According to various studies, online sales continue to grow year after year. Many brick-and-mortar locations are adding an eCommerce site in order to get a slice of that digital pie. Although there are many solutions you can choose from to host your online store, not all of them are created equal. Your platform needs to have several key abilities in order to maximize your online efforts.
Mobile Enhancements
Mobile devices account for more than half of all eCommerce website traffic. Your site needs to be adaptive to changing screen resolutions and be easy to control if you want to secure some of those sales. If a site is too complicated or the user has difficulty reading the content, he or she will move on to an online store with an easier to use interface.
Continued Optimization for Search Engines
Search engines change algorithms for results often. Your solution needs to be able to adapt to those changes. Optimization plays a big role in how customers will find your website on the Internet. When changes are made to the search engine parameters, can your solution adapt to those changes? Some providers will update eCommerce carts in order to keep the site relevant to current search technology.
Targeted eMail Campaigns
Marketing is an aspect that can improve online business exponentially. As eMail is still considered one of the most effective methods for Internet marketing, your solution needs to have targeted messages. Your online shopping carts should be equipped with automatic message systems that base the content depending on a customers past purchase history. This can be used to display products that customers have already shown an interest to buy.
Social Media Engagement
Social media is a free platform that can allow any business to connect with potential customers. An eCommerce solution with built-in buttons can help market products as well as your brand without costing anything extra on those sites. In fact, many customers may share the materials with others giving you free advertising to their friends and family through social media.
Promotional Capabilities
Never underestimate the value of promotional materials. Coupons, discounts and gift certificates can help generate a great deal of sales as well as interest in the company. Your solution needs to be able to incorporate these platforms in order to remain competitive. Although offering free shipping can help your business, it may not be enough to drive customers to your site.
Secure Payment Gateways
Giving customers varied methods of payment can help drive sales. If a customer uses a method that is unavailable, he or she will move on to a competitor. For example, many shoppers rely on PayPal as their online payment method. If your eCommerce site doesn’t support this method, those customers will move on.
There is quite a bit of money to be made online if your solution promotes continued growth. Even small businesses can benefit from an online presence to create an additional stream of revenue. Make sure you have the right eCommerce solution that can propel your online presence into the future.
