Ecommerce is the term which defines a website that has a transactional function. There are many different types of platforms and business models associated with ecommerce, some better suited to specific types of transactional websites.
Most people are familiar with Amazon and how it works, this is one of the best examples of an Ecommerce website. There are however other business models that use transactional purchases, such as selling standalone or grouped products, subscriptions or online courses and services, that you may not recognise so clearly. Websites such as Udemy or Fiverr which sell courses and services to end users are good examples of these.
Whatever your business model, if you wish a user to place a purchase and make a transaction, this requires a different level of expertise than that of a conventional web designer, as there are many more factors that come into play. The term the devil is in the data, is a term often used in eCommerce development, as it is this under looked and often an under resourced element that can both delay and halt an Ecommerce project.
This coupled with further considerations on user journey, filter mechanisms, checkout process, payment providers and integration, shipping and taxation, product setup and detail, product imagery, eCommerce tracking, the list goes on. This should start to make you realise why eCommerce projects should be planned properly and undertaken only by experienced web designers and developers.
WHO IS IT FOR?
eCommerce comes in many shapes and sizes and we have worked with most of them, from small boutique stores, to developing bespoke ecommerce calculators, to multinational transactional insurance websites and subscription models with backend API integrations.
Each and every project is different and needs to be fully scoped before our hands even touch a keyboard, as it's essential to fully understand as much about the project as possible before we begin.
WHY CHOOSE US?
Simply put, we have a considerable pedigree when it comes to eCommerce. Our team has worked on many eCommerce projects from smaller niche website setups to large enterprise eCommerce installations.
We can advise and support you both on recommendations of the technology and content management systems you should be looking to use, as well as design and implement an eCommerce store or website that works.
We work with you to design your website architecture so it's both SEO optimised but also user friendly and help you build an Ecommerce website that will engage the user encouraging them to buy. We can advise and support you on all of the aspects of the website and work with you to plan resources and timeframes so you have a more accurate feel for your project and its deliverables.
HOW DOES IT WORK
If you are considering an Ecommerce project or looking to improve your existing website, then feel free to contact us to arrange a discovery meeting to discuss how we can help and support you.
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The first step is to arrange an ECommerce discovery call. We will need to capture as much information as possible from this meeting to allow us to work out how much work will be involved. As mentioned these projects can become complex very quickly so the more information we have the more accurate quotes we can give.
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Once we have enough information, we can then put together a proposal and project plan, which outlines the project in full.
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The website design & build itself can take anywhere from 12 weeks upwards depending on work involved, so it's worth factoring this into any plans you make from a business aspect.
WHAT are ecommerce platforms?
Depending on the focus of your eCommerce project, will dictate some of the most prudent ecommerce platforms to consider to house your project. We work with a select number of platforms, but this range is flexible enough to support the majority of website infrastructures, product types and requirements. Our Ecommerce platforms of choice are as follows:
Woocommerce
This is a very robust platform allowing for a huge variety of Ecommerce features and functions. Woocommerce is an extension of the popular WordPress platform also our content management system of choice for complex websites and offers flexibility and Ecommerce functionality not seen on nearly any other content management system.
Shopify is more of a prefabricated platform, styled for a more straightforward forward ecommerce approach. Although complex websites can be built with this content management system, it's more inline with direct product sales, as this is its core functionality. The benefit of Shopify is its possible to get an Ecommerce website operational using very good templates, quicker than creating a bespoke ecommerce website.
There are many other ecommerce platforms which you could consider that offer different functionality and feature sets, however the above cater for the majority of uses and in our opinion, two of the best platforms.
who are ecommerce platforms for?
A robust ecommerce platform is essential if you intend to sell online.
By using an Ecommerce CMS system you can expect to have access to a range of tools including product types and variations, checkout and basket processes, listing features, tax and shipping and a whole lot more. To attempt to build something like this yourself from the ground up would be both complex and expensive.
These platforms offer a varied functionality set, although for bespoke implementations there are often paid for extensions you might need. This however still works out much cheaper.
WHY CHOOSE US?
We have worked extensively with a range of platforms and understand the best fit for certain project types. It's always better to get advice from someone who is familiar with the platforms first before committing to a build.
The ecommerce platforms noted above can be used by startups, medium or large scale businesses looking to host a transactional website. However many people do not understand the complexities and time involved in setting up a fully functioning store front, so worth, again, getting advice from experts first.
What Makes Us Different?
Technically adept. Our Team have worked with many different types of software, CRM's, Content Management Systems, Reporting and Tracking. All this wealth of knowledge is available at your finger tips.
Speak To Us Today On Tel: 01513212320 or email: hello@weareweb.com
