It’s been a long time since we have been talking about eCommerce websites. But what’s an eCommerce website? Let’s talk about the basics & take a look at eCommerce website features and functionality.
When you think of buying a shirt, decide to google for a shirt that fits your budget and is trendy!
So, all the search results that pop up allow you to buy shirts from the company’s website. Those websites are called eCommerce websites.
Any website that allows you to buy and sell is called an eCommerce platform.
Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal, and eBay are popular examples of eCommerce platforms. However, now, with the increase in the trend of online buying, many platforms are facilitating different types of eCommerce websites like B2B, B2C, B2G, etc.
What’s that? Let’s understand different types of eCommerce websites, their features, and functionality!
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What are the 4 Types of Ecommerce?
Before focusing on eCommerce website functionality and features, let’s understand the different types of eCommerce platforms in the market.
Generally, when we say eCommerce website, people will immediately associate it with buying and selling products, but it is one step beyond that.
The type of eCommerce is decided based on the buying and selling taking place among different parties. Does this sound confusing? Let’s take a look!
First is B2B, which stands for business to business. Here, the buying and selling of products is among two enterprises. E.g., the exchange or sale between wholesalers and retailers or resellers.
Then comes the picture of B2C type of eCommerce platforms wherein the exchange of business takes place between the company and customers. Just like we buy online from Amazon or Flipkart, it is a prime example of B2C. The competition is higher in the B2C segment of the eCommerce platform.
Next up is C2C, which is customer-to-customer. It is about the business between two sets of customers. eBay can be a prime example of customer-to-customer-centric business exchange.
Understand the differences between traditional commerce vs ecommerce with our guide that explores the benefits, challenges, and opportunities of both business models.
The Technology Behind Ecommerce Websites
Ecommerce websites require a combination of technologies to make it possible! The technologies that go beyond creating an online store website are not too simple, and therefore, getting the help of an expert is advisable. That’s when Softpulse technologies come into the picture. Softpulse technology has been helping many businesses to hold a strong stake as online business owners.
Let’s take a look at them.
Front-End Technologies
Whatever is displayed on your screen while surfing the online store is because of coding and programming that takes place on the front end.
Technologies like HTML, CSS, and Java come into the picture to lay a strong foundation for a visual representation of the eCommerce website.
Back-End Technologies
For backend technologies, languages like Python, PHP, and Node.js are used to handle the service, keep the database intact, and ensure the glitch-free functioning of the online store and the website.
The back end should be programmed glitch-free to get the desired output.
Online Store Creators
Many platforms, such as Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, and more, help build online stores. One can take the help of such online stores to get a pre-built online store to get started and make the customizations as per the requirements.
Other Key Technologies that play a vital role are cloud computing, payment gateways, cross-platform integrations, and more!
All these technologies are constantly contributing to making an online business website highly responsive and reliable and giving customers a great user experience.
Benefits & Features of an Ecommerce Website
The global market is ready to welcome online stores. Once your online store is ready, you can get benefits from customers across the globe and can sell the products cross-country.
The operating cost can be reduced to a greater extent, as there are no fixed operating costs for the office or other overheads.
Making the product accessible becomes easy. It also adds to the comfort of buyers; they can buy the products whenever they want and have them delivered.
The process is much more streamlined than offline business. Transparency is more important, and the factors for building trust are more important in the case of online stores.
Challenges of Running an Ecommerce Website
Competition is on the rise, and there’s no way it takes a back foot. Constantly increasing competition with big and small online companies or online stores is stealing the thunder of emerging eCommerce stores.
Customer acquisition and loyalty will always bother as it has a direct link with increasing competition. If your competitor is offering any product at a lesser price, then there is a high chance they will buy it from anybody else.
Convincing customers to buy from you is a tedious task and requires a lot of research. Many eCommerce platforms face the problem of a high cart abandonment rate. It is a difficult challenge to overcome.
Managing shipping and logistics is not easy. Whether the online business is small or big, managing storage and delivery of orders requires a lot of experience, storage facility, investment, and human resources to manage the business successfully. Moreover, managing returns or exchange orders is another segment of logistics.
Developing an eCommerce website that is customer-friendly and has a fast loading speed for a smooth customer surfing experience is a high-maintenance requirement and needs to be catered to.
Keeping up with technological advancements is also a challenge because online business owners will have to hire a learned talent to cope with new technologies.
A major concern of online business owners is maintaining cyber security.
Being on their toes to provide excellent and quick customer support is a challenge that eCommerce platforms face in solving customer grievances.
Future Trends in Ecommerce Websites
The trends that can not be missed by eCommerce website makers in 2025 are:
Thanks to artificial intelligence, we can expect online stores to come up with personalized recommendations, give a virtual tour with a better experience, and have more interactive chatbots.
The rise of technology can be blissful if voice commands can come into the picture and make online shopping experiences more delightful.
Ecommerce websites selling eco-friendly and sustainable products are on the rise. People are becoming environmentally conscious, and that’s for good!
Headless commerce can come into the picture on a larger scale.
Omnichannel Experiences can be expected on a larger scale as a trendsetter for online stores. Seamless online/offline integration, BOPIS, Click & Collect.
Focusing on better mobile-specific experiences will give customers more preferences, and therefore, online store owners would like to explore the option of developing customer-centric mobile apps for their Shopify or online stores.
Secured transaction and customer data is an aim that every online business should strive for in 2025.
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Conclusion
Here is the brief on online stores, different types of eCommerce platforms, and how they function! If you are planning to enter 2025 with a new-age eCommerce website, get in touch with Softpulse Infotech. When building an online website for the store, take no risk and trust the experts! They will serve you with the best that fits into your budget.
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