There are a lot of service providers out there and it is not always easy to know which one to choose. Here is our advice for this essential step in moving your e-commerce project forward.
Tips to Choose the Best Development Platform
- Experience and Expertise
The experience and technical skillset in meeting the needs and complexities of an e-commerce site is on top priority. Choose the development platform if they have knowledge and experience working with the industry of your interest. Lastly, research customer reviews and forums to see if the vendor is well-equipped to handle more than just development.
- Customer Support
Things can always go wrong and it should be in the best interest of the developer you are choosing to provide the necessary support so that the problem or issue can be resolved. The best development platforms are the ones that provide 24-hour emergency support and are reachable by email, direct chat, or phone.
- Scalability
It is always likely that one works towards the growth of their e-commerce business. The best development platform for your e-commerce site must be able to grow with you as your business expands. An E-commerce platform is a central hub for any kind of business that must be scalable to follow growth in the future.
- SEO-Friendliness
Content is the most significant thing in any e-commerce site. Search Engine Optimization plays a key role in ranking your business high above all others. E-commerce platforms that come with SEO features will enable business growth online. It is important that the development platform include blogs, domain names, and the ability to drop customer reviews for a more SEO-friendly experience. Make sure you ask them about strategy and expected results.
- Mobile Friendliness
A mobile-friendly platform is a must for ease of accessibility by everyone including the developers, buyers, merchants, and owners. This feature enables the users of the e-commerce sites to have a more interactive experience.
- Security
Security must rank high among all other considerations. Since e-commerce is a digital platform that can hold a possibility of cybercrime, it is important to choose a platform that ensures security and has protocols in place that are being strictly followed. Every company must be expert and extraordinary on internet security for e-commerce sites.
- Getting Started
Ask your developer for help when getting started with your store. At the end of the development phase of your e-commerce site, the developer will provide you with all the necessary login information and it will be on you to learn how to manage the site on daily basis. To avoid any trouble getting started, ensure that you know how to use the software by asking for demonstration and training from your developer.
- Analysis
It is important to know the analytical tools available to analyze the store’s performance to improve your business. Ask the developer for any performance indicators available at the backend. It is beneficial for your business to link your store to a Google Analytics account for a thorough update.
- Run Tests
Before taking full control of your e-commerce site from a developer, run different tests. Every developer runs tests in a dedicated testing space. The logs of these tests must be saved and changes being made must be reported. Perform tests on different mobile devices and browsers for a smooth flow.
- Timeliness
A good developer is one that keeps track of the time provided by you to finish the project. If the developers stick to the time frame and build you an e-commerce site based on your interest, it will ensure loyalty and persistence by the developers.
- Payment Options
The best development platform provides a range of payment options. The greater number of secure payment choices available to buyers, the more is the chance of a sale.
- Room for Growth
It is important to consider a developer that wants to grow with you. Being new in the field will bring less audience, but as you grow your business, your e-commerce site would scale rapidly. It is important to know that the developer is able to handle a bundle of traffic in the future.
- Robust Catalog
If your business involves a large product catalog and several pages, then choosing a platform that has low SKU limits may affect the growth digitally.
- Extensions and Apps
The best e-commerce development platform provides you a single space for all functions to be performed. This is reachable if the developer provides you with extensions and apps that you can add to your store. Some e-commerce developers enable you to choose the necessary functions suited to your online business.
Best E-commerce Platforms
Shopify
Being the best e-commerce platform, Shopify is a website you can go to build your own e-commerce site. They also provide hosting services for your business. It is easy to use with an impressive range of professional sales tools.
Prestashop
Prestashop is a cloud-hosted and open source e-commerce platform. It is an efficient solution providing all features necessary to build an online store. Users are able to customize their store from a number of professional-looking themes.
Magento
An e-commerce platform builds on open-source technology. It provides owners to take full control of the look, feel, and functionality of their e-commerce site. It has an option of a flexible shopping cart, making it a preferred brand for businesses.
WooCommerce
This is also an open-source platform mainly used by beginners who are building the future in blogs. Often used by starters who expand their business to e-commerce and utilizing developers for WordPress.
Addify is the premium development platform that offers extensions for Magento 2, Woocommerce, and Prestashop Modules.
Concluding Remarks
To conclude, it is wise to take time to research several developers even though you already are aware of someone who could do the job. This is indeed great advice by experts in the field to compare providers and achieve guaranteed end results even if you lack any technical skills.
