Addressing the 10 key concerns about e-Commerce – Are they holding you back?
E-Commerce is a very broad industry, touted as the future of retail. There are lots of benefits to e-Commerce; you expand your sales channel, you increase customers and therefore your sales, you are capable of business 24/7, there are lots of automated processes saving you time and money, and the list goes on. Yes, there are many benefits to incorporate e-Commerce platforms as a part of your business systems, but that’s not to say it doesn’t come with some concerns. These are valid concerns and are not meant to discourage you. This is just a way to cover all your bases because venturing into e-Commerce requires you to do your research.
The solution to ease these pain points is in the e-Commerce platform. Make sure it solves your problems and eases your stress instead of adding to it.
1) Protecting your Webshop and Customers
Security and privacy are the most basic concerns when it comes to e-Commerce. When you have an online store, a lot of different transactions happen. There is the exchange of customer information, data, and financial information. How can you be sure that there is security for your customers (so they trust your site and therefore your company) and how can you prevent others from reaching your backend ERP system?
Make sure you take precautions when setting up your webshop and when integrating to your ERP system. Have multiple layers of security so you’re not vulnerable to cybercrime. Don’t risk your business and your customers’ information by having shoddy security for the sake of saving money – this is one part you do not want to skimp on. Also, with any security breach or hacking, like with the Heartbleed Bug that happened a while back, be transparent and notify your customers and other contacts immediately. Digital Vantage Point uses Microsoft technology rather than open source which keeps your site and all confidential information safe.
2) My site is slow and kind of broken…
When your website is slow, a lot can happen, and none of it good, like the loss of customers and sales. First of all, what is making it slow? There are number of factors that can affect the speed of your site and therefore affect how customers interact with it. If it takes several seconds to open a page or there are broken links, your webshop probably won’t get a second chance. Suddenly, business that could be yours is now at your competitor’s faster, and more responsive site. In a society where instant gratification is rampant, a slow webshop just won’t cut it.
A slow site can also mean poor processing capabilities. Your webshop should be both powerful and stable. Reliability is often overlooked, but it’s a very real concern. How quickly can an order be processed? Is there secure payment processing in place? How is everything managed? You want a quick and painless way for customers to do business with you. If you have a less than responsive webshop on a desktop, what does that say for mobiles or tablets? Customers may not be so patient.
3) There are so many orders! What do I do?
You’ve got orders – that’s fantastic! – but now what? What are your order processing capabilities? How is that managed on the back end? Do customers feel like they were taken care of? Was it easy for them to check out, track orders, refund, exchange, etc? Are special requests being fulfilled? This can also apply to suppliers and that whole network if you happen to be the middle person. What about shipping? Tracking orders? State return policies and any added fees clearly.
When you are successful in e-Commerce, you can expect a greater volume of customers and therefore sales. Are you equipped to manage this increase of business? Find a solution where you can review orders and their status before it affects financial data. With the proper management capabilities, you can fulfill customer order smoothly and efficiently with minimal stress. Win-win!
4) Integration is important…right?
YES! There are a ton of components in an e-Commerce website and they all must work harmoniously to ensure smooth business operations and a pleasant and engaging customer experience. However, not all components are meshed together easily. There are numerous add-ons and applications that can make integration very tricky, and thus stall your web business. It can quickly add up to big bucks and require a lot of time and resources to maintain. Read our whitepaper to see what other issues can arise.
At Digital Vantage Point, we know integration. It’s the core to a well-run webshop. Integration and how it’s done can make or break the business. It should be effortless and should add minimal load on the system or 3rd party systems forcing an integration. It goes from NAV to the webshop and back again easily. SmartPush Technology and Always Take Order™ are features specific to Nav-to-Net™ and ensure reliable service all the time with no lost orders.
5) Everything is moving so fast; I don’t want to fall behind!
E-Commerce, being in the digital age, is certain to change. There are always new technologies coming out, claiming to be bigger, better, and faster. Before you know it, your biggest pain point is being stuck with outdated features, design, technology, and much more. If it’s difficult to upgrade and change features, you will no doubt fall behind. As your business grows and evolves, your webshop should reflect that. Not just the look of your webshop but on the back-end as well. You need a solution that is scalable and flexible. What happens when your hardware and equipment and systems can’t take on the extra volume? When you prepare to go on an e-Commerce journey, expect to invest in ongoing change.
Nav-to-Net™ is scalable and flexible with lots of ways you can customize the look and feel of your webshop, without breaking the bank or your webshop. Check out the feature guide for more information.
6) Do I need all these systems and processes just for a webshop?
Running a webshop can require many systems and processes. Credit card integration, accounts, finances, inventory, order tracking, customer service, and the list goes on. It can be rather complicated. Having a simple to use but powerful solution that integrates your back end ERP system to your front-end webshop can help ease a lot of this pain.
Once again, tight integration is key here; it’s capable of solving many of your issues. Seamless integration and a robust e-Commerce solution that gives you control while automating processes are things you should look for. With shipping, order tracking, and the like, administrators can define how everything is processed in the back end, with lots of automation to simplify workflows. Sophisticated systems that make things easier for you are the things that you need, not disjointed add-ons that cost money and time.
7) There is more than one channel? What?
There are indeed channels, plural. E-commerce has expanded – it’s not limited to a desktop anymore. Different devices are used to shop, such as smartphones and tablets, and different marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay. It’s important to deliver the same experience to shoppers no matter where they want to shop. Responsive Design can be a game changer. Keeping the store updated with correct information is vital to providing a good customer experience. For example, don’t say something is available when it is not. With multiple channels, there is expanded reach and a larger customer base. It’s even more important in this situation to have your webshop completely integrated with your ERP system to keep track of inventory and orders.
Find an e-Commerce solution that allows you to take your webshop across different devices, accommodating all the unique shoppers and potential customers. Responsive Design is something to think about as well if you’re looking for multi-channel support as it enhances the shopping experience, delivering consistency and ease of use. Some e-Commerce platforms are also suited for marketplaces, like Digital Vantage Point’s MarketPlace Integrator™, providing seamless integrated management even on a larger scale.
Talk to us if you want to know more about responsive design and MarketPlace Integrator | sales@dvp.net
Multi-channel strategy in e-Commerce helps you target specific customers by providing them many options depending on how they choose to interact with you. It’s empowering for the customer and could mean repeat business. While being accommodating in this sense, expand it to the rest of your e-Commerce strategy. Nav-to-Net™ offers multiple catalogs and websites as well as multi-language and multi-currency capabilities.
8) Outdated systems – I want something new!
Your webshop is ultimately one of your best sales tools so by failing to invest in it, you’re seriously limiting your business potential. Be sure to choose systems that can be updated and will stand the test of time. The technology you choose to use should be cutting edge and innovative, but ultimately simple for you to use and always relevant. Having all these systems talk to each other is another challenge so integration is key. Having powerful technology that is user-friendly can do a lot for your business as you can leverage it to suit your needs. Microsoft Dynamics™ NAV and our e-Commerce solution Nav-to-Net™ stay on top of things and has the ability to grow with your business.
Learn about investing in your webshops here: B2B | B2C
9) If my business grows, can my webshop even handle it?
When you invest in your business by choosing e-Commerce, you can expect sales and growth. But after it grows and you’re dealing with more orders and customers and just more volume in general, it’s a growing concern that your equipment, hardware, network, and e-Commerce solution cannot keep up. Will you have to invest in new things to handle the scalability issues? What are the current limits? If our business really takes off and the traffic to our site increases, we don’t want it to crash. Is the integration and synchronization still going to be there and just as good when volume increases? These are all questions you have to ask yourself and some things you should look for when choosing an e-Commerce solution.
10) How can I tell if I’m doing something right?
It’s important to know what works and what doesn’t in your business, otherwise there’s no rhyme or reason to it. We can’t expect to succeed if we don’t know what’s going on. Analytics allow greater insight into the business by keeping track of revenue, marketing ROI, sales, downloads, etc. With this information at your fingertips, you can make changes to strategies on the fly and make timely business decisions. Big data is a trend that will stay for a while. Look for a solution that offers reporting capabilities as well as 3rd party analytics like Google Analytics to add even more value to your webshop.
The information gleaned from analytics can also be used to increase sales by understanding your customer. With automated processes, you can run reports on what items are the most popular, engage in upselling and cross-selling practices to customers, and much more. Find ways to increase average order size to gain more sales. It’s not just about getting new customers; it’s what you can do with your most loyal customers.
An advanced e-Commerce solution, like Nav-to-Net™, that addresses all of these pain points is a great investment. In this highly competitive and fast-paced e-Commerce industry, you need a strategic plan and the tools to succeed. Having a feature-rich and fully integrated solution that leverages your existing ERP technology can be a huge advantage, allowing you to focus more on growing your business rather than the distracting details of managing a webshop.
Nav-to-Net™ is a serious problem solver. Request a demo or talk to us today about how we can help you achieve your business objectives.
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