Launching Your Online Store: A Comprehensive Checklist

Launching an E-Commerce Site: Key Considerations

Decision based on the context of the company, available budgets, and technical capacity of the team.

Choosing the Right Platform: A Logical Process

1. Software as a Service (SaaS)

   Verify business model (e.g., Wix). These solutions are hosted by an external company that includes hosting, 24/7 support, software, and marketing tools. Perfect for SMBs.

2. Open Source

   Start personalization (outsourcing) (e.g., Magento). Solution to be implemented in customer’s servers. Almost all the big IT companies provide Open Source platforms for Big and Medium businesses.

   Considerations When Choosing an Open Source Platform:

   • Community size: private users and providers
   • Installation profiles: From scratch or add-ons
   • “Theming”: Personalization capacities and responsive design
   • Mobile apps: iOS and Android

3. Proprietary

   Evolution (in-house and/or outsourcing)

   • Personalization: Design, company integrations (CRM), external integrations
   • Power of existing IT department
   • Fear of external dependence

Creating an Effective Homepage

• An attractive design, in line with our brand territory and perceptions.
• We must distinguish at a glance what our unique value proposition (USP) is.
• It should help to find quickly what our user is looking for, without forcing a lot of reading.
• Reinforces trust with transparency in the information that most concerns your user.

The Crucial Need for Multichannel Presence

• Multiscreen: Not a single device, and every day new ones will appear.
  • Mobility: tablet & smartphone + new screens
  • Variety of devices, OS, and browsers made complex compatibility.
  • TV online on its way.
• Social: Ease to integrate socially.
• On / Off: Integration with the physical point of sales.

The issue… ALWAYS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN EXPECTED

Selecting the Right Platform: Key Factors

• Personalization level
• Skills for systems migration and/or integration with legacy systems
• Scalability
• Internationalization
• Marketing options
• Mobile integration

And don’t forget the word MULTI: Multi channel, multi devices, multi product, multi customers, multi data sources…

PLATFORMS, PAYMENT

Understanding Consumer Expectations

• Easy payments, mobile adapted, “one click”
• Trust in the payment media
• Buy now, pay later
• Fractioned payments
• Payment in their own currency
• Good support in case of issues

An eCommerce must propose the widest possible number of payments options to customers trying to cover their preferences.

The more convenient and more payment flexibility, the higher the sales.