subject: The Anatomy Of An Ecommerce Solution [print this page] So youve heard all about the ecommerce solution; you know that you need it; but what actually is it? The answer to that, naturally, depends on the kind of business you run and the expectations your customers have of our web presence.
Like any web page or site, the shape and feel of your ecommerce system is for the most part dictated by the expectations of your customers. Your goal is to provide a speedy and satisfying way for your customers to buy what you sell, that makes them feel secure while they are doing it.
A bespoke ecommerce solution, then, will ask questions of your own capabilities as well as working out what it is that your customers want. Thats because the quality of service you can deliver is ultimately dictated by your own limitations. So you need to know, for example, whether it would be faster for you to have a third party company (or companies) deliver goods ordered through your site from their own warehouses: or whether you should be holding stock of your own and committing to fulfill orders within a reasonable turnaround time.
Youll need to make a decision here. Can you afford to pay for your own warehouse, plus the staff that you need to fulfill orders for your ecommerce solution in quick time? Or would it actually be more cost effective to get someone else on board to do it for you? Customer satisfaction is paramount after all: so dont commit to something that you wont be able to maintain long term.
Like any shop, your ecommerce page needs to have the right marketing. There is no sense in investing in an online store if none of your customers know where to find it. A good ecommerce solution encompasses not just the mechanics of the store itself (is it integrated with an accepted online payment organisation, like PayPal or Google Checkout; or should you integrate with someone like SagePay to have direct transfer into your bank account?) but the means by which your customers will be encouraged to visit that store.
Newsletter and email campaigns, offline marketing and SEO all have a part to play in ensuring that your ecommerce solution is readily accessible to the people who need to know where you live online. Bear in mind, when you have your ecommerce page or pages built, that it is not enough to put it up and then walk away. The mantra if you build it, they will come does not apply online.
Consider running across channel marketing drives to make your customer base aware of your new ecommerce solution. Use mobile marketing messages to offer keywords for discounts at your new online store.
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