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What to look for in an ecommerce platform for SMEs
In this article, xneelo provides the advice business owners need for choosing the right platform for their ecommerce website.
According to Statista, the local ecommerce market is projected to reach $7 billion this year. A wider audience, increased sales and reduced overhead costs make having an ecommerce website highly attractive to small businesses. It can also help them to thrive in an increasingly digital world.
Every new venture comes with challenges and ecommerce is no different. Running a successful ecommerce website is dependent on several factors:
- A professional website
- Logistics such as fulfillment and shipping
- Payment processing
- Security.
Building your website with a reliable ecommerce platform is key for mastering these factors and finding success in the ecommerce market.
What is an ecommerce platform?
An ecommerce platform is a software solution that allows you to build and manage your ecommerce website. Ecommerce platforms provide functionality such as product catalogue management, shopping cart functionality, payment processing, and order management.
When choosing an ecommerce platform, look for a solution that ticks several boxes:
- Ease of use
- Flexibility
- Payment processing
- Inventory management
- Scalability
- Cost.
The right ecommerce platform should provide a good balance of these.
What is the difference between a hosted and self-hosted ecommerce platform?
A hosted ecommerce platform enables you to build and run your online store without needing to host it on your own server – your ecommerce website is hosted on the Internet and managed for you. A self-hosted ecommerce platform on the other hand, would be hosted on your own web server and you would be responsible for setup, maintenance and updates.
The biggest advantage of hosted ecommerce for small business owners is the ease of use, reliability, and peace of mind that comes with the security and technical support provided by the hosting provider.
One form of hosted ecommerce that is gaining popularity among small businesses is Managed WordPress, which offers the benefits of WordPress, the world’s most popular CMS, and ecommerce functionality designed to make designing an ecommerce website simple and effortless.
What makes WordPress a secret weapon for SMEs?
WordPress is widely used across the globe. The platform makes it easy to customise and control every aspect of your website to make your ecommerce store unique and engaging. It's known for its flexibility, usability, and customisation features.
Managed WordPress makes it easy to build your own website, even for the busiest business owners. And even if you think you don’t have any flair for web design, you’ll have all the tools you need as well as a wide range of themes to help you create a great looking, fully functional website on your own.