks to eCommerce platforms, any small business can create a space for themselves in the digital landscape. If you’re just stepping into this online world and planning to launch a business, here is all the help you need to choose an eCommerce platform:
Determine Your Budget
Everything starts with a budget actually. An eCommerce site could cost anything from $10 to $10,000 to build and host. Even though eCommerce hosts provide competitive packages, you must compare your options to determine whether they’re truly cost-effective.
Paying extra isn’t always the best way to get the greatest service. Choosing the cheapest choice, on the other hand, will almost always leave you seeking for add-on capabilities elsewhere. When it comes to setting a budget, make the decision based on security, web design, hosting price, maintenance, licensing, and custom app building.
How Many Products Do You Have?
Perhaps you have a large selection of physical products or a large number of variations for your primary product line. This number will determine which type of eCommerce would work for you.
If you have a huge catalog and need several product pages, or if you plan to expand your business, choosing a platform with low SKU restrictions limits your upside.
Potential Growth Prospect
It’s critical to choose a web host that can scale with your business. Even if you are starting small, eventually, every business expects some sort of growth.
What kind of traffic do you expect to see on your site? It’s understandable that if you’re just getting started, you won’t require a server with high-traffic capacity. Your eCommerce firm, on the other hand, could scale quickly if you’re focused on growth.
Will your host be able to handle current and future traffic demands? What will happen if you execute a viral promotion or campaign? Your website’s hosting architecture must be adaptable enough to withstand traffic spikes without crashing. Make sure you evaluate all such questions before making the final decision.
Customer Support Services
Don’t neglect the platform’s customer support services. Why? Because, if the platform you are using is down, this would mean your website will be down or you won’t be able to deliver what’s expected of you. In that case, it’s highly important to get a prompt response from the support team of the platform.
You will be inside that eCommerce platform every day. It’s nice to know that you can contact a live person to help you with your issue, whether through phone support, email, or chat. Some platforms outsource customer support, making it difficult — if not impossible — to call in for assistance when you need it most. Make sure that’s not the case with the eCommerce platform you are planning to use.
Your Options in Ecommerce Platforms
Square Space
Squarespace is a SaaS website platform suited for small businesses with low-volume SKUs. Their work with the creative community has made them famous. Their eCommerce platform was inspired by the necessity for a lightweight cart (with cart recovery) to sell things among the creative community.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is built on the WordPress Content Management System. If you are familiar with WordPress, this CMS for an eCommerce website is extremely accessible and simple to use. Several ecom websites on the internet use this CMS.
Anyone can build their own eCommerce store with this platform. Lots of how-to guides are available to help you out on this. Also, in case you run into an error, the online community and forums usually have answers to your questions.
Shopify
Shopify’s dedicated eCommerce platform is sure to be one of the greatest solutions accessible if you’re serious about selling online. It is a SaaS-based platform that was created with the goal of assisting customers who wish to create the best online store.
It has a lot of powerful sales capabilities compared to Wix and Squarespace. Another great thing is that it comes with a free SSL certificate. You’ll get access to discount codes, live customer service, and a payment processor which is already integrated. You can also sync your inventory and orders with different sales channels like eBay and Amazon. New sales tactics, such as dropshipping with plugins, are also available.
In the end, the decision of choosing the eCommerce platform for your sales staffing agency or an online store depends on the nature of the business and your unique needs. Keep all the factors outlined here in your mind and make the decision
