Ecommerce platforms are growing in popularity. More businesses are starting to see the benefits of selling online. With the growth in technology, businesses are able to sell more than just products. Today, companies are able to offer services like Frontier Bundle deals online as well.
The main reason why e-commerce platforms are so popular is that they give consumers many choices. Traditionally, consumers had to visit different stores physically, to find the best deals. But with e-commerce platforms, consumers can visit 10 different stores in a matter of minutes.
How Did Ecommerce Start?
Initially, e-commerce meant online banking transactions using technologies like Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). But that started to change by 1991 when the internet became widely available. By the year 2000, many businesses were using the internet to showcase their products and services.
But the dot-com bubble burst in 2000 as well and that really affected the e-commerce industry. Soon after that, established, brick and mortar businesses started to see the advantages of e-commerce. They started to integrate e-commerce into their websites as well.
By 2007, e-commerce sales were rising more than expected. They accounted for 3.4 percent of all sales. These were staggering figures and encouraged more businesses to get in on the action. Today, e-commerce platforms account for 10 percent of all retail in the world. In value, that translates to approximately $2.3 trillion.
Where is eCommerce Going?
At the current rate, e-commerce analysts expect it to grow year on year by 15 percent. What that means is, by 2021, e-commerce generated revenue estimates are at $4.5 trillion. An even more amazing statistic is that 96 percent of Americans have made online purchases.
Amazon is one of the largest e-commerce platforms in the US today. in fact, 44 percent of all US e-commerce sales took place through Amazon’s platform. However, it is not all rainbows and sunshine. Ecommerce is a delicate platform to master. A single feature or flaw could turn off consumers from using the platform. Statistically, 38 percent of people make their decision to use a platform based on an attractive layout.
Ecommerce platforms need to strive to keep the audience engaged on their platforms. They need to constantly add new features, tools, and layout designs. Industry analysts predict that by 2020, 50 percent of all searches will be image or voice-activated. Ecommerce platform scripts are advancing in features. That means e-commerce platforms are advancing in technology. But how do you decide which scripts to incorporate on your platform?
7 Tips to Select the Right Ecommerce Website Scripts
Website scripts are a list of commands. These commands tell the program what to do. They are written in a scripting language like PHP, JavaScript, or Python. Scripts are used for a variety of functions. From Macros to simulate user actions on a web page, like clicking buttons on opening menus. To other functions like process forms, keeping customer count, or performing queries.
- Know Your Audience
- Decide the Features You Need
- Check Platform Compatibility
- Look at the Price
- Analyze the Added Value
- Asses the Marketing Capability
- Don’t Go Overboard
#1. Know Your Audience
Before deciding which scripts to use, it is important to think about your audience. Your e-commerce platform will only be successful if it is used by your target market. So when you are deciding on what features to incorporate, base it on your audience.
Consider if your e-commerce platform is targeted to businesses or direct to consumers. Because both would require a specific set of scripts. You should explore your target consumer profile even further. By developing a detailed consumer profile, you can get a better idea of which scripts you should incorporate.
#2. Decide the Features You Need
Once you know exactly who your target consumer is, you can start going over script options. There are hundreds of thousands of scripts available. Some are basic features, but others are more advanced. And can be very specific. You need to decide which scripts you want to incorporate into your platform.
#3. Check Platform Capability
Scripts are programming language commands. And there are many programming languages out there. So you need to see if the script you want is available in the language that you need. Usually, you will be able to find the script for a feature you want in multiple languages. But the developer might not be the same. Always try to use trusted developers. But if you have to use an untrusted source, then there is no harm. To be safe, just get the script checked once by a professional.
#4. Look at the Price
Most basic scripts are available for free. But sometimes you may need a specific script that might have a premium. If you try, you can find a similar alternative to premium scripts for free. But only use cheaper alternatives, if you trust the source.
#5. Analyze the Added Value
Every feature adds value to your platform. The more features you include, the more value you create for your consumer. This is great when the scripts are free, but not so much when you have to pay. So it is important to analyze how much value the script would create for you and your consumer.
#6. Assess Marketing Capabilities
One of your key tasks is to market your e-commerce platform. There are some website features that you can use to attract consumers. So when you are deciding on scripts, also consider their marketing value.
#7. Don’t Go Overboard
When you have so many choices, it is easy to go overboard. But offering too many features can have a negative impact as well. You don’t want to overwhelm your consumers with features that they might never use.
Conclusion
Technology has changed the way we live today. Ecommerce platforms would never be available to us without technology like Frontier FiOS internet. But ever since they started, they have been growing in popularity. And the future looks even brighter. That is why many businesses have started e-commerce platforms.
