Consumers and businesses are eyeing the eCommerce industry. Online sales grew exponentially in the last few years, especially during COVID-19 phase. This was the time when consumers had to shop online because everything else was closed. Even though malls and shopping arcades have opened up again, people are continuing to buy their groceries, clothes, shoes, medicines, and other essentials from online stores. The on-demand service marketplace script is the platform where all the businessmen and entrepreneurs are starting their business and it’s growing each year. Since there is an increase in online sales, businesses should add a user-friendly shopping cart to make the whole paying experience simpler.
The question is - How do you select a shopping cart software for your business? In this article, we will give you the much-needed advice on how to select a shopping cart software. Read on to find out more regarding this subject.
What’s a Shopping Cart Software, anyway?
A shopping cart allows you to manage a lot of errands - removing and adding items to the cart, managing inventory, calculating taxes, and everything that needs to be done to fulfil orders smoothly.
Hold that thought!
Shopping carts can do much more than just managing these errands. They are also helpful in allowing customers to add discount or promo codes. This is also the way through which consumers check the different payment methods available on the site.
Shopping cart software makes everything easy, especially the transaction part. It also offers a user-friendly experience to those who visit the site. Consumers can add and remove anything they like and even change their mind about the sweater they don’t need anymore. Perhaps they found a jacket at a better price and now wish to add the discounted item instead of the high-priced item.
A reliable and efficient shopping cart software makes the user-experience pleasant and easy. That’s why you need to pay close attention!
The Two Types of Shopping Cart Software
There are two main types of shopping cart software. It’s determined on the basis of how it is hosted.
The first type of shopping cart software is - HOSTED SHOPPING CARTS.
An eCommerce vendor owns, upgrades, and maintains the shopping cart. They take a monthly or an annual fee in which you get the core features. Shopify uses a hosted shopping cart software.
The second is self-hosted shopping carts. These are open-sourced, so it requires merchants that host the site on their own. If you need enhanced functionality, it can be bought through a third-party subscription. The upfront cost is low and there are some customization options too which makes this an appealing deal, but both the types of shopping carts have their own share of negatives and positives.
You also get built-in software solutions, but always check the features before putting all the eggs in one basket.
So, it’s important to choose the shopping cart software wisely. Do not be in haste to get one - read this entire article to make a wise decision.
Why is There a Need For Shopping Cart Software?
If you have plans of starting an eCommerce business, you would need to include a shopping cart on your website. It makes the user experience a lot more friendly and useful.
The biggest reason you need shopping cart software is because it simplifies marketing. Moreover, management of products is easier when you have efficient shopping cart software. It drills down all the specifics even if you don’t have a lot of technical knowledge about the software.
So, it all boils down to how you should select a shopping cart software. Let’s find out!
The Four Important Features to Look For in a Shopping Cart Software
There are four things you need to look for in shopping cart software. These include:
- PCI Compliant and secure - Shoppers want a safe and secure experience when they put items in the cart and checkout. PCI-DSS compliance is standard and globally recognized. Vendors have to pass rigorous testing to earn this specific status. Moreover, SSL support is also required. It encrypts sensitive data and makes your shopping experience pleasant and secure.
- A Mobile-Friendly Software - If you are not providing a mobile-friendly experience, shoppers will find another site to shop on. A simplified and easy mobile checkout process is required to retain customers. You might want to add a few user-friendly payment options as well which includes PayPal, Apple Pay, and GooglePay.
- It should be easy to update - You want a shopping cart software that’s easy to update later on. If you want some new look or features, it can be updated smoothly without any stress. As time passes, your needs would change too. Any new features can be added if your shopping cart software is easy-to-update.
- It Should Be Customizable - Are the templates changeable/flexible? Can you change it later on? Can I build my own integration or is it fixed? Does updating require the help of a coding team? You must ask these questions and look for the features when selecting a shopping cart software. Ideally, it should be customizable because it provides flexibility to the site’s owner.
Summing up -
The decision of selling products and services online is indeed a major decision. If you want to purchase a shopping cart software - you have to figure out what and why you want to sell online. Once your goals are set, you can think of what kind of experience you want to provide to the customers. Do you wish to sell domestically or internationally? This will also help you decide the kind of features you want in your shopping cart software. Based on the goals you have, you must select the features. Does it support the payment method you wish to add to the site? If yes, you can go for it. But there are other things to consider as well. You may need a shipping rate calculation if it’s an international order. So, consider your needs and goals when selecting a shopping cart software and then go for the best one that fits the bill.