What to Consider While Getting an Ecommerce Software and Online Shopping Cart Solution

When the taste changes, the menu changes, this has been the rule of business from the very first day. Taking the account of ecommerce industry, Volusion shared a very nice infographics lately; the data shown in there has been collected from Forrester, eMarketer and some other authority agencies. It’s being documented that by the year 2011, 53% of the US population were very much comfortable with the concept of online purchasing. Based on this result, it has been calculated that the online sales is bound to see an increase of 62% and the net industry worth will be $327 billion in the year 2016. 

Spending $1738 per year in eCommerce Shopping

The average purchasing habit of a common citizen of America is expected to be around $1738 by the year 2016. Now, this is the data calculated with a presumption of standard environment and approaches. If you wish to be in this league, first thing that you might want to make sure is a flawless store. Let’s begin with the idea sharing now.

The Steps of Building

There are certain time-proven steps which every business owner takes for making sure that their store is flawless in every aspect. Once the strategy building part is over, much of the focus has to be shifted over the technical parts. Just hiring any firm with good repute is not always the most important task.

This is because there is no one better that the client himself who understands his own business model. Thus, along with having fine ecommerce software solutions and a certified firm handling the project, several parts like planning, execution etc., have to be looked over at every phase. In the next segment of this write-up, will try to explain those major areas.

Areas to Look for

Being an entrepreneur and especially of an ecommerce store is never an easy task. And as said earlier much of the effort has to be given over various segments which will be discussed here for your understanding.

• Aesthetic part: This is the segment which comes in the first phase of the project life cycle. A successful store must have a great UI and along with that sensible choosing of color & typography. All these together have mass effect on the user behavior while they are inside your store’s interface. There can be no jerks and all the ‘call to action’ parts have to be clearly visible. The structure of the store has to be user friendly with fine breadcrumbs and menu options so that user always gets the freedom of browsing any segment of the portal from any point.

• Shopping Cart and payment gateway experience: Much depends on this part as when someone gets ultimate experience with the store’s interface, he will surely try to buy something from there. Thus, make sure to keep a very precise shopping cart system that makes people pretty interested in the buying process. Also, a SSL is must for trust establishment when they are inside the loop of payment gateway.

There are many other points which are there for discussion, but for the beginning the above essential points around the aesthetics and the functioning of an ecommerce solution will help you a lot.

What Makes Mobile Ecommerce Interface the must-have for Every Ecommerce Service Providers

The E-commerce industry is directly connected with the most favorite habit of modern generation and i.e. shopping. The way of shopping has changed over time and now it’s time for mobile rule. With practically smartphones in every hand reaching audience has to be through mobile now for a wider reaching. There are major convenience factors too which advocate thinking E-commerce for mobile platform, like people can shop at any moment they please. All these have made the arrival of mobile E-commerce so very majestic.

The Changing Habit of E-commerce

The eMarketer, an independent survey and analysis portal, released a survey of US mobile commerce sales through smartphone and tablet for the period of 2012-2017 and the results were impressive. The sales percentage showed a rise of 56% with net value of $38.84 billion in 2013 compared with 2012. Also, it is expected that by 2017 this industry will touch valuation of $108.56 billion and that’s only of US. This tells how big the game is and why companies are investing in this concept.

India’s Contribution in the Projection

Even if you consider this whole episode from India’s point of view the rise of mobile user has been quite remarkable in the past 2 years. As per I-Cube estimates by June 2014 it is estimated that 150 million users will be from urban sector and 32 from rural. This stat shows the power of growing user base and primarily mobile user as this is the segment of the population which does make the revolution of mobile commerce such a strong phenomenon.

The Growth of E-commerce for the Mobile Platform – The Way Ahead!

Every business owner desires to reach maximum number of potential buyers and that too in the most efficient way. In the present global web industry scenario the most of the traffic comes through tablet, mobile or pad platform. The web platform had many limitations like time slot dependency and limited flexibility. 

Any general user used to sit in front of desktop on their convenient time after finishing their chores as that is placed in a fixed spot; also shopping based on instant mood is not possible due to its limited availability all round the clock. These kinds of issues have been rightly solved with the introduction of mobile commerce. 

A data sheet shared below shows that 53% of mobile users of 2014 will be more comfortable in shopping through a mobile version of e-commerce portal than a desktop version. This made the popularity reach sky high and as a result of that many mobile programmers are choosing the career of mobile commerce development.

E-commerce Platform Options for mobile

Every reputed name in the e-commerce industry are very much aware of the mobile friendliness demand of entrepreneurs and for this all the platforms are now cross-platform compatible. Names like Magento, VirtueMart, PrestaShop, CS Cart, and Zen cart are open source and have integrated interfaces meant for mobile platforms. With the utilization of various supportive modules, extensions and plug-ins and robust server of MYSQL the ruling of mobile market is set attaining new heights.

What Can You Learn from Award winning eCommerce websites?

If someone is asked about the one thing that he remembers from the favorite eCommerce site he uses, design, color and lastly functionality will be the three aspects that the person will harp about most.  We human beings are hardwired to be impressed with good looks. After we are satisfied with the looks we shift our interests over to the functionality (or say, usefulness, in the more mundane world).

Looks to fall in love for

It is estimated that 37% of eCommerce site visitors decides in the very first 3 seconds about whether to stay in that space of not. This calls for the right UX design and presentation. Only with the right arsenal at right time one can make sure of keeping visitor hooked to their web page and then impress them for buying from the store. According to the source of IBM Online Retail Index’s retail sales growth it is seen that the mobile commerce has attained 31% and all eCommerce has touched a growth rate of 20%. This tells how big it is now to be fit for all kinds of platform and so the design has to be responsive and cross-platform compatible.

What’s there in Sight?

There are many examples in the modern web world that highlights successful brand establishment through unparalleled design sense. Apple is a prominent name in this regards and has made it very much clear that a trustworthy design and shaping-up of brand DNA makes the sale go sky high. As this write-up is concerned about award winning eCommerce sites the focus will now be over them. For making sure that yours too touch that golden class standard getting the help from a professional eCommerce Development Company is most essential. Without right through process and brainstorming about an attractive idea the store won’t be able to hold its fort for long in this competition. Following are 3 of the best names in eCommerce niche that have won accolades and awards world over.

• Whipping + Post: This one is designed by a reputed firm namely ‘Out of the Sandbox’ and truly they have delivered a magnificent one. This one is appreciated for its clean and clutter-less design. The power of typography is really expressed in this site and the color has been chosen wisely keeping in mind the theme of the business.

• GREATS Brand: This one is crafted by a small agency named Wonder sauce. Its menu is truly unconventional yet very much UI compliant. The landing page has been designed without any jerks and the prime focus has been given over product showcasing. With a modern responsive look it has done fair deal of business in its targeted demographic location and is one of the most known award winning eCommerce site.

• Goodwin and Goodwin: The name itself is quite interesting with repetition of the same term with a plus sign in between both of them in the logo. But, there is no repetition in the design department and the whole navigation is done in an exemplary way. Its elegance has made it so very famous among designers and users alike.

These are just a few of the names in the wide world of eCommerce site’s manifests a beautiful, but useful design. Taking a pick of three from a horde of supremely excellent eCommerce websites, is like having a discourse over a drop of water from an ocean.

What we can certainly refer to is the prevalent trend and the hint at what is doable and achievable in the form of an eCommerce business.  

What it takes to have an ecommerce website?

The ecommerce and all its peripherals are gaining pace in the context of development and innovation. With the rising number of general awareness among the common people, more and more individuals are trying their hands in this concept - both as a user and as business owner. Both ways it is the flavor and possibilities of this concept that attracts them to use and execute, respectively. 

The Word is written on the Wall!

A recent data survey showed that 35.6% of global B2C ecommerce sales are being generated from Asia Pacific region in the year of 2014 and is expected to go up to 39.7% by 2016. This comes from a very small fraction of 42% internet user who stays in Asia. This is the prime reason that both industry wise and development wise this is the region which is in the limelight globally when it comes to ecommerce revolution. In the Smartphone usage percentage meter India attains a healthy mark of 62% for browsing products and giving review. This user base is only 9 a small fraction of the total mobile user of the nation as only 9 million urban users do use mobile internet in Smartphone. All these makes is very much important to be acquainted with the development flow of the whole concept as that ensures smooth operation and successful ventures.

Points to keep in mind while developing an ecommerce portal

Any standard ecommerce development process calls for particular step following which starts from basic market research. It’s not always about technical evaluation as most of the development agencies consider, it more of a business approach with the support of technology fit for online world. Most of the ecommerce entrepreneurs seek the answer of steps to be followed while crafting an ecommerce portal with the help of developers. Getting the right ecommerce website services development agency is not always the ultimate goal to look after. There are several intrinsic steps which must be looked over for real authority development. Few prime steps are discussed below for the understanding of all.

• Market research: This is not the technical part, but more closer to business analysis. Prior to the planning of any ecommerce portal the niche study is must. If you are targeting a particular age group or demographic region competitors from that part must be analyzed. Without knowing the strengths and weaknesses of your competitor you will not be able to plan flawlessly.

• Site Architecture Planning: The portal’s components and functionality logic must be defined in this stage. Consult with the development team and ask them to set the final functionalities and integrate them in the site. Without the right user journey path setting in the portal the interface cannot deliver maximum result in the form of ROI.

• Graphic design and UI finalization: Here the need of professional UI designers are must and not just that responsive design element integration is also a must. 

• Right platform choosing: Only a supportive development cell will suggest you with the right ecommerce platform for building your store upon. Top names like Magento, Shopify, Woocomerce, etc are the most favorite.

• Launch in right hosting: The hosting server environment determines the site speed and not just that the security of the product details. 

If you are really interested to make a go at the domain, this is the time! What you now need is a little bit of handholding! In the form of ecommerce, a world of opportunities awaits you!  

Have a Small business Setup? It’s Just the Right Time to be in eCommerce

Business of any size and specialty can touch the zenith of success – provided it continues to innovate and remains flexible.  Just think about the case of WhatsApp that has been recently bought by Facebook. The owner of this messaging platform had applied for salaried post in both Facebook and Twitter - and was rejected in both the places, only to go ahead with forming a business around a service that he believed in. The same is applicable for small business owners and especially those who intend to embrace ecommerce for their small business. To sustain in the present online market of extensive paid favoritism, one has to ensure that they have some ‘refreshingly’ unique selling point to proffer. This calls for innovative ecommerce strategy which is befitting the changes of market and user behavior of 2014.

Introducing change

As per eMarketer the global eCommerce sales is expected to reach the pinnacle point of $1.2 trillion in the year 2013 itself. This shows the evolution rate and to sustain in such a spree of trade one must make sure to take care of certain specific eCommerce approaching points.

Some of the factors for small Ecommerce owner to consider

For ensuring strong foothold in your niche one must concentrate over futuristic approaches and blend that with upgraded technical touch-ups. Getting the help of an authority for e-commerce web development services is what is needed primarily. Here are few of the major parts discussed in detail so that making use of this any small business tastes the sweet success of sales generation more often.

1. All hail to mobile: If you are still stuck with the concept that having an ecommerce portal is enough think again. You are missing a huge customer base if you are not considering having a mobile version of your site. It is estimated that by the end of 2014 around 67% of internet users will come through mobile and a considerable number from them will be using mobile as the medium of online purchase. In US itself 62% of the users go through mobile for price checking of any ecommerce store listed product.

2. Fast shipping option: Keep in mind that your competitor might be one step ahead of you. Thus, offering shipping options such as 15 day/ 7 day delivery is sure to ruin your business. This is because people come online for fast delivery on urgent basis in maximum cases. Thus, keep the shipping time really low if possible join hands with authority dealing in shipping ecommerce stores delivery exclusively to buck up the speed.  Amazon witnessed a growth of 25% in the sale by just adding an option of ‘same day delivery’.

3. Rich Content marketing: For small business owners seeking a ecommerce growth often needs the support for content marketing as it is cost-effective primarily and has the power to influence your buyers with blogs, press releases, articles, guest posts and viral marketing. Content of any form helps in establishing trust be it your YouTube channel videos or podcast.

If you are a small business owner, a world of opportunity awaits you with open arms. What you need is to armor yourself with the right tools and stay focused!

The Significance of 'Security' in Ecommerce Website

With the entry of every new ecommerce store comes a fresh risk for consumers. With the rise in number of ecommerce stores regularly the mainstream security measure meant for the protection of consumers have suffered hiccups. The number of fraud cases while doing transaction is on the rise and this has prompted store owners to look over the security factors while setting up the store. The global ecommerce sales has touched the pinnacle point of $1.298 trillion this yea, this has made it mandatory for keeping thetransaction pipe safe.

If you are a store owner you must be knowing the headache that comes while thinking about the various potential threat that an ecommerce store might face in the name of hacking, fraud or reputation attack. Also, to be a trusted name you must get the trust of people who visit your portal and that can only be attained with security measure tightening. There are certain nations where this fraudulent rate is totally high and people must make sure to stay away from purchasing from any portal related to that nation. For staying in a favorable spot while thinking about development of a store seek the support of an ecommerce website development Company in India.

One must keep in mind that information related to credit cards and bank details lies with any ecommerce store and this makes them the hot favorite of nuisance creating people.

Look before your take a leap

Prior to starting the online business journey along with the marketing pointers one needs to consider about having a robust platform on which the store is hosted and absolutely making no stones leave while ensuring strong security.Few of the most needed tips for successfully doing this implementation are shared below.

1. Using of SSL certificates mandatoryand confirmhaving PCI compliance: There are various standard parameter which are proposed by Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) which credit and debit card industry have made mandatory for merchants that process any kind of cared payment for any purchase via online store. One needs to have compliance with this norm. In case of sites with payment gateways the PCI compliance is a must as they too have with them sensitive customer data. One must adopt SSL authentication as that provides secure communication between buyers and online ecommerce portal server and keeps the trust strong.

2. Stay away from falling in love with customer data: One at no circumstances shouldkeep with them the credit card numbers and CVV2 number or even the expiration date of customer’s credit card. This is totally unethical and against PCI norms also it’s illegal.

3. Opt for multiple layers of security:  Choosing multiple layers while setting the security system is the best way to tackle with nuisance creating hackers and fraudsters. Such layers protect a store from attacks such as cross-site scripting &malicious SQL injections.

4. Make sure of having DDoS protection with cloud-based services: Off late attacks of DDoS have considerably gained number. To tackle withthis security hoe online store owners must opt for registering in cloud based services which filter out the suspicious traffic. DDoS attacks also can be fought with managed DNS services.

Conclusion:

This write-up will hopefully add value to your approach of making a store with higher security measures, but one need to keep on consulting with professionals of the niche to get latest buzz.

An Insight into the Evolution of Ecommerce Websites

These last 15 to 20 years have changed the way we see our life thoroughly. Who would have imagined back than that sitting in room from mobile people will be able to book rooms in Marriot, buy champagne and even book air tickets! If statistics are to be believed 66% of adults from America have bought something or other from the web space. Another fact that might startle you would be 93% of adults have looked for ecommerce product in internet (courtesy of data: Pew Internet & American Life Project), this shows the power of it. At a staggering rate of 19% the ecommerce sales is growing every year and had reached a height of $963 Billion in 2013.

But where all of these had started is really a fascination story. The computing technology along with the power of business idea made some visionaries about the market that hay can gram using the internet and sale they could generate. This gave birth to the skeletal idea of ecommerce in somewhat late 70’s.

Ecommerce in Web 1.0

On the outset of web era the business owners noticed great scope of opportunity as the target audience demographic location was the entire world, but at that point of time reaching to the mass effectively was simply a tough call. That was the time of static pictures and pages with only text. The presentation was done in the form of online catalogues by few names, but soon was forgotten due to its lack of engaging tone.

The whole information jungle was unidirectional and nothing much was being added to the pile from the end of users who were the real end-buyers. Less emphasis was given to the person who actually would purchase an item. 

The Revival of Web 2.0

The demand for bidirectional information sharing established the Web 2.0 era which is dominated by social networking sites like Facebook, Myspace, twitter, etc. This is the time when user feedbacks, reviews and ratings came into the picture. The social authority of any brand considered as a search signal by Google. Targeted advertising and behavioral re-targeting came into implementation resulting into right information passing to the right person. But, amidst all these there has a pile up of huge redundant value or information which contributed to the spam amount in search engine.

Web 3.0: Keeping an Eye on the future

As the web world was getting more cramped with less valuable content and information were not organically coming in the SERP, rather were being pushed by inorganic approaches a need for drastic solution came forward. This is the time when we saw the rise of semantic era which is popularly called web 3.0 era. People now was getting the best filtered result and, based on location, habit, interested and age results are given towards them. This lead to mass revival of information structure over the web and spams got dumped. Ecommerce developer India has been contributing to the industry of ecommerce in Asia with authority for quite some time now. A gradual rise in the interest and implementation of ecommerce concept in various industries is pretty much visible.

Most of the popular ecommerce portals throughout the globe employed this feature in their portal and prompted people to make purchase those items which positively they might want to buy. The e-retail projected sale in Europe is expected to witness a rise of $64.9 billion in between 2009 to 2015.