8 Things you need to know about ecommerce from ecommerce expert Antony Chesworth
8 Things you need to know about ecommerce
From ecommerce expert Antony Chesworth
1 - If you are serious about having an ecommerce website then one that is built by a friend of a friend will no longer cut it, you will face stiff competition from day one and so need an ecommerce website that can cut it and stand shoulder to shoulder with the ecommerce giants.
2 - Use an ecommerce platform that is constantly evolving meaning your site is always upto date with the latest technologies. It also means you won’t need to pay additional costs to add new features and functionality.
3 - There is no such thing as a free ecommerce system. People assume that freely available open source platforms are free, they are anything but free as you have to sort out your own web hosting, updates and learn a technically advanced system, plus you will need to fix any bugs or issues as they arise. If you take all this into account they end up costing you considerably more than even the most expensive hosted ecommerce systems.
4 - Ensure you have full control over your ecommerce website's content. If you need to make a change to your products pricing you want to be able to do this quickly and easily yourself, if there’s a hot product you have just got hold of that no one else has you want to be able to add it to your site now, not tomorrow or when someone else eventually gets round to it.
5 - A mobile optimised site is essential for online sales, google gives priority rankings to sites that are optimised for mobile. Over 50% of search is conducted using smartphones and other devices when compared to desktops. People are now using and buying with a mobile, tablet or other device, in fact you are probably reading this article with one now!
6 - Simplify the checkout process and get more sales, don’t ask people to login or create user accounts it’s another distraction from completing the checkout process. Keep it simple.
7 - Discount codes are another distraction often taking customers off your website and onto Google to look for them when they see the discount code box on your website. If they don’t find one it can leave a bad taste because the customer knows someone else is getting a better deal than them.
8 - Use internet optimised payment gateways such as PayPal, Klarna and Amazon Payments that don’t require people to have the hassle and inconvenience of finding and then entering lengthy credit card forms, 3d secure and more password checks. .
-ENDS-
Notes to editor
Antony Chesworth, is the owner and founder of ekmPowershop.com which has grown to become the UK’s largest hosted ecommerce platform and has helped over 45,000 businesses
With a shop turnover of £1.1m per day (almost half a billion pounds per year) ekmPowershop.com has helped over 45,000 businesses to set up and run their own successful online shops.
Clients include familiar names such as Lotus Cars, O2, Michelin Tyres, Future Publishing, Madame Tussauds, The NHS, ITV, The BBC as well as tens of thousands of SMEs and Micro Businesses.
For additional images or information please contact alisonchesworth@ekmsysems.co.uk or call 07894955460.