INTRODUCTION
Ecommerce management tools can give you the freedom to grow your business without spending too much time managing it. Scheduling promotions, tracking inventory and monitoring profit margins are just a few of the tasks you can automate through one (or multiple) of these handy tools.
Everybody wants to improve their ecommerce store. Some people do this by reading about it. Some by taking courses and others yet by trying out different methods and tools that claim to help you with your ecommerce store. I’ve tried a lot of these and compiled a list of the most helpful ecommerce management tools I have come across.
What is E-commerce?
What is E-commerce and what is E-Commerce business?
E-commerce: buying and selling of products through an electronic medium – like the internet.
Today, when someone refers to e-commerce they are mostly referring to the buying and selling of products over the web. However, any transaction that is completed through electronic measures is also considered to be e-commerce.
E-Commerce Websites
Who’d have thought that computers would be as important as they are today? You can be bet your bottom dollar that most companies are taking full advantage of all the internet has to offer.
E-commerce, or electronic commerce, is the use of internet technology to trade products, services and pretty much anything else you can think of.
Types of E-Commerce
There are three main types of e-commerce: business-to-business (websites such as Shopify), business-to-consumer (websites such as Amazon), and consumer-to-consumer (websites such as eBay).
Here are some E-commerce examples…
Business-to-Business
Business-to-business, or b2b, is the practice of selling online from one business to another, in other words, wholesale.
Business-to-Consumer
Nowadays, a lot of e-commerce is b2c, as it’s easy for businesses to target specific consumers online. Businesses are able to put their products online, allowing the consumer to purchase the products in the comfort of their own home, saving them some precious time.
Consumer-to-Consumer
Remember that shirt you bought? You didn’t have time to send it back to the retailer to return, so where did it end up? At the back of your wardrobe, never to be worn by you.
Why not sell it on? Thanks to websites like eBay, you, the consumer, are able to upload images of the product and sell it on to others that may be interested in buying it.
What are the benefits of using e-commerce alongside your current strategy?
Going, going, gone!
Selling on the web is quick and simple. Many people disregard buying products if they know they need to travel to the store to purchase it.
However, if they know they can stay on the sofa, sipping a cuppa, buying products that will be delivered straight to their door, they’re more likely to part with their money.
Fashion retailers are just one example of how quickly products can sell online. For example, if a customer can’t find their size in a particular store, they’re encouraged to go online.
Here are 7 business management tools that every small business owner needs to successfully launch and grow their online storefront.
1. An e-commerce platform
The first and most important tool for a successful e-commerce enterprise is the platform itself. Platforms such as Shopify and WooCommerce were designed specifically for e-commerce storefronts. These platforms come preloaded with a slew of tools and services to help you manage your business. Each platform has its own themes and included services. Pick the one that’s right for your business. (Are you looking for a storefront option where your internal team can order branded merchandise (SWAG), official print materials, and more? Mimeo has you covered. We offer corporate-branded storefronts via our Mimeo Marketplace platform.)
2. Digital payment processing systems
You can convert more business by making your products or services purchasable on your website. Thankfully, several third-party payment providers make online transactions trouble-free and easy to manage. PayPal and Stripe are two of the most popular solutions available today. Nearly all e-commerce platforms can integrate these payment solutions into their website infrastructure.
3. Email marketing platforms and print marketing
To let new and existing customers know about products, you can turn to email marketing. This is a great way to get the word out about your brand. MailChimp is an invaluable tool you can use to grow your email list and execute coordinated marketing campaigns. What makes MailChimp so great is its ability to automate many of your marketing tasks. It also helps to track abandoned shopping carts and send customer follow-ups automatically to maximize conversions.
Another effective way to spread the word about your brand is through direct mail. With direct mail, you can break through the constant digital noise and land in your target customers’ hands. Mimeo has been helping clients print and distribute captivating direct mail pieces for over 20 years. Our print solutions include postcards, flyers, brochures, catalogs, newsletters, and SWAG. Learn more about Mimeo’s direct mail printing services here.
4. Advanced analytics and tracking
Once your e-commerce site is up and running, you need to track and analyze all pertinent sales information for your company. Kiss Metrics provides behavioral customer engagement automation that helps you better understand the purchasing habits of your customers. Regardless of whether you’re focused on making more sales or increasing the performance of your website, Kiss Metrics’ website integration helps test valuable data points on your storefront to see what changes you should make to maximize efficiency.
5. Shipping service integrations
All online businesses need to have a solid understanding of how to handle their logistics efforts. Shipping service integrations through companies like Shipping Easy and Ordoro take the heavy lifting out of shipping quotations and label generation for your order fulfillment. Both companies are ideal for e-commerce businesses and can help automate order generation and marketplace fulfillment with high efficiency and minimal lead time.
6. Social media management solutions
Every successful company needs to maintain its social media presence. That being said, keeping social media profiles updated regularly is extremely time-consuming, especially for smaller teams. With the integration of social media management solutions for your e-commerce storefront, you can keep customers engaged while automating the legwork required to do so. HootSuite is one of the gold standards in social media automation, allowing you to access and post all your branded digital content in one easy-to-use platform. This platform is great for helping you organize your content and automate posts based on your editorial needs.
7. Customer relationship management software
Regardless of all the tools and services you use to benefit your e-commerce setup, nothing is more important than your customers’ satisfaction. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools have been around for years now, but Zendesk is by far one of the most popular tools in use today. That’s because out of all the customer service tools available, Zendesk concentrates on creating the best customer experience on your website while tracking those experiences through an extremely intuitive interface. In combination with a dedicated customer support team, using Zendesk can give your company a real competitive edge when compared to other companies’ lack of customer engagement.
Running an e-commerce business can be a great step forward for any small business owner looking to improve sales and brand awareness. With the use of these e-commerce tools and services, you can maximize your results online while ensuring the best overall shopping experience for your customers.
The Benefits of E-Commerce
The internet is so big; a vast array of products can be stored on it. Unlike a brick and mortar store, there is no limit to what can be stored on the internet. Anything from CDs to beds and sofas can be bought online.
As well as this, there is no limit as to how the products are bought. Many companies are turning to social media channels, such as Facebook and Instagram, to target specific customers and push certain products.
Using sponsored posts on your favourite social media platforms is a great way to increase your sales.
Not Workin’ 9 to 5
The beauty of the internet is that, providing you have access to a wifi connection, it’s available at any time of the day or night! So, if you’re target consumer is up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep, they could end up on your website!
Easy Like a Sunday Morning
It’s now easier than ever to put things online! The simple process is to upload a photo of the object, write a description and wait for the customers to come.
Of course, there’s more that goes on behind the scenes, especially with SEO to help boost your website, but it’s easy when you have help from a great team like ours.
All Over the World
One of the many wonderful things about the world wide web is that it is exactly that – world-wide! Whether you’re in South Africa, Australia or the U.K., you’ve got access to a plethora of websites to help satisfy your online needs.
Know It All!
With an online presence, it’s now even easier to find out more information about your customers. Free online tools, such as Google Analytics, lets you find out how often people visit your website, what pages they click on, how they’ve discovered your website, and much more!
As I said before, it’s completely free! And it’s one of the best ways to learn more about your customers.
Man vs. Machine – The Infinite Battle
Computers are able to store masses of information, available to almost anyone at the touch of a button; however, we, as humans, are prone to forgetting bits of information.
Therefore, having an online presence will help provide your customer with all the information they need to know more about your business.
Nowadays, the majority of customers like to do their research, so what better way to provide all the information they need? Not only does this allow them to make more informed decisions, it’ll free up a bit of spare time for you, too.
E-commerce Jargon Buster Download
If you want to know more about the world of e-commerce, or just brush up on the e-commerce jargon, download our Ecommerce Jargon Buster.
CONCLUSION
There are many external tools for running an online business and keeping track of everything is not always a straightforward process. Below you will find a list of the best eCommerce Management tools designed to make your life easier.
As an ecommerce business owner, one of the most overwhelming aspects of running an online store is how much there is to keep track of. From inventory, shipping, and order management tools—you’ll need as many different tools to manage your ecommerce business. Ecommerce management software replaces the pains of handling these common tasks through one place. Connect Shopify or another ecommerce platform to your software and let everything happen in a centralized location.