Business cannot rely on a friendly smile and helpful staff. Such attributes may keep customers at the counter, but online customers need to be addressed in a different way. That is why an integrated ecommerce software solution is a necessity for enterprises looking to master their ebusiness potential while also protecting their established services to customers at the counter.

Below are five main components that should be standard in every brand of ecommerce software. They range from website quality and expansion potential to mail and sale order software and back office intergration.

Simplicity of Design

The website that a business has is very important, with its design, features and usability all serving to form the impression that a site visitor has of the business. In fact, even if the customer can call into the shop, it is not strange for them to check out a website first. Think of a restaurant, when a prospective diner wants to see what the interior looks like and what the menu offer before deciding to book.

Therefore, the quality of the site is essential. Many potential customers are lost if a website is slow, confusing, poorly laid out or has badly structured content. Making navigation as simple as possible, and providing an aesthetically pleasing balance of both high quality content and images can result in significant increases in sales very quickly.

Scalability

Scalability refers to the ability to quickly and easily expand a website so as to add extra features as online traffic grows and the significance of the online sector of the business increases. Of course, sometimes it is a matter of necessity. For example, when a book store experiences a sudden jump in sales of the next hot children's fantasy title. This is why top grade ecommerce solutions worth their salt will provide the opportunity to scale up if and when the needs arises.

Stock, Sale and Mail

Of course, everything that happens online will have a direct effect on the business overall in terms of stock available, mail orders received and sales orders required. This can be the most complex part of running a business because of the logistics involved in shipping orders to customers and having supplies shipped in on time. The right software solution will be able to keep tabs on all three of these components, as well as offer recommendations on which items are running low. The aspect of non stock sales can complicate the matter considerably, but good software will be able to tackle this factor also.

Back Office Integration

While small businesses may enjoy less complexity administratively, there is no real advantage in turning to ecommerce solutions if the different departments of a large business are not integrated into one overall software solution. One of the great advantages of multichannel software is that it can take care of a wide variety of areas and allow the sharing of information more efficiently.

This is particularly evident, for example, in a multistore clothing chain where a jacket is not in stock in one store, but staff can order it from stock at another store. Back office integration means that administration is aware of every such transaction, and can also track orders, identify suitable warehouse storage and provide stock warnings, amongst many other functions.

Security Online

Obviously, when it comes to purchasing online there are concerns over security. Identity fraud is a serious issue, and the fact that a consumer is providing personal and financial information to a site, means they are vulnerable. Therefore, the ability to assure customers there is no threat involved in purchasing from them is a key factor. There are digital security certificates that should be sought to ensure that payment methods are protected, with several payment gateways and providers to choose from.

The range of ideal components for ecommerce software does not end there, but these five are amongst those required if the purchased software is to be the successful investment it was hoped to be.

Of course, every business has its own particular needs, and it is the owner that will know to what extend their sales order software or point of sale software is most suitable. Nevertheless, in the modern, internet savvy world, an ecommerce software solution is vital for competitiveness, efficiency and online success.