Electronic commerce (e-commerce) refers to the selling of products over the Internet, and e-commerce software is the engine behind these online stores.
E-commerce software is software that allows organizations, and even individuals, to sell online. At one time, e-commerce was all but out of reach for small businesses and individuals, due to banking regulations for online commerce and the cost of setting up a shopping cart. For this reason, many early online businesses simply advertised their products online, with the actual sales being conducted by telephone or through the US postal service.
A shopping cart is an essential part of an online retail store. Successful businesses use shopping carts whose performance is seamless and corresponds well with the company's online catalog, customer service desk, and payment processing gateway. When a transaction is not proceeding as expected by the customer, the likelihood is that the shopping cart will be abandoned prior to completion of a purchase.
Today, most web hosting packages come with a shopping cart, but the default package may not be the best one for a particular business. Online retails need to consider the type of store they are operating, the nature of the target customer base, and other preferences as to the sale of products or services, then decide which of several shopping cart options is the most appropriate.
Shopping cart software packages should allow the online retailer to track and manage product inventory, as well as fulfilling orders. The software package should maintain a product database, track sales, market to customers, and offer the option of a loyalty program or similar incentive. Turnkey packages are available that combine custom or pre-established shopping cart solutions with web hosting companies specializing in e-commerce, banks, and payment processors, as well as e-commerce fulfillment and warehousing operators.
As discussed, many web hosting companies offer e-commerce packages as a hosting option. These may include built-in tools or integration with open-source tools. This may require some work on the part of the new online retailer, who may have to set up a merchant account and payment gateway, then decide which e-commerce software solutions are best for the business they hope to be successful with. However, your business is unlikely to be successful if you require customers to mail a check or call you with their credit card information. Depending on the nature of the business and the customer base, this could work, but you will lose a lot of sales.
PayPal is an option that many small and medium-sized business use, and which larger business may include as a customer option. However, integrating a PayPal shopping cart with the fulfillment part of your e-commerce software can be tricky.
As more and more states are looking to Internet sales for state sales taxes, this is another matter that will need to be considered.
Costs for e-commerce solutions may range from free or really cheap to thousands of dollars a month, depending on individual needs and the choices made by the online retailer.
There are two types of transaction fees to be aware of while evaluating shopping cart and e-commerce software solutions. These are the ones that are charged by the shopping cart and the ones charged by the payment gateway. Payment gateway charges cannot be avoided, as whichever service you choose will charge a certain amount per transaction. Some shopping cart applications will charge a transaction fee for using the app, regardless of which payment gateway you integrate with. In this type of arrangement, the shopping cart vendor collects a percentage of each transaction before the payment gateway collects its fee. Read the small print so that you are not faced with unanticipated charges.
Some shopping carts will charge different rates depending on the amount of bandwidth you require. Online retailers who anticipate high traffic volumes may do best with an unlimited plan or a high bandwidth. Keep in mind that bandwidth charges can be impossible to plan for. Other shopping carts will restrict the amount of storage, limiting the number of product images that can be displayed.
Some shopping cart solutions are designed for the sale of physical goods, while others are better for digital products, such as e-books or downloads, and some are made for the sale of services. Some shopping carts allow for a trial period. This might be a good idea.
Security is hugely important. Make sure your online store and hosting provider offers a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate or can accommodate a third-party certificate.
In conclusion, before shopping for a shopping cart solution, consider the features that you must have on whatever e-commerce solution you decide on, as well as those that might be nice, but which you could live without.
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The web-based e-commerce platform allows retailers to manage and customize multiple online stores through a single admin console, from which store catalogs, products, orders, customer data, reports, and content for each store can be accessed and managed without multiple logins. Additionally, these stores may be marketed as multiple brands, with individual store layouts and brands, although inventory may be shared across stores. Its features, services, and pricing are set forth.
https://www.americommerce.com/
Founded in 1998, Auctiva was originally a desktop software product but is now a web-based auction management environment. Integrated with the US eBay and Amazon marketplaces, Auctiva provides a multi-channel selling experience for third-party sellers on both of these platforms, although eBay-only plan features are also available. Auctiva offers product and listing management, inventory management and syncing, automatic importing, catalog matching, and search engine optimization.
https://www.auctiva.com/
The Texas-based technology company offers a software-as-a-service (SaaS) e-commerce platform internationally. Its storefront design features include theme and checkout customization, mobile optimization, and WordPress integration, while its storefront conversation features may include coupons and discounts, merchandising, digital wallets, faceted search, and search engine optimization. Offering cross-channel commerce, B2B capabilities, and international sales.
https://www.bigcommerce.com/
Offering all the tools necessary to get a storefront up and running, users can easily add their products, set up a checkout system using PayPal or Stripe, and customize the site to have the look and feel of the brand, all without having to do anything complicated or time-consuming. No listing fees or commissions are charged except for the monthly charges. With three available plans, the number of products that can be listed depends on the plan selected.
https://www.bigcartel.com/
The UK-based software development company specializes in producing in-house e-commerce solutions, including its monthly subscription packages, of which there are three. Through the site, clients may design their site, using free templates, set up a catalog of products, access included SEO and marketing tools, tools for converting visitors into customers, set up a payment gateway, manage stock, decide between shipping options, security, hosting, and support services.
https://www.bluepark.co.uk/
Cardinal Commerce is a Visa company, offering Cardinal consumer authentication and Visa consumer authentication services, authentication being how the card issuer validates that cardholders are who they say they are. Authentication happens before authorization, and authentication with Cardinal happens nearly instantaneously. Using authentication gives issuers more confidence in the transaction. Cardinal also offers PSD2 Strong Customer Authentication.
https://www.cardinalcommerce.com/
ChannelAdvisor offers one streamlined solution to guide all of an online retailer’s critical marketing, selling, and fulfilling activities in one comprehensive e-commerce platform that collection product data once, then relies on that information to optimize performance across hundreds of channels, measuring results and breaking them down to help the retailer make better decisions. Its e-commerce solutions are highlighted, and some free e-commerce resources are available.
https://www.channeladvisor.com/
Affiliated with Wells Fargo Bank, Charge.com offers the full range of credit card processing services, online and offline, allowing businesses to accept all major credit cards, as well as checks by phone, fax, or online. Options include real-time processing with a virtual terminal, computer e-commerce software for PC or Macintosh devices, or an electronic keypad terminal. Its products include Internet processing software, electronic keypad terminal, and wireless credit card processing.
https://www.charge.com/
In business since 1994, Digital River is a private company that provides global e-commerce, payments, and marketing services. Its software solutions can be used to facilitate e-commerce order management, whether fulfilling physical goods or building recurring revenue streams, able to handle multiple item orders, returns and exchanges, and out of stock situations, as well as orchestration, fulfillment, and inventory management. Benefits, features, and information for developers are included.
https://www.digitalriver.com/
Providing business management software to small businesses, delivered on-demand via the web, on a free or monthly subscription basis, its integrated package can be used to run a company’s entire operations, from inventory control, sales, marketing, support, an online catalog, shopping cart and e-commerce tools, back-end order processing, and built-in UPS and FedEx shipping tools, through a shopping-as-a-service (SaaS) model. A demo is available.
http://www.fastcommerce.com/
FinancesOnline is an independent review platform for business-to-business (B2B), software-as-a-service (SaaS), and financial solutions. Its e-commerce section defines the term, offers tips on choosing the best e-commerce solution, gives examples, lists the key features of e-commerce software, as well as the benefits, and discusses the latest trends and potential issues. Several e-commerce software products are reviewed and rated, and links are provided.
https://ecommerce.financesonline.com/
With locations in Northville, Michigan, and Montreal, Quebec, K-eCommerce offers integrated e-commerce products designed for Microsoft Dynamics and SAP Business One, simplifying and accelerating online sales and offering mid-market businesses a complete omnichannel e-commerce platform suitable for business-to-business and business-to-customer models. Its products and services are outlined, along with its subscription-based pricing plans, and other resources, including a demo.
https://www.k-ecommerce.com/
Offering a software system to manage online sales, including integrations with Amazon, eBay, Newegg, and the client’s Kyozou web store, supporting the stocking of multiple warehouses, inventory management features, multi-channel listings, and shipping with several carriers, including FedEx, UPS, USPS, and Canada Post, including discount integration, a shipping calculator, and auto shipment process. Promising an easy setup, using responsive design templates.
https://www.kyozou.com/
Loaded Commerce is a Florida-based company that offers two flagship e-commerce software products, Loaded Commerce Pro and Loaded Commerce B2B, available in monthly, annual, or lifetime licenses, with a small charge if you want the company to install the product. The features of both products are listed, with information about customization services, e-commerce web hosting services, and the ability to accept online payments. A lifetime maintenance service is available.
http://www.loadedcommerce.com/
The Florida-based company is an enterprise software provider for large retailers, wholesalers, and brands. With offices in North America, Europe, and Asia, it is a multinational corporation. Its cloud-based software solutions integrate features for retail analytics, merchandise management, demand management, order management, point-of-sale, e-commerce, customer engagement, and digital media. Its products and services are highlighted, and informational articles are included.
https://mi9retail.com/
Affiliated with Digital River, MyCommerce is a global platform that sells software and digital products online through software-as-a-service (SaaS) technologies, providing a turnkey solution for online software retailers. Featuring a cloud commerce platform, the system includes a merchant account, localized checkout experiences, subscriptions and monetization, data security, global tax compliance, fraud protection, and payment gateways, each of which is highlighted here.
https://www.mycommerce.com/
Based in Port Orange, Florida, and Boulder City, Nevada, Orange Manager is an e-commerce management system with built-in shipping and business tool, able to easily integrate with multiple e-commerce platforms and marketplaces, print shipping labels, manage orders, handle customer service, review tax reports, issue refunds, track orders, and help manage other aspects of an e-commerce business. Its features, integrations, and pricing are highlighted, and comparisons are made with other plans.
https://www.orangemanager.com/
Available as free software under the terms of the GNU General Public License, osCommerce is an e-commerce and online store management software package that can be used on any web server that supports PHP and MySQL. Complete server requirements are stated, and the latest version may be downloaded from the site, along with community editions. Documentation, an online demo, and an apps marketplace were included, and both free and commercial support is available.
http://www.oscommerce.com/
Pace Commerce provides businesses with managed eCommerce products and services to generate leads, increase sales, improve customer loyalty and raise your company profile. Using our pay-on-results model ensures we are committed to improving your business, now and in the future. Our vast commercial knowledge, combined with the latest in technological developments allows us to provide your company with leading edge solutions.
http://www.pacecommerce.co.uk
Offering a single-vendor shopping cart software, or a multi-vendor marketplace platform, Purchase Commerce’s shopping cart software includes a variety of features, including advanced and proactive strategy reports, unlimited products and categories, analytics tools, order management tools, a quick checkout, adaptable shipping methods, customer management software, and an admin dashboard. The software is multilingual and includes an SEO-optimized URL.
https://www.purchasecommerce.com/
Offering custom e-commerce solutions for individual sellers, micro-businesses, and small businesses since 1995, the online e-commerce system includes a web store and website editor, allowing clients to build their website and store with the same editor or create one that links to an existing website. Professional themes are available. Products can be easily added to the store, which accepts several payment options, and the completed e-commerce site can be published to any server.
https://www.shopfactory.com/
Shopify is a proprietary e-commerce software platform for online stores and retail point-of-sale systems. Its designers had previously designed an open-source e-commerce product known as Snowdevil, launching its Shopify platform in 2006. Offering three monthly subscription plans, which are compared side-by-side, with the features and prices for each listed, and its Shopify Theme Store, hosting premium and free e-commerce templates, is introduced. Custom design services are available.
https://www.shopify.com/
TSYS is a Georgia-based payment corporation providing payment processing services, merchant services, and related payment services, as well as prepaid debit cards and payroll cards, and demand deposit accounts to the underbanked. TSYS was founded in 1959 as a division of Columbus Bank and Trust, becoming a public company in 1983. Its services and products are described in detail, general industry insights are shared, and client login is available.
https://www.tsys.com/
The US-based company provides software for on-demand parts, parts services, and data solutions for the automotive industry, assisting automotive dealerships and manufacturers in selling parts, products, and related services to consumers. TradeMotion’s Marketplace software provides seamless access to sell through proven channels, taking advantage of partnerships with leading marketplace providers to facilitate sales and increase exposure. Its features and support services are discussed.
https://www.trademotion.com/
Founded in 1999, Nexternal was acquired by TrueCommerce in 2015. Using a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, the company offers branded, custom-designed e-commerce stores, made to work with a company’s existing website, including responsive design. The system includes flexible business-to-business and business-to-customer ordering and has built-in customer relationship tools, order processing, and Amazon Marketplace integration. These and other features are highlighted.
https://www.nexternal.com/
Founded to provide a means for merchants to easily build and maintain an online store in 2000, Zoovy has grown to include integration with several well-known online marketplaces, such as eBay, Froogle, Amazon, and Shopping.com, and has also expanded to allow client merchants to manage more aspects of their e-commerce stores, including reporting, inventory, customer relations tools, and cross-selling features. The features of its integrated software system are highlighted.
https://www.zoovy.com/
In business since 1998, Zycus is a global provider of a complete source-to-pay suite of procurement performance solutions, its product portfolio including applications for the strategic and operational aspects of procurement, developing and marketing software in the procurement domain. Its software and software suites are highlighted, including strategic sourcing, a customer overview and client testimonials, training information, support information, and career opportunities.
https://www.zycus.com/
