If you’re in the market for setting up your own market (play on words intended), Shopify is a full-featured ecommerce option. They provide an entire suite of website creation and shopping cart software for online product selling and management solutions that make designing and customizing your eCommerce site a rewarding and profitable experience. Regardless of technological background or expertise, all potential online retailers are sure to benefit from the service.
A Powerful Wizard Streamlines Site Design
The process itself starts with a streamlined website wizard that walks you step-by-step through the entire process of setting up your site. Along the way, Shopify offers thorough, knowledgeable advice to ensure you end up with a complete eCommerce solution. This helpful expertise can be extremely valuable to new online store owners, saving them from common beginner mistakes and allowing them to benefit from Shopify’s extensive and successful eCommerce experience.
Whether using one of hundreds of templates (both free and paid styles are available) or your own custom design, the customization tools practically guarantee a unique finished product. This means your online store will be a great first step toward establishing the exclusivity of your brand. In a world of uber-competition and copycats, differentiating yourself could be the difference between getting lost in the crowd and being sought out for your originality.
Efficient Product Management Tools Save Time
Once the look of your storefront has been finalized, Shopify really starts to differentiate itself with incredible catalog creation and inventory management tools.
From adding product images to modifying product-specific details to adding compelling product descriptions, their online catalog creation software makes certain that store owners have the means to organize and build the most engaging storefront. In addition, Shopify’s inventory management system makes it easy to keep track of what is selling, with up-to-the-minute information that helps you make sure items are always in stock.
Obviously, the more products, the more chances of finding a winning item or combination of items, so finding an incredibly efficient system such as that offered by Shopify can significantly increase your ability to focus on other important aspects of your online business.
With everything building up to getting the sale, order management is, logically, another essential component in your long-term sales success. Whether referencing individual orders, or analyzing multiple transactions, all of the necessary details are right at your fingertips. This immensely valuable operational information can be used to make intelligent decisions about current focus and future goals.
Tools That Drive Traffic and Bring In Customers
After your web site has been built, the store has been stocked and the inventory and order management systems are ready, it’s time to start driving traffic. Shopify includes SEO and content management solutions to help with this.
First, your entire store can be connected to a Google Analytics account, allowing you to build and monitor keyword-specific online search engine optimization efforts. Considering that Shopify users are operating online businesses, this work is a must.
Second, Shopify includes a content management system that allows users to create and regularly update their blog to further reach out to and establish a relationship with potential customers.
Marketing Data Within a Few Clicks
Because the entire site is built on a well-designed database, client information is readily available and marketing campaigns are easy to design and monitor. Shop owners can quickly identify audiences by location, spend, and a wide variety of demographics, allowing them to target top customers, dormant customers, local customers, etc. They can also issue and manage coupons and discounts to drive additional sales or reward repeat customers.
Shopify’s marketing management system even allows users to import external lists to incorporate into their marketing efforts – all through a single, easy-to-use system. These marketing tools alone are worth the cost of the service, and other retailers have paid more for less.
Addressing Security Concerns
One of the biggest challenges to running an online store is security. Again, Shopify delivers, offering 128-bit Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encrypted checkout. Their service also includes a team of fraud protection specialists.
These standard features will go a long way toward helping shop owners build and maintain their customers’ trust. Thanks to round-the-clock monitoring and cutting edge security measures, all Shopify store owners can confidently reassure buyers that their precious financial information is safe.
Wrapping It Up With Exceptional Assistance
As if Shopify’s eCommerce solution was not complete enough in the tools it offers, they have also developed quite a reputation for supporting store owners who might, on the rare occasion, have a question that their solid-built process has not already addressed. From self-service FAQs, forums and a dedicated wiki to personal phone support, users are sure to get a resolution that leaves them satisfied and further along the path to retail success.
After reading this, you realize that there is a lot to think about when considering opening an online store. Fortunately, Shopify makes the entire process a lot easier, offering site design, store creation, inventory and order management, security and marketing assistance. So, if you’re ready to take the next step, it’s probably a good idea to head on over to Shopify.com to learn more for yourself.
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PS: The opinions and views presented in this review are solely those of the author. We strongly encourage you to try the recommended product/service to experience it personally.