What to Look For in an eCommerce Platform

So you have an eCommerce business or a product to sell, but now you need to choose the best eCommerce platform for your online store. The good news is, there are lots of eCommerce platforms out there to choose from. This might leave you asking, which platform should I choose? This guide will tell you the key things you should look for in an eCommerce platform so that you can choose the right one for your business. 

1. Plenty of payment options

One of the biggest benefits of selling products online rather than in a physical store is that customers from all over the world can easily pay for purchases using a variety of payment methods. If your chosen eCommerce platform doesn’t offer the basics – such as international payment processing and popular payment gateways like PayPal, your customers could be put off making a purchase. 

2. Great tech support

3. Mobile friendly

In 2021, 72.9% of all retail e-commerce sales are expected to be made via mobile devices. Customers are often using their mobile devices rather than laptops to buy products online, so it is vital that whatever eCommerce platform you choose is optimized for mobile users. If a customer opens your online shop and their mobile and the platform is not mobile friendly, they are unlikely to make a purchase. 

4. Top-notch security

Security is a big concern amongst online shoppers. Customers want to feel that their credit card information and any other data they provide at checkout is completely secure. Most well-known eCommerce platforms already have robust security measures, but it is still important to check that their payment gateways use HTTPS/SSL for safe payments and that they are payment card industry (PCI) compliant. 

5. Integrations

Integrations is a catch-all term for the various features and perks that eCommerce platforms offer. These can include plugins that support or are compatible with your business’s accounting (such as plugins that help you view sales, revenue, profits and calculate tax), customer relationship management (CRM), shipping, and marketing platforms. When looking at different platforms, consider what integrations you may need or if there are apps and plugins that you would like the platform to provide for you. If you have a Shopify store and wish to integrate it with other eCommerce platforms for easier control, you can read more about the Shopify Integration app.

Online shopping is the future of retail, so if you’re planning on opening an online store or expanding the one you already have, you’re in the right market. An eCommerce platform makes running an online store much easier, but they come at a cost so it is important you choose the best platform for your business. These five key things to look for in an eCommerce platform will help you make the right choice so that your business can grow.