The world of e-commerce has opened so many incredible doors for businesses and entrepreneurs around the world. All you need is a project and a vision – and you can almost instantly start running a business that extends to customers all around the globe. And with recent events like the global pandemic, consumers are more interested in online shopping than ever before.
So, it should come as no surprise that e-commerce retail sales in the US alone increased by nearly 18% in 2021. While that number may not sound overly significant, this actually equates to $933.3 billion!
While this means that there are plenty of opportunities for sales and increased revenue, competition is also higher than ever. So, your company needs to stand out to attract customers – but how? Brick and mortar businesses often rely on their storefront to attract customers who are unfamiliar with their company. Since your website is your online business’s storefront, could getting a custom e-commerce site be the solution?
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Offer the Features Customer’s Actually Want
When you first start an e-commerce business, one of the first steps is to create a website. There are many hosting services out there that proudly boast that you can launch your site in just a few clicks, thanks to their library of templates. While these e-commerce hosting sites can help you put up a site quickly, you’re quite limited in your options. Your website will also look similar to other stores, which could cause concern from customers.
Further, while these build-your-own sites boast about having tons of plug-ins and add-ons, a lot of them are buggy. Many of the added features are also unnecessary, and they could even slow down your website’s loading speeds.
By opting for a custom e-commerce website, you have full control over the features that you offer to your customers. Which, according to the latest research from Clutch, are easy navigation, through descriptions, visuals, and updated designs.
When working with a custom website design company, you’ll be connected with experts who have their finger on the pulse for the latest design trends, too. But they still give you the power of what to add and how things are integrated into your site, such as rewards programs, express checkout processes, or customer account setups.
Custom E-Commerce Sites Work Better for Most Products
Generic website templates also place limitations for some businesses. If you run a more unique type of business or have an array of products or services, fitting it into a pre-designed website can be quite challenging.
For instance, if your product is highly customizable, your website needs to be personalized, too. You’ll want consumers to be able to diversify their shopping experience to learn more about your product or select various options. A custom e-commerce website design comes in handy with this type of business model.
The same goes if you’ve got an expansive inventory. E-commerce sites that have a large wide variety of products need a website that helps customers easily sort through. Generic product pages may not be as easy to navigate if you’re listing hundreds of items. With custom web designs, you can create your own category pages and filtering system based on variables and features for the products you offer.
You Can Easily Integrate with Back-End Software
If you use back-end software such as an inventory management system or customer profile program, you need a website and works easily with this software. Again, some generic e-commerce sites may offer this, but their integrations are severely limited. Is it really worth switching over your entire system to one they offer just so you can have it integrate with your site? Probably not.
Custom website design services can help you build a site that naturally meshes with the back-end software your team is already using, such as:
Live Chat Enablement – When customers need help or have a question, they want an instant answer. As an online business, it’s very difficult to have a 24/7 customer service team so having a live chat option is ideal – and preferred by 46% of online customers. You can integrate your customer service software system so customers can connect instantly with your team or be connected with virtual assistance tools.
Accounting Software – Stay on top of your sales and revenue by integrating your website directly with accounting and invoicing software. This not only makes it way easier when it comes to paying your taxes, but it will give you accurate data reports to track your business’s progress.
Customer Databases – If you want to collect and store consumer data, you’ll need to use a customer database program. These should also be integrated into your website so that key data points will be automatically transferred and shared with your sales and marketing teams.
Custom E-Commerce Sites are More Secure
All websites today run the risk of a multitude of cyber threats. In 2021, there were over 5,200 confirmed data breaches and nearly 7 million new phishing scams created. And unfortunately, things are only going to get worse as technology advances.
E-commerce sites are often the focus of bot attacks. Bad bot traffic makes up over one-fourth of all online traffic these days. If these bots infiltrate your website, it could compromise its security and Google may flag it as deceptive or suspicious– sending customers running.
Creating a safer website needs to be a top concern when building an e-commerce store. Your website needs to be as secure as possible to not only protect your business, but you’re your customers.
Custom developers will ensure that you meet the latest compliance standards for credit card processing and firewalls. Full-service website design companies also offer web hosting, which includes key security features like SSL certification, firewalls, and auto-updates.
Custom Building Your Site is Faster and Cheaper than You Realize
One reason many e-commerce business owners shy away from a custom website is the fear of the upfront cost. Building a custom e-commerce website sounds expensive – and time-consuming. But when you work with the right design company, it isn’t.
Watermark Design is a full-service website design company that has helped businesses in Minnesota; Maple Grove, Elk River, Plymouth to Fargo, ND and Rockport, TX that specializes in e-commerce platforms. We’ve created hundreds of personalized websites for online businesses with competitive pricing options based on your business’s size, needs, and budget. Plus, depending on the scope of your project, we can complete your entire design within just 4 to 6 weeks!
Want to Learn More about Building a Custom E-commerce Website?
If you’re ready to create an e-commerce site for your business that stands out from the crowd, reach out to Watermark Design to schedule a consultation with our team or request a web design quote.
Our team will sit down with you to discuss your website goals and vision and create a plan for your unique, custom site. Plus, we do so much more than just design – we also offer hosting, maintenance, logo and graphic design, and even domain registry.
Contact us today to learn more!
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