Are you planning to start an online store and you are wondering where to start? One of the first things that you must choose is the type of ecommerce platform which will host your online business. Since there are so many ecommerce platforms out there offering services, you should be extra careful when choosing the right one for you. In many cases, the type of online platform that you choose plays a great role in determining whether your business succeeds or fails. To ensure that you are on the safe side, consider the following important factors when choosing the right online store platform.
Pricing
Platform pricing matters when it comes to choosing the right online store platform. Different ecommerce platforms have different modes of pricing. There are those that charge flat rates renewable per month or year, there are those who charge per transaction while others charge for premium applications and plugins which help in optimizing your store website.
When you assess the pricing of different online store platforms, you will be able to select the one which is more affordable and yet reliable.
Customer support
Although we all love digital products and browsing, not everyone is tech-savvy. On some occasions, you might experience difficulties with your online store–something which may require urgent support. If you have chosen to work with an ecommerce platform that takes ages before they attend to customers’ needs, you might end up losing your own clients and get more frustrated.
Therefore, ensure that you have done your research on your preferred online platform partner and assess how they handle customers’ requests before you commit to work with them.
Available themes and features
Website themes and features are important because they have a big impact in determining how your website ranks in search engines and the overall user experience. The design of your website is greatly determined by the type of theme that you use on your online store. Different ecommerce platforms offer different types of themes in various niche categories ranging from free ones when you subscribe and premium, paid responsive themes.
Some important features that your shore should include should be “add to cart,” newsletters, daily deals, reward programs, and other customizable features that you can take advantage of to build your unique brand online.
Security features
With the adoption of online shopping, it is not uncommon to have to deal with security issues. You often cannot risk working with an online store platform which cannot guarantee you of your website security. The right ecommerce platform should have a strong SSL certificate, be CPI compliant, and have guaranteed data backup plans clearly set out in case of a disaster. Such precautions ensure that your online store remains safe and cannot be targeted by online hackers.
Payment options
Different online store platforms use different methods of payments. While there are other major platforms which have a wide variety to choose from, there are other ecommerce platforms that offer very limited payment choices. In order to increase your online sales, you need to work with an online platform which gives your target clients a variety of payment options when buying your products or services. If you are targeting even the international market, you should work with an online store platform which has international payment options.
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