Starting a business or taking your business to the next level brings many questions to mind, “How can I reach the maximum number of people in a short span?”, “How can I increase my sales?”, “How do I manage my catalogue?” and so on. The answer to all such questions is an e-commerce website, which in a popular sense would mean an online portal that will enable one to carry out business transactions.

An e-commerce website opens up a gateway for small and medium businesses to benefit from the same opportunities to market their products that large businesses enjoy and transcend the boundaries of geography and time, where by enhancing their visibility. It also enables business owners to reach out to their potential customers without incurring any “middle man margins”. Customers can go online anytime of the day, wherever they are and order the product, check new and upcoming products and services, thereby giving a dynamic boost to sales. A good website becomes a company’s online identity and a platform to advertise all around the globe with minimum cost, hence saving both time and money. Finally, it acts as an extension of your sales staff, at your service 365 days a year, 24 hours a day (without even asking for an annual leave!).

These days, there are plenty of web platforms that offer user-friendly templates to assist in the creation of e-commerce websites. These eliminate the need of website designers and allow you to develop a website in less than 24 hours. GlobalLinker offers a website builder module whereby you can create a website in 3 easy steps.

Based on our research, we have identified key factors that a business owner must keep in mind while selecting an e-commerce website building platform.

Product Listing and Categorisation
It is very important to list and categorise product(s) in a manner that makes it easy for the customer to find what they are looking for. With efficient product listing and categorization, a website can turn into an effective sales machine, thereby increasing the conversion rate. Many e-commerce website building platforms offer various plans based on the number of products to be listed and categorisation.

Images and Image view
At a brick and mortar store, customers touch things, pick items, look them over and put it in their shopping baskets. One needs to create a similar user experience for customer in an online store, by providing high quality images and multiple image views. While selecting an e-commerce website building platforms, one should consider multiple image view as one of most important criteria.

Payment Gateway
It is imperative for a business owner to select an ideal payment gateway, on a real time basis, in a secure way. A secure payment gateway contributes towards the success of online sales. It will ensure seamless experience for the customer. While selecting a payment gateway, one should research for the fees involved such as transaction fee, service fee, set up fee etc. Also, be sure to ascertain if the gateway you have selected can automatically calculate shipping charges.

Shipping
Certain e-commerce website building platforms have tie-ups with shipping /courier companies (like DTDC, FedEx etc.) to help you deliver the goods to customers. It is advisable to select a platform that provides shipping services so as to meet your business needs.

Product Reviews or Testimonials
Before finalizing a product, every customer wants to go through its reviews or testimonials. It is very important to select an e-commerce website building portal that provides space to write customer reviews and testimonials. This will not only enhance the credibility of your website but also help build a loyal customer base.

Mobile Friendly Website
There has been an exponential increase in the number of people who have started using the internet and visiting websites via mobile. It is very important for a business owner to get a website that is mobile friendly.