Brian Walsh
June 9 2020
Benefits of A Online Store
Before we jump in, I want to provide reminders to those who are still weary or apprehensive about going online, the many benefits that come with ecommerce.
Low Cost to Getting Started
One of the most raved-about benefits to operating from an online store is the amount of savings business owners can see. Offline business require: rent, utilities, furnishings, equipment, permits and licenses, and so forth. With an online platform business, costs are more focused on hosting fees, design and development cost.
Reach More People
This second point lands on the subject of location and its physical limitations; an offline worry that does not affect eCommerce businesses. Data suggest that consumers are shipping online more than ever and it continues growing. By 2023 eCommerce is projected to make up 22% of retail sales worldwide. It’s not about laziness, but about convenience for your consumers.
Increase Company Response Times
It has been known that more and more increasingly, consumers choose to reach out for customer service via social media, question form, or email, rather than over-the-phone. Hosting an online store can give customers more options for help and rapidly increase response time for their needs. This includes creating and updating detailed FAQ and product information pages, as well as online support or chat for customers, and bumping up the email marketing procedures.
24/7
Simply put: an online shop allows you to help customers outside of traditional business hours.
10 Essential Integrations for Ecommerce websites
1. POS
Utilizing a POS connects the point of sale system to your online store. It will help you manage inventory across all channels and save loads of time. This assumes that you also own a brick-and-mortar store in addition to your online presence.
2. Payment integration
Be sure to choose payment gateways that are popular with your customers.
3. Shipping Integrations
Offering the best shipping experience makes your business stand out. Make a fulfillment strategy and adjust according to consumer feedback.
4. Analytics Integrations
Set up Google Analytics to track customer behavior on your site and see what pages they are landing on most often. Add tools that track user journeys and behaviors, such as heat mapping.
5. Inventory Integrations
Ecommerce platforms will likely have their own inventory management features, however, you may want to consider a third-party inventory management system to sync inventory
throughout different suppliers.
6. Accounting Integrations
If you’re thinking of opening an online store for the first time, accounting can help you manage payroll, budgeting, cash flow, purchase and sales charts, as well as profits and loss charts.
7. Email and marketing integrations
Once the website is up and running smoothly, you will want to start marketing to drive more traffic to it. Add a function to allow for customer reviews. Usually they are some form of integration or 3rd party app. The review sites will depend on your industry.
8. CRM integration
After you’ve begun driving more traffic to the website, you’ll need to begin building a loyal customer base. This will help improve conversion rates and increase sales revenue.
9. Customer Support integrations
Taking good care of the customer’s needs will likely convert to sales from your business again. Integrating a customer support system will allow you to answer a customer's questions and concerns. This can be a live chat or chatbots that use AI technology to answer common questions.
10. Social Media Integrations
Social media is an endless marketing tool for advertising your product or service and establishing your brand’s look and feel.
When starting your ecommerce site, getting off the ground can be easy, but ensuring long term success entails proper organization and planning of all the moving parts. When creating your ecommerce site, make sure that your headless commerce and these integrations are ready and in place!
