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If you are getting an ecommerce web site built, there are some features your site absolutely must have to be successful. Make sure your site has them and avoid a lot of pain and suffering further down the line. Unlimited products and unlimited categories It is important that you can add products and menu items on your own without having to resort to a web designer every time something needs changing. Also, you want unrestricted product numbers - some web designers charge extra based on the quantity of products you upload, and in some cases certain systems will have a maximum amount they can handle, meaning you might need an expensive upgrade if you go over. Content management Ideally you want to be able to change text on your website -- such as information about shipping charges, terms of business etc -- without having to rely on your Web designer to do it, who will probably charge you each time. To achieve this you need a built-in content management system which will allow you to edit text based pages without technical knowledge. Easy-to-use admin area An easy-to-use admin area is a must as you will be using it every day. You need to easily be able to see new orders, view customer details, add new stock etc and this should all be easy to do via your admin area or control panel. Comprehensive reporting You need to access a variety of reports on visitor statistics such as what items have been viewed etc so that you can make educated decisions on which new products to stock, what products you should get rid of etc. Accurate reporting gives you vital market intelligence which you can then use to really expand and grow your business. Newsletter and e-mail functions It is absolutely vital that you can keep in touch with your customers with the intention of encouraging them to buy from you again. You can achieve this by sending out special offers, product notifications, email newsletters etc. Make sure your e-commerce system has these email list functions included in it. Link manager You need to be able to add links to other sites without relying on your web designer every time you need a link added. Establishing link partnerships is vital ingredientl in obtaining good search engine rankings so ensure this feature is provided. Search engine optimisation Having mentioned search engines, another valuable feature is the ability to specify Meta tags for each product page you create. Meta tags are the "hidden code" that search engines use to determine what your page is about, so by making sure you can put the relevant keywords in for each product, you will give your site a huge advantage. Other features There are lost of other features that you can get in your website, such as specials section, bestsellers section, recommended items etc, so do think about what you may want in the future and ask for it to be included it now as it will be a lot cheaper than to get it put in later.
Article Source: http://www.philvault.com
Robin Porter is CEO of Arpey Internet which provides ecommerce web site design for small to medium sized businesses.
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