Are you planning to get into eCommerce and have already made the necessary preparations for your eCommerce project? You must begin by choosing someone who can build you the eCommerce website you need. But how do you find the best e-commerce provider for your business? 

The search for an e-commerce provider naturally begins with selecting the right e-commerce platform. But that is only the beginning. Enriched with our own experience, we created a list that should be taken care of before you choose an eCommerce platform. 

To give you an orientation as to which shop system suits your project, we present the 10 most important criteria to help you make the right business decision. 

#1 Usability by the customer

No matter how many functions an online shop has - if the customer cannot find their way around while surfing, the shop will not generate high sales. It is therefore extremely important that the usability of a shop system, is simple and tailored to the target group. A clear and detailed product presentation, as well as clear and understandable navigation, are the basis for this. 

#2 Filter systems and search functions

As the number of items increases, it becomes more and more difficult for users to find the desired product. Most shop systems offer filter and search functions for this purpose, which should make it easier to find the product you are looking for. However, the quality differences between these standard functions can be enormous depending on the shop system, so it is advisable to test them thoroughly beforehand. 

#3 Interfaces to payment systems

A large selection of possible payment methods also speaks for a shop system. If the customer's preferred payment method is not offered, they may leave the shop without having ordered. Most shop systems offer interfaces to payment service providers, which bundle a large number of online payment systems. You should, therefore, find out whether the shop systems in question contain an interface for your favorite PSP. 

#4 Interfaces to merchandise management systems 

A necessary interface between the shop system and your ERP system (a type of software that helps you manage day-to-day business activities such as accounting, procurement, project management, risk management, and compliance) is just as important. After all, customers should, for example, find out in real-time whether the desired product is currently in stock or when it will be available. 

#5 Multichannel functions

Are you a retailer and want to run an online shop in addition to your stationery business? Then you should pay attention to the networking of your local business with your e-commerce shop system. Use the advantage that you have over pure online retailers and offer to pick up the goods at your location. However, such multichannel functions are not the standard and are only supported by some of the web shop systems. Plugins for store picking are important for the shop system, i.e. picking up or reserving the goods on-site is another payment method.

#6 Optimization for mobile devices

An orientation towards multichannel sales automatically necessitates a focus on mobile devices, as the proportion of products ordered via smartphones and tablets is increasing every year. It should therefore be a mandatory requirement for a shop system that is optimized for mobile use.

#7 Marketing features

When making your selection, pay attention to which marketing features your favorite online shop system provides: Can voucher codes be created and redeemed in your shop system? Are there interfaces to price and product search engines such as Google Shopping? The automated connection to other sales channels such as eBay or Amazon is now standard and should be considered when selecting possible shop systems.

#8 Search Engine Optimization

Since your products should be found in the search engines, good search engine optimization (SEO) of the shop system is essential. Most shop systems are now quite advanced in terms of SEO, so the differences should not be serious. The actual effort involved in SEO for online shops is the ongoing optimization of the category and product pages in accordance with current SEO standards.

#9 Legal framework conditions must be met

The legal requirements for shop systems are high in India and differ from those in the USA. Since many shop systems have their origins in the United States, legally inadequate shop systems can lead to competition violations and thus warnings. You should, therefore, pay particular attention to the legal frameworks. 

#10 Setup and maintenance costs

Depending on whether an agency takes over the design and maintenance of the shop system or you use existing shop software yourself, different costs arise. These can be one-time costs (e.g. for the acquisition of the software) or monthly fees (especially for rental shop systems). Also, take into account that you will have to permanently maintain and optimize your shop after the relaunch. Calculate permanent time expenditure in the case of self-management and expenses for the service provider to carry out necessary and sensible optimizations.

All in all, 

Which shop system you should use in e-commerce depends on various criteria such as your budget, the number of products, required interfaces, etc. Basically, an online shop system can be very inexpensive, but the founder then has to invest his own time in setting up, designing, and maintaining. The best alternative is to work with an agency that sets up the shop system professionally. eCommerce Expert has all that you need to make your online shop a success. Get in touch with our experts to know how we can help you.