eCommerce Software Review

It takes a lot to get any small business going, and choosing the right eCommerce software package is just one of many steps. There are a few other steps every eCommerce site owner must take:

• Choose and register a website domain name
• Select a website hosting company
• Design a website
• Decide on a shopping cart provider
• Set up a payment gateway
• Arrange for credit card processing
• Open a merchant account
• Market, Market, Market! 

And all this must happen before you sell a single product from your eCommerce website. Getting the right setup typically requires purchasing products from five or more companies before you ever sell a single widget.

Now, imagine an eCommerce service that registers your chosen website domain name, provides you with easy website building tools, hosts your website, helps you apply for a merchant account, connects you to a shopping cart, a payment gateway and a credit card processing service, and helps you connect to such powerful marketing avenues as social media and Search Engine Marketing, all working together in harmony—this is the power of eCommerce software.

With the multitude of eCommerce software solutions available today, even choosing the right product can be a burdensome and time-consuming venture. Within this site, you’ll find articles on eCommerce topics and comprehensive reviews to help you make an informed decision on which eCommerce software is right for your business. Take a look at Volusion, Shopify and BigCommerce, our top-ranked products. At TopTenREVIEWS We Do the Research So You Don’t Have To.™

What to Look for in an eCommerce Service

There are many important attributes you should consider when purchasing software. Below are the criteria TopTenREVIEWS used to evaluate the eCommerce software we reviewed:

Feature Set
eCommerce services offer a variety of tools to get your eCommerce site up and running, properly maintain your site and maximize selling potential by helping you get familiar with internet marketing techniques and avenues. For the crucial Feature Set score we take into account all the features the service offers, including website building, shopping cart and payment options, reports, and marketing tools.

Ease of Setup
To start your eCommerce website, the eCommerce service shows you exactly what to do and how to do it. If the service does not provide you with all the necessary components to start your online business they should lead you to the services you need. For example, an eCommerce service that doesn't offer credit card processing should recommend compatible credit card processing services to make your set up easier.

Ease of Use
Once you get your eCommerce site up and running, it should be easy to update, maintain and get reports that are useful and customizable. A good eCommerce service is intuitive and easy to implement and simple to keep in good condition.

Fraud Protection
Superior eCommerce services offer you, the merchant, tools to prevent fraud. Examples include requiring customers to enter the CVV2 code printed on the back of most credit cards, having the option of making the customer enter their zip code for credit card transactions and processing your financial transactions over secure internet connections. Look for an eCommerce service that offers these and other fraud protection tools.

Help/Documentation
Good eCommerce companies are there to help you all along the way, from start to finish. Help can come in a variety of formats, including live online chat with service technicians, phone support, wikis, and even user/community blogs or forums.

With the correct eCommerce software, you can start selling your products online right away with minimal headache.