Here are some tips that can help you save some time when you start to build your own e-commerce site:
Don't tie yourself to some monolithic structure
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There are quite a few companies that specialize in selling an entire platform that you use to create your store and your ecommerce website . Tying yourself into one of these platforms can be fulfilling for some- but it can also bind your future to that particular application's limitations. Some of the savvier smaller firms are currently looking at splitting the difference between completely customizing their existing website and adopting a large shopping cart application that requires you to rewrite your website. To do so, they work with partners like register.com and use a shopping cart that snaps into your existing website while still providing you with easy-to-manage, centralized product catalogs. The nice thing about using a flexible shopping cart is that it is also going to be optimized for mobile shoppers, making your product addition process consist of adding your product, price, and details only. After you save it, it will automatically display correctly no matter what the form factor is in your client's hands.
Keep your eye on the transaction fees
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If you ship quite a few products each month, one of the most annoying things can be to continually payout 2.5% or more per transaction in order to close a sale. Several vendors with existing websites that use shopping carts have spent quite a bit of time trying to find options that will help them to lower their costs. Fortunately, there are options like a split monthly fee that charges a small amount for administrative purposes and then offers a lower percentage fee for each transaction that is processed using a secure back-end provided by the vendor that you partner with. If you already have even a small amount of sales, it will be more cost-effective to use this type of arrangement.
Don't forget to find a design that you like
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When you get to the point that you find the features in a shopping cart that you are looking for, one stumbling block can often be finding a suitable design that is unique and attractive enough to meet your standards. Some vendors have spent a lot of time putting together tens of different options that function on the same platform without any need to charge you extra money for their use. Selecting the right one with the right features can make your implementation much more appreciated by your clients.
Ecommerce sites are one of the biggest additions that you can make to your business when it comes to potential new revenue. By using a strategy that keeps your shopping cart flexible and centralized, you can save money and create something popular without having to spend too much time doing so.
Author
Phong Thai is a Web Developer, Web Coder for 20 years with PHP, JavaScript, CSS. He is the creator of JavaScriptBank.com - provide thousands of free JavaScript code examples, web development tips and tricks, helpful blogging guides.
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