Before You Implement E-Commerce, Read This Article

Whether you have been selling from a retail storefront or mail order catalog for years, or are opening a new business online-only, implementing e-commerce functionality for your website should be a consideration. More and more shopping is being done online, and not just for consumers – business are getting in on the action, too. But before you go jumping into the e-commerce pool with both feet, we have some issues you should consider to better protect yourself and your customer.

E-Commerce - Dynamic Quest

Content

Will you have product description templates, or will each one be written individually? Will you use manufacturer descriptions or write your own? What tone will your content take – friendly, professional, clinical, sales-y? Will you have content on your category pages or sub-category pages for SEO purposes? Are you permitted to use brand terms?

Pricing

Manufacturers and distributors do not want to be undercut, but you have to remain competitive. Will you have flat shipping prices, or will they be dynamic based on zip code? Do you have a mechanism in place to handle sales and discounts? Can you accept orders in other currencies, and if so will your prices convert?

Inventory Management

Are your stock management system and website going to be integrated live, or will updates be required throughout the day? Will the same stock feed your retail locations and traditional methods as well as your online store, or will they have separate inventories?

Fulfillment

Customers have come to expect unique order numbers, being able to track shipments online, status updates on orders, and expedited order options. You will need to address not only whether you will offer these options, but also how your e-commerce store will adapt dynamically to each of these considerations.

Payment

Which payment methods will you accept? There are a number of credit cards brands to choose from, as well as alternative pay options such as PayPal and Google Wallet. What systems do you have in place to protect customers from fraud? Consider ways to streamline the payment process.

Returns and Exchanges

Having your return policy clearly stated on your website is not enough. Customers want to be able to print their own return labels based on their unique order number, track the status of a return, and be updated on when they are receiving a replacement product or refund.

Customer Support

Websites operate 24/7, so support for those websites must operate in a timely manner as well. Phone operators can be expensive, but not everyone likes to email about their issues, or even has comfort level with email. Does your level of support match the convenience of your e-commerce store?

Online Security

Always consider layers of security, especially when dealing with online payments. Processing payments immediately means you don’t have to store credit card data on a server, and encryption adds extra security. Always ask, “Would I trust my information to this website, based on the unique knowledge I have of it?”

If this seems daunting, don’t worry – Dynamic Quest can help. Our team of developers and engineers has experience with a wide variety of e-commerce solutions, and will meet with you to discuss every available scenario. Doing the planning and research up-front will save you time and money down the road by preventing ordering mistakes and shipping nightmares before they happen.

Forty-three percent of attacks are aimed at SMBs, but only 14% are prepared to defend themselves (Accenture).

More than 33 billion records will be stolen by cybercriminals by 2023, an increase of 175% from 2018.

The three sectors with the biggest spending on cybersecurity are banking, manufacturing, and the central/federal government, accounting for 30% of overall spending (IDC).

The cost of cybercrime is predicted to hit $10.5 trillion by 2025, according to the latest version of the Cisco/Cybersecurity Ventures “2022 Cybersecurity Almanac.”.

It takes an average of 287 days for security teams to identify and contain a data breach, according to the “Cost of a Data Breach 2021” report released by IBM and Ponemon Institute.

40% of businesses will incorporate the anywhere operations model to accommodate the physical and digital experiences of both customers and employees (Techvera).

The internal team was energized. With the Level 1 work off its plate, the team turned its attention to the work that fueled company growth and gave them job satisfaction.

Large Healthcare Company

The average cost of a data breach in the United States is $8.64 million, which is the highest in the world, while the most expensive sector for data breach costs is the healthcare industry, with an average of $7.13 million (IBM).

We did a proof of concept that met every requirement that our customer might have. In fact, we saw a substantial improvement.

Steve Fout, VP Sales, Godlan, Inc

We did everything that we needed to do, financially speaking. We got our invoices out to customers, we deposited checks, all the things we needed to do to keep our business running, and our customers had no idea about the tragedy. It didn’t impact them at all.

Denise Koontz, CFO, Got You Floored

“We believe our success is due to the strength of our team, the breadth of our services, our flexibility in responding to clients, and our focus on strategic support.”

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