Imagup General Magazine 2024
Running a company in the modern age of technology means integrating most of its systems on the web. Having a strong internet presence in every kind of way is prevalent if you want to at least be at the same level as your competition. You can hardly begin to improve and reach new heights if your website and social media are lacking and falling behind. With that being said, it is actually e-commerce that is among the most popular and widely spread ways in which businesses can widen their reach and improve their revenue.
Speaking of e-commerce though, it should be said that it will be quite different for every company out there. Every business is different, even those dealing with the same type of work and who offer the same products or services. One thing is still true for all of them, both new and existing companies need it all the same. However, it often proves pricey to just implement it straight up without evaluation and strategizing. Everyone’s experience is different since not everyone does it the same, but a system can be made and some kind of organization can be introduced for you to estimate the cost of your eCommerce website.
If this sounds like something you could have the use of, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will talk about exactly what determines the cost of an average eCommerce website. More precisely, we will give you the top 5 factors contributing to the cost of designing a custom eCommerce website. If you want to learn more about getting an eCommerce website built and you want to take advantage of the internet to scale your business and bring you more revenue, make sure to check out Webx360.
1. A Good CMS Platform
First and foremost, before you can start doing anything towards a new eCommerce website for your company, you will need a CMS. CMS stands for a content management system, also known as a content management platform. The one that is meant for e-commerce purposes will give you a lot of functions and tools you need and best of all, you can pick according to your budget. These come in the form of shipping and payment functions and options, security solutions, and more. The more expensive and above-average ones will come with more robust systems of course, but any will do the trick basically. The important thing is to do it right and cover all the basics. Think about the volume of your sales, your security needs, and integrations when making the decision.
2. User-friendliness and Design
The design itself tends to break the most bank whenever a new website is being developed. While the backend things like programming and writing the code are the actual things that make everything work, the design of the actual website and how user-friendly it is will determine its usefulness and popularity. Your eCommerce website should always aim to be customer-centric, meaning the customers are the most important thing. This is true for all web pages but the truest for those dealing with sales, payments, and shipping of goods. If you’re interested in learning more about ecommerce shipping, Flock Freight recently published a full guide on shipping goods across a variety of industries.
Every step of the way during a shopping experience should be welcoming and as optimized and efficient as possible. You do not want your customers to have troubles with anything, not registering, the buying and paying, nor putting in the shipping details. The layout of the page, especially the home page, needs to be clean but interesting and optimized for multiple devices and screen sizes. With fast loading times and smooth transitions between the menus, you will ensure positive user feedback and a happy customer base for years.
3. Content and Images
Every website is only as good as the content it has. Your optimization and design can be at a high level and everything else can be secure, stable, and easy to use. But if you lack the proper content to make the customers aware of your product and make it compelling enough for them to buy it, you will hardly be successful. This is why the content in terms of written material and images is so important. The images of the products and services that you are selling have to be up to a certain modern standard, which means unique, high-quality, high-definition pictures that will clearly show what you have to offer. All the details from all sides need to be shown and the customer should not be left to guess what the product in the question may be. The same goes for the writing. Go out of your way to describe each product and you will experience more sales in no time. Visuals are important nowadays, but never underestimate the power of the written word.
4. Payment Options and Shopping Cart
Every eCommerce website that deals with sales need to have the fan-favorite shopping cart section. This makes it easier for the customers to save their shopping and pick things they like and continue browsing for more. The final checkout will only come after the shopping cart has been evaluated and edited for the final time. This gives the customer a chance to add more to it and they can keep checking their updated billing amount. Additionally, make sure to include as many payment options as possible. Credit cards and internet services like PayPal are a no-brainer but consider modern varieties like cryptocurrencies as well. Bank transfers could also be a thing, and paying the courier with cash upon delivery should never be overlooked either.
5. Security
There have been a few words about security already but we definitely need to go in a bit more detail. Since your e-commerce website will be full of valuable information both about you and your business and the customers who register with their personal and private info, you need to have the best security you can get. Security and safety on the internet are not always ideal since hackers and cybercriminals are more skilled each year, but that hardly means you should save on this. Make sure to get the best type of security in every sense of the way to protect you as the seller and your customers as the buyers. It will be one of the priciest things you have to set money from the budget for, but a well worth one down the line.
