All you need to know before developing an e-commerce platform

Published in

IndiaNIC

6 min readAug 21, 2020

‘E-commerce’ or online shopping as it is known embodies a concept for doing business online, incorporating a wide range of sectors like food, fashion, booking etc

The COVID-19 outbreak excelled to raise e-commerce sales by an astonishing 25% in March 2020 alone. Pushing small, medium, and large businesses to become online investors and demand IT firms for the development of e-commerce platforms.

Did it come to your mind to upgrade your business to online platform development in favor of your distancing forced measures? This blog is about all the basics you need to know before launching your e-commerce platform.

The importance of e-commerce platform development

In 2019, e-commerce was responsible for around $3.5 trillion in sales and is expected to hit $4.9 trillion by 2021.

Tackling generally the benefits of owning an e-commerce platform for your business here :

A Satisfying response the Customer needs faster, smarter, and at their doorstep!
Geo-Limitless promotion and permanent service 24/7
Adapting to the digital era: thriving among competitors
Enhance your Business Branding and make it fly to success!
Promote Authenticity through the power of reviews
Effortless marketing with the blessing of ads
Cost-effective and worth investment
No rent cost
Provide the Best way to communicate with customers through chatbots
helps in facing all kinds of challenges in an uncertain time.
Enables data collection and analysis for later use

Check more details about the importance of online shopping experiment

E-Models and their typologies :

Before developing an e-commerce platform you should be aware that there are three major fulfillment models in e-commerce determining the essential role of partie elements from retailer role, distribution channels to storage policies.

1.The dropshipping model:

It is a model with no actual physical possession of the products on sale. Business owners don’t keep hold of a stock of the product and don’t take part in the storage responsibility. Instead, orders are sent directly to the manufacturer, who is responsible for storing the items and shipping them to the customer. In this sense.

2. Traditional Order Fulfilment Model The traditional offline retail model is based on a stock acquired by the business owner directly from a wholesaler at a discounted rate, applies a margin onto each product, and decides to deliver to consumers directly.

3.Outsourced Fulfilment Model

It’s a hybrid approach using a ‘fulfillment house’. companies get commissioned to handle the product side of the business, on behalf of the retailer. Generally, speaking, they are responsible for collecting products from the supplier to the customer.

Latest e-commerce development trends

it’s important to stay ahead of the latest online shopping trends here are the top 9 must-follow development trends in e-commerce.

1.If you have to choose between Web and If mobile chose mobile!

Developing both mobile and web commerce platforms can be pretty costly so if you have to choose one option opt for mobile online shopping application development. According to users, they rely the most on Mobile First, Sometimes Mobile Only. Mobile payment facilities such as (Apple Pay, Google Wallet, Amazon Pay, Samsung Pay, Paypal, etc) make it easier without having to go around with the heavy computer.

Check IndiaNIC mobile development services for reference

2. Insert Animation

Oh yeah, the static screen is out fashioned! Using animation and movement on your website campaigns draws attention to specific details and engage viewers. 360-degree product videos and GIF are highly recommended.

3. Automation

The reliance and adoption of IoT and AIML solutions in e-business help automate several tasks in your business. For example, the automation of your customer service and fulfillment is no longer a question.

4. Artificial intelligence

AI application came to the best trend helping brands interact with customers: chatbots that are able to answer questions and facilitate buying and return processes This e-commerce trend provides massive value to busy consumers who demand immediate answers, regardless of the time of day or the platform they choose to contact a company. AI allows e-commerce businesses to support customers on all platforms simultaneously.

5. Augmented reality and virtual reality (AR and VR)

With augmented reality and virtual reality, controlling, redesigning, and changing your product before even buying became possible.allows you to deeply customize how individual users experience your brand.

6. One-click usage

Your e-shop must need no extra guidelines to be used. The user-friendly one-click approach facilitates the ordering process and enhances your user experience by satisfying busy shoppers.

7. Voice/image search

With the world becoming lazier customers are no longer into “tapping” their needs. Google Assistant and Alexa popularized in-voice search on mobile devices. Adapting a voice search in your e-commerce platform is 100% worth it as it dragged more traffic. And what is better than “i see it, I like, I want it, I got “ exactly what image search stands for enabling your users can research the availability of random items they saw in your stores.

8. Link your e-shopping to Social shopping

Famous visual platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest are ceaselessly improving manners by which online business brands can market to clients in organic ways.

In-application shopping modals can permit your clients to buy items without leaving their favored platforms advancing a more prominent feeling of trust and security for customers.

9. Model diversity

With the absence of the possibility to touch the product, e-commerce relies on visuality and presentation.

An S figure can no longer do the job. Customers need to feel pictures presented so that they appeal to them. That’s why e-commerce tends to use models of different sizes, colors, conditions making it more “real” by using models who look like real people.

Rock your website/mobile app appearance

A poorly designed website/app will get you nowhere honey !!

E-commerce domain relies a lot on appearance. without a great design, no one will think of buying from you as is psychologically customer judges by the first impression and it is a prove of poor quality and taste that could lead to lower sales

That’s why online fashion stores put a lot of thought into their online appearance.

After knowing all of those details what are you waiting for to develop your own e-commerce platform? contact the right development firm and enjoy being part of the fastest growing industry!

Take a look at IndiaNIC offered solutions for e-commerce for reference