Types Of eCommerce Software

When deciding on which eCommerce software to use, you should consider whether you wish for your store to be hosted internally or use a SaaS (Software as a Service) solution. Before eCommerce solutions, businesses and online stores sold their products with the help of an on-premise software solution, which had to be installed or set up in-house.

Ecommerce software as a SaaS solution means that your online store can be set up on a platform that grants access to your store dashboard and interface through a web app on your browser via cloud servers or a mobile app. You can also choose a hosted or cloud-based software solution.

Nowadays, businesses and online stores can choose the type of solution they want for their eCommerce website based on their requirements. They can now choose between many options for their eCommerce software:

On-premise eCommerce software

On-premise eCommerce software needs a dedicated, onsite team to provide maintenance and manually monitor and work on updates. The solution is installed on the business's own servers and hosting is provided there, with an internal team that handles all troubleshooting and general maintenance on servers.

On-premise solutions provide users with more space for hands-on management and are more suitable for larger businesses with the capabilities and hosting infrastructure to handle an in-house solution. Although on-premise software gives greater control and security over your store, they require more maintenance and infrastructure and aren’t as scalable as other options.

SaaS eCommerce solutions

eCommerce software can be used as a SaaS solution, which is ideal for businesses that do not have their own IT team, small businesses, and medium- to large-sized enterprises. With a SaaS solution, users pay a monthly fee for access to their store. SaaS solutions allow for low-cost maintenance, integrated security, and integration with other platforms that you may use such as Mailchimp or any CRM software.

This type of solution would be more suited for a business that wishes to sell a selection of products online using an integrated theme and service. SaaS solutions are usually designed through themes and locked code, meaning certain features cannot be customized to the desired level. However, they include many features that can allow for greater flexibility and control over the look and design of your eCommerce platform.

Most SaaS software is hosted on cloud-based services, making them highly flexible, convenient, and agile. They’re ideal for organizations or stores of all sizes—from small businesses to mid-market stores and large enterprises for B2B or B2C store management.

They allow for greater scalability, access to backup capabilities, integrated security, and customization tools to change the look and design of your store.

Cloud-based solutions can be expensive as they require regular maintenance from the provider and support if your store ever goes down, meaning you’re paying more for greater reliability on the uptime of servers. This could also mean less control over your store, as if their service goes down during peak or busy periods, you could lose potential sales.

Choosing The Right eCommerce Software

When choosing the right eCommerce software for your business, you should consider the level of control and flexibility needed, the features you need, and the budget allocated for the solution you require. Most eCommerce solutions offer key features and functions that should be in your store, including:

Product inventory, customer, and order management

Your store should have a section where you can control your product inventory and easily manage, modify, and customize product listings and pricing. There should also be a section that allows you to manage and view customer orders, view customer profiles and information, and get an overall view of your business operations for an improved customer experience.

User-friendly interface

Most eCommerce software solutions have a user-friendly interface, meaning any member of the business or store’s sales team can easily monitor and manage the platform with minimal training.

SEO integration

Search engine optimization is essential for all online businesses and stores, as with an efficient SEO strategy, more customers can find your website on search engines and through organic or paid search, leading to increased customer orders and reach.

Integrated payment gateways

Your software should provide a payment gateway, which allows you to accept payments from customers via credit cards, bank transfers, debit cards, and other popular payment gateways like Paypal or Square. The list of choices can be shown on the checkout page.

Shipping and tax management

An eCommerce platform should have features that automatically manage shipping costs, both varied and fixed rates. It takes care of all basic shipping details including the shipping labels, addresses, and integration with inbuilt or third-party shipping and delivery providers. In addition, the software should calculate the relevant taxes for your product.

Cart management

Most eCommerce solutions allow for visibility and maintenance of a customer's shopping cart, which calculates total and shipping costs for the customer, as well as allows them to remove or modify their order from the checkout page. Your software should also allow you to contact customers who abandon their shopping cart with promotions through integrations with third-party applications.

Managing a successful online business or store is more than just choosing the right products and listing all of them in your virtual shop. It requires the same commitment, planning, analysis, and strategy that you apply when running your business. You should also consider how your online store can help your business grow:

Software that will help your business grow

An online store can help grow your business through greater reach and visibility online. You should consider a solution that offers inbuilt SEO functions, marketing integrations, and key features that will help grow and scale your business online.

Software that will keep your customers engaged

Your solution should include features that help keep the customers interested and engaged so that they become regular customers. With an efficiently designed eCommerce platform, you can create a greater customer experience, higher levels of satisfaction, and a better online profile for your store.

Software that is cost-effective and within budget

You should consider your budget when choosing the appropriate software for your business. Some hosted and cloud-based solutions can be expensive but offer better features and functionality, whereas SaaS solutions can offer less control with similar features at a lower cost. The size of your business and desired scalability should also be considered.

Software that will help achieve desired business objectives

Each eCommerce software solution is different, but all are dedicated to making online store management a seamless, efficient, and automated process. Choosing a solution that will help your business reach its objectives and goals is the easiest and most efficient way to ensure its effectiveness.

eCommerce Software Benefits

Using an eCommerce solution can bring many benefits to your online business, including:

Setting up your online business

eCommerce solutions can use a website builder to help with the initial setup and design of your online store. It has different themes and designs, plus guides on how to set up product listings, set up checkout pages, and optimize your page for SEO purposes. This can save you time, money, and resources, as setting up a standalone online store can take longer and involve technical knowledge that may not be available, especially for small businesses.

24/7 uptime of your store

As your store is being hosted on a server or SaaS solution, it means your store can be available 24/7 and have access to a worldwide audience. Also, most solutions guarantee 99.9% uptime, meaning your business can operate on a daily basis without interruption.

Larger market audience

Since products and services are sold online, the business and the store can operate in a global market. As such, there is no market limit—anyone from anywhere can purchase from your shop.

Additionally, you can sell as many products as you want because you do not have to consider the physical area or space. You only have to categorize your products properly so they can be easily accessed by customers.

Save money, resources, and time

Managing and running an online store is more cost-efficient than operating a brick-and-mortar store, as you do not have to rent a space for the shop, pay monthly utility fees, and hire staff to operate the shop. Even with a monthly fee, an eCommerce platform is still more financially practical.

Payment gateways and shipping options

eCommerce solutions provide customers with many different options to pay for their purchases, as well as integrations with other popular payment methods and features that automatically convert and calculate exchange rates so the customer pays the right amount.

Customers have the option to choose shipping and delivery details for delivery worldwide. Also, eCommerce solutions can integrate international shipping if necessary and use features to direct a customer to the correct page based on their location.

Improved marketing

With in-built marketing tools and integrations available, online businesses will find it easier to attract and engage customers. Marketing tools and strategies like SEO, keyword analysis, reporting, and data analysis can be used to generate and deliver marketing campaigns for specific audiences and provide discounts for customers.

Higher customer satisfaction and engagement

eCommerce software makes the customer experience of shopping more impactful and engaging, leading to better customer satisfaction and service for your audience. Everything is easy and efficient for customers, further increasing sales potential and total spending on your website.

Overall, using eCommerce software is essential for any business looking to set up and successfully operate an online store.

Common Features of eCommerce Solutions