Step 1 or 101: Finding Your Perfect Platform
Muddling through an unprecedented time of global disruption has been devastating for businesses, and yours may be in the crosshairs. Although closed physical retailers have increased the volume of ecommerce business, it’s still a crapshoot to take full advantage of this shift. It may be time to expand your horizons, and explore alternate selling platforms beyond the big names of Amazon, eBay, and Google.
To be clear, any exposure is good exposure, for the most part. Once you capture a loyal customer from a third-party platform, you hold the cards in your hand.
WIXStores is a highly rated venue connected to Wix, an emerging internet superstar known for web hosting and site development. Begin with a customized template offered by Wix, and use their suite of services to set up a friendly interface that will attract customers and lead to profits. WIX has superior customer service functions to help you along the way, even after your site is live.
Just starting out, or not realizing the level of success you anticipated? Give SquareUp a shot for its free offerings. Once you build up a clientele, and learn the nuts and bolts of how ecommerce works, you can opt for a more sophisticated platform. But don’t overlook the tempting offerings of Square, with its professional-looking templates with a huge image library, great customization options, and access to payment platforms including Google Pay and Apple Pay. It also offers inventory management, SEO tools, and the all-important SSL security.
For a nominal fee, Volusion is also a contender. Build a site with their excellent assistance, and enjoy unlimited bandwidth, a limitless number of products, and several payment options to make your transactions unfold smoothly. Volusion’s attractive, hi-res themes make your store look completely customized and professional, and the extras help with day-to-day business.
Squarespace is also an attractive option for setting up an ecommerce store. With advanced ecommerce metrics features and award-winning design offerings, it stands out as one of the best for both beginners and intermediates. SquareSpace ranks extremely high in support, which is critical for those still becoming familiar with the ins and outs of ecommerce.
If SEO is a priority, check out BigCommerce. A specialist in data-driven interactivity, this ecommerce platform can help you find customers looking for you, even if they don’t know it. Its best-in-class SEO features deliver on its promises, and surprisingly, its layout and interface are simple. You can have an entire store set up in less than a day. Also, its mobile responsive stores are a big hit for remote customers. Take advantage of its free trial to see if it’s a good fit.
The key to a productive, successful ecommerce businesses lies in pacing, preparation, and a progression that allows growth in an organic process. Balancing visual imaging with interface, transaction processing, and options for servicing customer inquiries will come in time, after potentially trying out different sites. Be ready with a picture of your goals, your inventory reach, and your realistic expectations of delivering. Your ecommerce business will be better for it.