How to build a successful e-commerce website?
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- Find a shopping cart that works for you! -
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A shopping cart is no different to the one you use at a grocery store, but it does more for you (and doesn't have wheels that all go in different directions!)! It collects the items you select, calculates the total amount, takes your "bill to" and "ship to" information, and prints out an invoice after your payment is authorized.
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of pre-designed shopping cart software products in the market. If your online order processing is not too complicated, you'll normally find off-the-shelf shopping cart software that will be able handle your online store. It's a lot cheaper than having a programmer design a custom shopping cart for you. The problem is which one to choose! Like most pre-designed software packages they will all do different things even though they have a common aim.
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Take a look at the following key points that'll help you come to the right decision:
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- Speed and stability
The quality of any shopping cart software will be directly reflected by its speed and stability. These are the biggest concerns that we should have. Ask for references before you purchase any shopping cart software. Check out what their existing customers say about its speed and stability before you make a choice. If your customers can't check out quickly and effectively they'll lose patience and will start to worry about their security. They'll just vote with their mouse and buy somewhere else.
- Platform compatibility
OK, this is a basic thing to check - but I could give you a great long list of people who forgot to do it! Some shopping carts are only compatible with Windows and some only work with Linux. Make sure the shopping cart you choose is designed to work with the platform of your hosting server. Otherwise you'll have egg on your face and be out of pocket.
- Technical support
Yes, you do need technical support even with a shopping cart! After all, when your cart is not working right, you want to fix it right away. The thought of all those willing customers not being able to hand over their cash should strike fear into your heart! So, make sure you get it from a company that provides telephone technical support and not just email support.
- Free trial period
This is very important when you first try out a new product. After all, you really have no idea if it'll do everything you need until you try it.
- Installation on any hosting server and not just on the software developer's server
Some shopping cart companies require you to use their server to host your website if you want to use their shopping cart. DON'T choose a company that offers only this option! If the shopping cart doesn't work out, you'll not only have to find new shopping cart software, but you'll also have to find a new server to host your website. Add to that the fact that you'll have to waste more time and effort on transferring everything from the old server to the new one….
- Control panel
A control panel is a web-based administration center where you can configure your online store and modify/edit it. This is the nerve center of your moneymaking operation and it's a "Must-Have" with all shopping cart software.
- Must reside on your own server!:
Some shopping cart design companies let you use their server space to process your online orders. All for a minimal monthly service fee. It's not a good idea. Look at how it works. When customers click on a "buy me" button on your web site, they are taken to a different new website, and asked to complete their shopping process there. This normally causes them extreme discomfort - they might trust you enough to buy from but they haven't CHOSEN to buy from your shopping cart company! They might just choose to go somewhere else. In addition, your online success is reliant solely on the stability of another company's server performance. So don't do it!
- Maximum customization
Before you consider a shopping cart, write down your online order process on a piece of paper and list all the information you need to gather from a customer. You can then check with the shopping cart company to make sure that the cart can do everything you want.
- Upselling/cross-selling features
Upselling/cross-selling are among the most important internet marketing techniques, so this feature on a shopping cart is worth looking for. Let's say you sell hand-knitting items. On each sweater page you also put on the matching hat, glove, socks and scarf. This way when a customer clicks on the sweater style he/she wants, they'll automatically see the full range. What are the chances you'll sell additional items even if the customer only planned to buy the sweater? Very high!
- Unlimited products
You may not believe this but I've actually seen some shopping cart software that limits the number of items you can sell. Don't even THINK about buying one of these! You don't want anything that will prevent your business from going through the roof!
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How about the shopping cart package offered by web hosting company?
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As you research your perfect eCommerce solution, you'll find that some hosting companies will also offer you a shopping cart package along with their hosting plans. In this instance you will pay a monthly fee to lease the software. Although this would seem an easy solution by keeping down the suppliers you deal with I normally DON'T recommend my clients use it. This route has specific disadvantages:
- Limited features and less customization:
As the shopping cart on offer here has been designed for general use, you'll find that your store will be no more unique than many others and you'll have fewer options to customize. Think that's not a problem? You'd be wrong. An embroidery service model is far different to a toy retail model - how can the owners of the 2 sites expect this generic software to do everything they both want?
- Portability:
Time really is money in eCommerce and a shopping cart offered by a hosting company CANNOT move with you when you switch to a new hosting service. No matter what the reason behind your decision to find a new hosting company, you'll have to find new shopping cart software and rebuild your web store all over again. Opt for an independent shopping cart, on the other hand, and you can take it anywhere you go - all you have to do is to reload the data to the new server.
- Unsatisfactory technical support:
Most web hosting companies just resell a third party shopping cart rather than design their own. This means they are not necessarily knowledgeable about the software. When something goes wrong, it can take longer to fix and sometimes they just can't fix it at all.
If you are looking for a shopping cart now, I'd highly recommend the PDG shopping cart. Partly because their software provides amazing features for only $399.00! In my search for shopping cart solutions for my own customers, I've seen a lot of carts that offer fewer features than PDG but that charge $1000,00 or more. Cost aside, I also feel more secure using their cart because of their absolutely outstanding technical support service.
To get more information about the PDG shopping cart, just click here. Contact us for a special discount! If you need assistance with the cart, we are always here to help.
If you find that you need a more advanced or customized shopping cart, please bear in mind that we have experienced programmers in-house that can custom design a cart for you. Please feel free to contact us for a quote or to discuss your needs in more detail.
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"How to build a successful e-commerce website" Course Index:
- Preface
- Course overview
- Find your domain name before it's too late!
- You need a web site that sells itself!
- A secured hosting server gives you confidence!
- Guard your privacy with a SSL Certificate!
- Find a shopping cart that works for you! (You are here!)
- Manage your online funds with an internet merchant account!
- Put the pieces together with a payment gateway!
- Last Few Words
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Online Course written by Maggie Pearce
About the Author: Maggie Pearce is the founder of Online Image, a web development firm specializing in high quality innovative web site production that takes your business further on the internet! At online image, we deliver more than top quality online presence; we develop online infrastructure that makes your website sell itself!
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