The mantra for e-commerce operations for almost all businesses should be “make it as easy as possible for an interested customer to complete a purchase.”  Some factors that determine how easy it is for site visitors to make a purchase include accessibility of the site (i.e. online marketing presence), how easy it is for users to navigate the site on a PC or mobile device, and finally how easy it is for users to complete a purchase via a checkout process.  Optimizing e-commerce has both internal components and external components.  Popular e-commerce software such as Magento can help streamline procedures and get e-commerce back to where it should be.

Critical internal components for business-specific procedures

Following optimal internal procedures can be especially important for small businesses given that small business typically have fewer margin for errors.  Consider the following internal procedures listed below:

1. Complete website optimization including back-end features such as automatic inventory management systems, CMS, and redundancies for important data should be in place.
2. Search engine optimization methods should be implemented for increase visibility.
3. Standardized shipping procedures and parameters should always be followed.

Critical external components that the public will see

External components e-commerce for small business can affect brand reputation, promote independent brand advocacy, and build brand loyalty.  Some of the most important external components to successful e-commerce are listed below:

1. Have high online visibility, and make it easy for customers to find your website or shop.
2. Have a quality landing page and a user-friendly website.
3. Have a user-friendly shopping cart and checkout system.

Online shoppers typically are drawn to online purchases due to the ease of completing a specific purchase.  Unlike retail environments, e-commerce lacks a number of real-life components that most people enjoy such as social interaction and instant gratification when receiving a product upon payment at a cash register.

Complete e-commerce solutions for small businesses

Many small businesses cannot afford to hire staff to continually program and reprogram online stores manually.  Investing in software such as Magento shopping cart can give small business owners a competitive edge by streamlining procedures with new and existing staff.  Magento has been a huge player in the world of e-commerce over the past few years.  In addition to providing mobile-friendly HTML5 templates for staff that lacks design expertise, Magento provides the opportunity for businesses to set parameters to make online shops more visible by Google Search.  Businesses based in e-commerce that lack site traffic probably lack optimal sales as well.   Drive ROI by utilizing all relevant Magento features.

Related: http://www.wpromote.com/seo/magento

How to put it all together

Internal components to e-commerce businesses often dictate the functionality of external components.  Successful e-commerce entrepreneurs typically focus on what they are passionate about.  E-commerce platforms and systems for customer acquisition often come secondary.  Investing in popular software such as Magento can further help streamline procedures for the e-commerce entrepreneur.  In the end, business owners should focus on running their businesses by utilizing available functions embedded in widely available e-commerce software such as SEO optimization settings in Magento.   Purchases should be as easy as possible for customers to complete, from finding an online store to providing payment.

About the Author
Dorian is a Search Analyst at digital marketing firm, Wpromote and has always had a particular interest in content marketing and coming up with creative ways to help businesses grow.

Image credit: License: Image author owned

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