
E-commerce is one of the fastest-growing industries and it is certainly making its mark on the economy. Some experts claim that it is only a matter of time before it becomes bigger than any other retail form.
If you happen to be selling goods and services or looking to start a side project which can bring you extra income, e-commerce is certainly the right option.
Before you start your journey, you will need to pick the right platform. This step is extremely important because it will be the cornerstone of your business. And while some individuals hire professionals who can do the whole thing from scratch, there is a much better alternative – picking either of the already established ones. Here are some tips to make the right decision.
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Think About Your Niche
There are certain platforms that are made in mind of specific markets. A good example would be print on demand. As it is one of the biggest niches in e-commerce, it is understandable. All you need to know about print on demand dropshipping is available on Printify.
Print on demand is not the only example. For those who deal with digital goods like e-books, pictures, music, etc. nothing beats DigitalOwl.
And there are plenty of other examples out there. If you are going to focus on a specific niche, find out if there is a platform which caters to your needs. Working on it would be much easier.
Look at Available Extensions

Some platforms have much better integration systems. In this regard, Shopify has a pretty well-rounded selection and that is one of many reasons why it is often considered to be the default pick. For instance, you could implement Oberlo – a marketplace with an incredible selection of products that you can dropship. ProfitIndustry has a detailed article in which they have Oberlo reviewed.
When picking the platform, do not forget to check if you can integrate:
- Accounting plugins.
- Apps for shipping.
- Email marketing tools.
- A reward program for your most loyal customers.
SEO-Friendly
Starting any website requires work, and if you are really serious about bringing traffic, you will need to focus on a lot of things.
Search Engine Optimization could be the key to making your business stand out, especially if you are working in a competitive niche. While the content itself needs to be optimal, there should also be abilities for picking your own domain name, writing a blog, and allowing customers to leave reviews.
Mobile Friendly

Instagram has recently announced that they will be allowing people to purchase products directly using their application. Such news should introduce an even bigger incentive for people to optimize their stores for mobile users.
An average person is certainly using Instagram, and if there is an option to buy, you know there will be plenty of individuals who use this feature.
But Instagram is just the tip of the iceberg. According to Statista, the number of users who prefer to browse the internet using a mobile device rather than the desktop version continues to increase. Moreover, there should be about 2.9 billion people worldwide who own a smartphone. These statistics speak for themselves.
Customer Service
When people visit your website, they expect certain features. The design of the site itself should be catchy and not too complicated. Loading speed also needs to be reasonable.
If you neglect these aspects, there will be no coming back. Instead of having to struggle, your potential customers will press the “x” button at the top-right corner and go look for another store.
Security
You should not be in any imminent danger, but a website is bound to get random attacks. On top of that, if things look sketchy from a perspective of an average internet user, chances are that he or she will not even think about using their credit card.
Sure, most platforms have a built-in safe checkout system for customers but it is never bad to double-check these things.
Prices

The final thing to look at is prices. It all comes down to your experience and expectations but never overpay for something that looks shady. At the same time, do not be a cheapskate because those guys pay twice.
To conclude, starting a business from zero is a tough challenge. And when it comes to e-commerce, things get even more complicated due to so many factors, one of which is the right platform. Nevertheless, after reading this article, you should be able to end up with a decent choice.
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