E-Commerce Development

E-Commerce Development FAQs

• What are e-commerce sites?

  Simply put, an e-commerce website is any site where a user can purchase something. Perhaps the most well known e-commerce site is Amazon.com, though e-commerce sites come in many different shapes and forms. The thing being purchased can be a physical item, like a book or clothing, or something intangible like a service or a hotel reservation. As long as money is being transacted on the website in exchange for a good or service, it’s an e-commerce site.

• How do I launch an e-commerce website?

  Luckily, several platforms exist to make it easier than ever to launch an e-commerce store. Once you’ve determined what you’ll be selling and you’ll need to choose which platform to use (see below). After that, the next steps include designing the appearance of your store (including any customization), adding the products for sale, and in some cases setting up a payment gateway. While e-commerce platforms guide you through a lot of these steps, experts are also available to help you launch your store.

• What are the different e-commerce platforms available, and the benefits of each?

  There are a multitude of e-commerce platforms to choose from, however the most common are Shopify, Woocommerce, and Magento. They each offer their own drawbacks and benefits. For instance, Woocommerce is great for small businesses, but it is a WordPress plug-in and not a standalone platform. Shopify is extremely affordable and easy-to-use, but doesn’t offer complete flexibility. Magento offers a robust platform with a lot of flexibility, but it may be more costly and complicated.

• When might I need a developer for my e-commerce site?

  Platforms like Shopify and Woocommerce make it easy for non-developers to get started with e-commerce. However, you’ll likely need to enlist the help of a developer if you want to customize the appearance of your e-commerce site beyond the templates offered, or if you’re going to migrate from one platform to another.

• Can I migrate my e-commerce site from one platform to another?

  After using one e-commerce platform for a while, you might decide that a different one would better suit your needs. This is entirely possible, but may present challenges, such as transferring all the data, avoiding search engine issues and 404 errors, and maintaining the appearance of your site. To help you achieve a smooth migration, it’s usually smart to hire a developer.