E-Commerce

One of the best things about running an e-commerce business today is that there are more tools than ever to help you succeed. Even if you're just starting your company, you can use programs to help you drive sales and grow your brand quickly. However, having the best tools is only part of a successful strategy; you must also know how to use them.

So, let's break down the top types of software you should invest in and go over the best practices for making them work for your business.

Top ECommerce Tools for Small Business Owners

Digital Asset Management (DAM)

One of the most important decisions you can make when developing your e-commerce site is determining how many products you'll sell. While it's tempting to sell as many items as possible, it can make connecting with your customers harder. Big sites like Walmart and Amazon can sell everything, so it's often better to cater to a specific niche.

However, even if you're targeting a niche audience, you'll still likely have a few dozen items in your store. Ideally, each item will have multiple digital assets, such as photos, videos, tutorials, manuals, infographics, and more. Unfortunately, curating and managing these assets is much harder than it might seem.

That's where digital asset management comes into play. A DAM system allows you to store and manage all of your assets from a single, centralized server. This way, as you add more assets to your website, you don't have to scroll through endless images to find the right one.

Some of The Benefits of A DAM Include:

• Multi-User Access - If you have multiple people working on your marketing and sales teams, everyone can get access to the system. You can also control access so individuals can only see the assets they need, not the entire library.

• Automatic Updating - The best DAMs sync with your website and landing pages automatically. This means you only have to update your asset library once instead of making changes to multiple accounts. This feature also ensures that your pages always display the most up-to-date images and information.

• Keyword Searching - As you add assets to the system, you can include various keywords to make the library easier to search. Now, users don't have to scroll endlessly or check tons of file folders to find the right photo or video.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

As customers buy products from your digital storefront, you must collect data about each one. Marketing to existing customers is generally cheaper than marketing to new leads. However, if you're handling dozens or hundreds of sales per day, it can be impossible to manage so many users manually.

Customer relationship management (CRM) software is a much better solution. Not only do these programs handle many tasks automatically, but you can find a CRM that's customized for your industry. For example, if you sell and repair HVAC systems, you can find a CRM designed specifically for HVAC companies. Similarly, if you sell consumer packaged goods, you can get a CRM that focuses on generating repeat business.

But what exactly does a CRM do that makes it so valuable? Some of the perks include:

• Automatic Notifications and Reminders - If a customer buys an item they'll need to refill again later (e.g., toothpaste or toilet paper), you can send automatic reminders when it's time to restock. You can also incorporate loyalty deals and discounts to encourage each customer to come back for more.

• All-In-One Customer Management - A customer may interact with multiple people within your organization, such as salespeople, customer service reps, etc. With a CRM, employees can see these interactions and any notes attached to them immediately. This way, there are no miscommunications and everyone is always on the same page.

• Better Data Collection for Marketing - These days, personalized marketing campaigns are far more effective than generic ones. A CRM allows you to collect data about your customers to use for future campaigns. For example, you can conduct A/B testing to see which ads or posts get the most engagement from your audience.

Email Marketing and Automation

Some CRMs come with email automation built-in, while others don't. Either way, you should invest in a high-quality email marketing tool, especially as an E-commerce business.

Since all of your sales happen online, email is the best way to promote your business to new and existing customers. As you generate leads, you can funnel them into segmented subscriber lists. From there, you can send customized messages that are more likely to spur action and generate sales.

Best of all, many email platforms offer automated tools. These tools can segment your lists based on user activity and data. This way, you don't have to spend countless hours poring over the data yourself.

As a rule, customers are six times more likely to open a personalized email, so investing in high-quality software allows you to take a personal approach without spending a ton of money on time and labor.

Social Media Integration

Social media platforms are some of the best lead-generation tools. However, you must be able to integrate your platforms into your CRM and/or your email marketing software.

Additionally, it's best to manage all of your social accounts in a single dashboard. Many social media integration platforms allow you to schedule posts across different websites so you can maintain momentum and continue generating more leads.

That said, you must also know how to curate content for each platform. What works on Facebook may not work well on Instagram or TikTok, so you have to plan accordingly. Also, don't forget to use analytical tools to see what posts generate the most leads. Over time, you can refine your social media messaging to make it even more engaging and effective.

With the Right Tools, Your Small Business Can Compete

As you can see, high-tech software allows your brand to compete with other, bigger E-commerce companies. Even if you're a one or two-person operation, you can leverage these tools and strategies to boost sales and turn your passion into profit.

The lucrative eCommerce market is growing at a rapid pace. Users prefer to buy in the comfort of their place; this has multiplied their numbers and stimulated businesses to invest in this industry. But how? This question is quintessential for attaining an edge in the eCommerce market.

Luckily, various platforms make it possible to create an online store, one of which is PrestaShop. This is not as famous as Shopify or WooCommerce, nor does it provide extensive powers like Magento. But, this platform is a mix of all of them, which makes it suitable for small to enterprise-based businesses.

However, this platform can be considered complex when it comes to making an online presence that truly relates to your brand’s voice. Here, opting for PrestaShop web development services is good. The experts can assist you in developing a feature-rich and fully functional online store.

PrestaShop Overview

PrestaShop is one of the platforms that provide a range of features that can assist a business, whether small or large, to formulate an effective web presence. It was launched in 2007, and since then, it has gained significant traction. This CMS platform is written in PHP and provides various benefits to a business using it for its online store operations. With features like inventory management and order processing, this platform plays a crucial role in the success of an online store. Moreover, it comes with various built-in languages, an easy-to-use dashboard, and other outstanding features that are helpful in establishing a sustainable web presence.

Why PrestaShop for eCommerce Website Development?

The decision to pick or leave a CMS depends on various factors, like scalability, cost-effectiveness, features, and more. PrestaShop is one of the platforms that almost ticks all these checkboxes and helps develop a feature-equipped web store. Its unique features make PrestaShop a valuable CMS that can become an impetus for businesses to invest in. However, various reasons will make it crystal clear why you should opt for this platform for your eCommerce website development:

1.      Customizability

PrestaShop is an open-source content management system that not only makes it free to use without paying license fees but also enables optimum customizability. You can choose any theme from PrestaShop’s collection of varied themes that somehow relate to the requirements of your business. You can customize a particular theme to some extent based on your needs. However, you can also develop a custom theme if none of the pre-made themes are appropriate. Custom development requires expertise, and opting for a PrestaShop web development company is a wise decision. The experts can assist you in building the web store that you have envisioned.

2.      Feature-rich

PrestaShop is known for its features, and it provides some out-of-the-box features that can help build a strong web presence. Product management, order management, customer management, and more are some of its features. It is crucial to integrate the right combination of features in your online store to improve its effectiveness. This requires an in-depth analysis of your project needs and the features to include in your online store.

3.      Scalable Website Development

Scalability is crucial to consider while developing a website, especially an eCommerce site. Because of the presence of various and most trusted eCommerce websites, the approximate time users wait for a solution to load has reduced, enabling them to scroll to another site and buy products. To avoid this, choosing an online commerce site development platform plays a pivotal role, and if you have picked PrestaShop, you are in luck. This is primarily because of its modular architecture that enables a business to start small and scale the store as your business grows. You should also focus on including the required and right plugins to improve the scalability and performance of your site.

4.      Effective Analytics

PrestaShop allows a business to include reporting and analytics tools to gain insights into user behavior. Once the feature is successfully integrated, you can track not only user insights but also performance metrics. Also, you can have a better idea about various things like:

●       Why are the majority of users leaving your site?

●       What is causing them trouble?

●       Which product is highly searchable?

●       Is your cart working correctly?

This will assist you in improving the errors and providing what a user requires.

5.      Multilingual and Multi-currency Support

Users who live in different portions of the world where English is not considered the primary language can face difficulty understanding the context of words written in English. As a result, they will leave the store if they cannot find their regional language. However, with PrestaShop, this complexity has been resolved. The platform comes with built-in support for 60 plus international languages, making it suitable for users of different regions to understand the product and make purchases. Moreover, PrestaShop also supports multiple currencies, making it suitable for users to access and buy in their preferred currency type.

6.      Power-packed Security

Security is the primary concern a business must give proper attention to. Maintaining a secure web presence is crucial to safeguard users' critical information and allow them to revisit your site. PrestaShop is highly secure and provides various built-in security features. However, it can be prone to hacking and other malware attacks, so performing timely optimization or security audits becomes vital. You can do this on your own or work with an expert company to provide you with a highly secure PrestaShop-based online store.

Conclusion

PrestaShop is one of the most potential eCommerce website development platforms. It provides various out-of-the-box features that enable a business to maintain a powerful online presence. This platform's customizability enables need-based web store development. You can also integrate the right payment gateways in your store, improving sales and user experience. However, the process of website development on this platform is highly complex. It is wise to hire PrestaShop developers for your project. The experts will assist you in creating an online store that resonates with the requirements of your project. The most valuable decision here is to hire the right team and consider valuable factors that can help you. The right team can assist you in completing the development as envisioned. 

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