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E-commerce is very popular and every year there is more and more interest in it. But this is not surprising, because selling, buying, and advertising on the internet is much more convenient, easier, and often cheaper than offline. The main thing is to understand how it all works, and what you need to do to be successful.
That’s why the choice of platform on which an e-commerce company wants to operate can already determine its success or failure. Have you already integrated any e-commerce platforms into your IT projects? Here are some of the most important criteria to look for to ensure the e-commerce platform you have decided on is fast, effective, flexible, and meets the needs of your business model.
THE MOST POPULAR E-COMMERCE MARKETPLACES
The field of e-commerce is huge. The number of sites for its conduct is incalculable. For example, let us mention the largest ones:
eBay – the platform originally focused on the C2C segment, but now more B2B and B2C transactions are being conducted there. The site is actively developing and scaling year after year. There you can buy truly everything from accessories for a casino such as CasinoChan, towels or other things.
And Amazon is the second site where you can buy everything. According to statistics, about $90,000 is spent every minute on Amazon. And that amount increases every year. And these are just the most significant players in the market. Competition in e-commerce is fierce. Who knows, perhaps shortly there will be a new platform.
CLOUD-BASED PLATFORMS
Cloud-based platforms typically cost less and can easily adapt to changing business needs. All you need to do is pay a fixed monthly/annual fee based on your requirements – and you’re ready to go. The benefit is that the software and hardware licensing costs can be expensive, but are eliminated with cloud-based offerings.
Plus, with cloud-based platforms, you don’t have to worry about maintaining IT infrastructure, dealing with vendors, and signing service contracts. The technology provider handles these aspects for you and manages the platform securely.
THE E-COMMERCE PLATFORM MUST BE SCALABLE
It is important that the platform can optimally support your business not only today but also in the future. Implementing a platform that cannot grow and adapt with you is ultimately a waste of time and money. As technology, customer demands, and opportunities in the marketplace change, you need to be able to adapt to those changes in a straightforward manner.
CUSTOMIZABILITY
Most e-commerce platforms offer the necessary features to launch a basic online store “out-of-the-box”.
However, you may still need to add new features such as support for additional payment and shipping methods. You should be able to effortlessly determine for yourself how your website should work. Therefore, it makes sense to choose a platform that has the flexibility to meet your business needs and create an outstanding customer experience.
Also Read This: Make Your Customers Fall in Love with Your E-Commerce Brand
SMOOTH CONNECTIONS
The platform you build your store on should be able to work with your existing business systems such as CRM, CMS, ERP, and others. This requires easy integration with key enterprise systems via proven APIs, without the need for code intervention. Don’t want to waste your valuable resources integrating different systems or lose business-critical data? Then use an e-commerce platform that works with your existing systems.
STRONG COMMUNITY AND PARTNER NETWORK
As your business grows, you may need to rely on the help of experts. Therefore, it is advisable to choose a platform that maintains a large network of solution partners and developers in multiple locations. The larger the network, the easier it will be for you to find a partner who knows your industry and can help you meet your business needs.
