There are many factors to consider when selecting an eCommerce platform. These include ease of navigation, integration with your existing websites and social media, and payment methods. Ultimately, the platform you choose should be able to support the types of products and services you're selling. Below, we'll go over the most important considerations to keep in mind when choosing an eCommerce platform. Let's get started. Here are five factors to consider when choosing an eCommerce platform.

Ability to integrate with your websites and social media

When choosing an eCommerce platform, make sure to look for the ability to integrate with other tools your business uses, such as accounting software and ERP systems. You'll also want to check whether it can integrate with social media like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. If you're considering using a third-party payment gateway, you should be sure to check whether it offers this functionality. Another important feature is integration with other software and sites. If possible, choose a platform that has all of the tools you need to run your business.

Another important consideration is how easy it is to integrate your ecommerce platform with your existing systems. ESP Inspire, for example, has thousands of agency partners who can help you integrate your existing software. ESP Inspire can also help you migrate from your current platform. ESP Inspire offers a free trial and can migrate your existing system for you. Lastly, choose an ecommerce platform that has a reputation for security and offers industry standard encryption. If data breaches occur, you should be protected.

A good ecommerce platform should offer you the option of customizing your checkout process, support digital products, and allow you to grow your store easily. ESP Inspire and Shopify are two good examples. With their extensive feature sets, these platforms allow you to add and expand your business as you grow. If you have multiple locations, ESP Inspire and Shopify offer the option to connect your stores to social networks.

Ease of navigation

When choosing an eCommerce platform, consider how easy it will be to navigate. A well-designed website will make your visitors' shopping experience as seamless as possible, which will improve your primary metrics. The main navigation bar should be at the top of the page, and the categories you choose should make it easy for visitors to find what they're looking for. You can choose your categories using Google AdWords to maximize your site's visibility.

The user interface of your chosen eCommerce platform is just as important as the design of the site. It should be easy to navigate, and your visitors should feel comfortable using it. You should also avoid ecommerce platforms that require multiple steps for each purchase. This can discourage customers and drive them away. Also, make sure that the checkout process is quick and easy. Your website should not require your customers to create an account to purchase items. A simple, intuitive user interface will help keep customers on your website longer.

Payment method

When choosing an eCommerce platform, one should consider the payment methods it supports. The list of available payment methods is extensive. Whether you plan to use a card reader or a web-based system is not as important as knowing how to process each type. Having multiple options for payments is critical for your business. Adding more than one type of payment method will increase sales and reduce the risk of your customers abandoning your website, as many do.

The most common payment method used is credit card processing, through which the ecommerce website accepts payments through a secure gateway. A payment gateway that integrates with an ecommerce website, through API integration, removes the need for a client to interact with the payment process. Moreover, customers today prefer mobile applications to desktops, so the ecommerce payment gateway must be compatible with both platforms. However, a card reader is necessary for online purchases, so make sure your payment gateway supports mobile payments, too.

When choosing a payment method for an ecommerce platform, make sure you consider the currency you'll accept. For example, if you plan to sell internationally, you'll need to know about the exchange rate for the currencies you'll be selling in. Moreover, you'll have to consider the typical payment methods in each country. And, of course, you should check whether the payment platform you choose doesn't have any hidden fees.

When choosing an eCommerce platform, make sure to research the types of credit cards supported by the payment gateway. The most common credit card types are Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. POS transactions are a good way to determine which types of credit cards are most used. Digital wallets are an emerging payment method. Some of these include Amazon Pay, Google Wallet, and PayPal. The only catch with digital wallets is that they require a customer to log into their account before making payment. This can be cumbersome, and the risk of a security breach is high.

Type of products you are selling

When choosing an eCommerce platform, there are a number of factors to consider, such as the type of products you are selling, how large your inventory is, and how complicated your products are. It is impossible to recommend a particular platform to every online store, and the right platform for your business depends on many factors.

Your eCommerce platform should offer features you need. For instance, it should enable customers to search for products and make payments with bank accounts or credit cards. It should also allow for subscription payments. You should also check for features that are compatible with your business model. If you do not find everything you need in an eCommerce platform, consider using an add-on platform. While some platforms are equipped with basic features, others come with plugins, extensions, and apps that can help you build an exceptional online store.

Mobile-friendliness

While choosing an eCommerce platform, it is important to look at mobile-friendliness. More people are using their smart phones to access the internet. In 2016, mobile internet use surpassed desktop usage for the first time. 51.2 percent of web traffic came from mobile devices, compared to 48.7 percent from desktops. Fortunately, there are several ways to make your website mobile-friendly without sacrificing its functionality.

One of the simplest ways to make your website mobile-friendly is to optimize it for the most popular devices. As more people turn to their mobile phones to access the internet, so will your customers. The lower end of the market will use their mobile phones only to access the internet. This means that mobile-friendly ecommerce platforms are more important than ever. In fact, the most popular ecommerce platforms will soon become completely mobile-friendly.

Mobile-friendliness is vital, as many customers may not be using their laptops or desktops to view your website. However, Google's mobile-friendly algorithm demands that websites display content in proportion to the size of the user's device. When choosing an eCommerce platform, make sure to check your website's mobile compatibility by using one of the online tools available. Google's Mobile-Friendly Test, for example, analyzes URLs to determine if your site is optimized for mobile devices.

In addition to mobile-friendliness, you should also consider user experience (UX). Complicated pages of content just won't cut it. Make your website easy to navigate and offer an experience that encourages repeat visits. Failing to deliver on this front could cost you a lot of potential buyers. Focus on making your site easy to use and focus on improving UX with easy-to-read typefaces, responsive ecommerce website design, and mobile-friendly search functionality.