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Shopping Cart Web Sites: 13 Ways to Evaluate an E-Commerce Provider
There are hundreds of vendors that provide eCommerce and
shopping cart solutions on the internet. Trying to figure out
which one offers what you need can seem more like a roll of the
dice than an educated decision.
If you're like most people, when looking for an eCommerce
solution, you'll go to your favorite search engine and enter
terms like: "ecommerce website", "ecommerce web site developer"
or "shopping cart web site". You'll find a long list of
providers that make plenty of claims indicating their solution
is the best one for you. But how can you really tell? You'll
find 13 techniques to help you make a decision in this article.
Evaluate Real Web Sites
1. Look at sample sites that use the solution you are
considering. Visit actual sites that use the software, not just
demo sites. If you can't find any real sites, move on. How can
you trust a provider who won't show you the product in action?
Don't just look at the visual design, but visit the site and
click around. I recommend adding items to your cart and starting
the checkout process. In many cases you will find shopping is
cumbersome, the checkout process is tedious, or there are
actually errors on the site.
2. Pay attention to the visual design of the sites. Do
the sites look good? Do they use a template that is the same
from one site to the next? If you like what you see, add this
provider to your 'hot list', but you'll need to ask the provider
about web site design costs and who provided the designs you
like before you sign up.
3. Do not use a shopping cart that requires the shopper
to sign up for an account before they can buy. Requiring a
shopper to sign up for an account is a barrier that will reduce
your conversion rates. Do not use a cart that doesn't show
shipping charges until the end of the checkout process. Shoppers
want to know how much shipping will add to the cost of their
order and many will abandon their cart if they need to enter
personal information just to find out.
Evaluate Search Engine Placement
4. Check the google page rank on some of the sites in the
providers portfolio. You can find out by visiting this web site:
Google
Page">http://www.prchecker.info/check_page_rank.php">Google
Page Rank Checker. Enter the home page url (for example:
http://www.thesite.com) of the site you want to check. If the
page rank of the home page is not at least 3 or 4, you'll
probably want to look elsewhere. Sites with a pagerank of 0 are
new and have not been ranked by Google yet.
5. Pick a few sites that use the software you are
considering and try to find them in Google, Yahoo, and MSN. If
you can't find them, it's not a good sign. I recommend clicking
to a product page on the site. Choose a 3 word phrase that you
think represents what is found on the page. Your phrase should
include words that are on the page you are viewing. Enter that
phrase in a search engine and see if you can find the site. Try
this several times with a few sites- if you can't find any
results, chances are no one will find your site either.
Evaluate Features Offered and Costs
6. Look carefully at what features will cost more. Most
ecommerce providers offer a base set of features for a low setup
cost. In some cases, that is all you will need. You should look
carefully at what features will increase the price in order to
avoid sticker shock after you get started.
7. Find out what's included in the setup cost. For many
providers, you do most of the work of creating your web site.
Consider how much you will have to do yourself and how much will
be ready to go. Try to place a dollar value on your time.
8. Are merchandising tools available or included? Are
features such as free shipping offers, featured products, sale
items, customer testimonials, email newsletter signup, and email
this page to a friend available? All of these tools increase the
selling power of your site.
9. Try out the administration tool. There are a world of
solutions out there, from simple 'buy now' buttons you add to
your existing site which require a moderate level of technical
knowledge, to complete site management tools that let you
control just about everything on your web site with little
technical knowledge. The solution that is right for you depends
on your needs, your time, your budget, and your expertise. If
you don't understand the steps required to use the software, you
should continue your search.
10. Does the solution allow you to easily create
additional pages? Does the solution allow/provide that each of
your products has it's own web page? This key feature will pay
big dividends in the long run. More pages means the search
engines will index more pages and that means more chances for
shoppers to land on your pages when they are searching for your
products.
Evaluate Customer Service
11. Some solutions are 'hosted', some you install on your
computer and host anywhere. In general, a hosted solution will
require less technical knowledge and you'll get the benefit of
"one stop service". If you have a problem or question, you'll
contact the provider. A hosted solution may involve a higher
monthly fee. If the solution requires you to install software on
your computer and find your own host, you'll need more technical
knowledge. When you encounter a problem, you may have some
difficulty in pinning down whether the problem is with your
computer, the software, or your hosting company.
12. Get references. Contact a few current customers and
ask if they are happy. Be specific. Do they get good service? Do
they feel they are getting a good value? Do they get sales? You
can't lay all the blame for a site with low sales on the
ecommerce provider, but hearing from current customers that they
do get sales is a positive indicator.
13. Pick up the phone and call the provider. Are you
connected with a knowledgeable sales rep? If you end up in a
phone queue, try choosing the selection for existing customer
tech support. Are you connected to a tech support person? How
long do you have to hold? Use this guide to develop a list of
questions for the provider.
Making an informed decision when choosing a solution for your
ecommerce web site can make or break your online success.
Evaluating the options will take some time, but the investment
in reviewing your options carefully will be well worth it as
your online business develops.
This is an original article written by Staci Schipporeit of
Datahost. Datahost is the maker of the MightyMerchant eCommerce
Solution. Copyright 2005 Datahost, Inc.,
About the author:
Staci Schipporeit is a developer of the ">http://www.mightymerchant.com"> MightyMerchant hosted shopping
cart solution. Choose MightyMerchant for fast, flexible and
fun web sites for small business.
Written by: Staci Schipporeit
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