What Customers Don’t Like About Shopify: Not for the Big League
( The Best Web Hosting Service )- If you’re thinking of setting up an online store, you must realize that an Ecommerce platform is a necessary component to get it going. And you’ve most likely also heard of Ecommerce websites (like BigCommerce) that power online stores and provide everything that’s required to start and run an online business. These websites offer Ecommerce solutions to assist even those with little to zero knowledge of programming and lack the technical savvy to figure out the intricacies of operating online stores.
One such Ecommerce provider is Shopify; a fully hosted shopping cart that claims to be one of the highly-regarded names in the industry. Be that as it may, it may be of great interest to you to be aware of some issues that Shopify have to either change or adapt to. Let’s cut to the chase and get a glimpse of what customers don’t like about Shopify.
Over-Simplicity Plus Minimalism Gone Too Far Equals Inconvenience
It would seem that Shopify only have features meant for novice customers. If you are simply starting off or are relatively new in the business of selling your products online; Shopify may meet your expectations and needs. However, if you’re seeking something more beyond simple features, Shopify is definitely not the answer to your Ecommerce needs. There are far too many missing aspects – vital features such as currency converter, contact forms, section for recommended products, saving wish lists, email to recommend/forward product to friends, and many more. Let’s go over some of these weaknesses at close range.
Flawed Checkout
The biggest thing that customers don’t like is the puny Checkout system. One of the most crucial things to look for in Ecommerce is the ability to have control of the Checkout flow. Customers should be allowed to create an account and the system should be able to “remember” the details when these customers come back. In short, saving credit card (or other forms of payment) details should be made available as an option for customers that want to do so. This is not possible with Shopify as it does not allow customization of checkout codes. Instead, customers are sent to a cheap excuse of a checkout flow that’s virtually beyond your control; the only thing you can do is modify the CSS; that’s as close as you can get to identify the transaction with your store!
Deficiency in Dynamic Listings
Shopify lacks the program that allows people visiting the site to narrow down the product lists by specific types or manufacturers or whatever categories may be applicable. In order to allow your customers to use this convenient tool, you have to manually build it either in HTML or with the use of triple conditional loop. Of course as your store expands and more products are added, you have to keep updating the static HTML. How’s that for convenience – or NOT!
Lacks Provision for Abandoned Shopping Carts
It’s not uncommon for consumers to go through the process of purchasing right through the checkout stage only to suddenly change their minds and abandon shopping carts in the end. Your online store is not singled out. Customers may repeat this route on many other sites before finally deciding to make the purchase. However, it is equally expected for a good Ecommerce solution to include such tools in the system that allow the capture of customer emails or other contact details early on in the check out process for easy follow up should the person abandon the shopping cart. Since this feature is not Shopify’s strong point, you could be missing a lot of opportunities.
More Headaches for (YOU) the Online Store Owner
- Way Overpriced. Another major Shopify turnoff is the pricing policy they have. Prices are pegged between $24 and $699 (Premium Plan) per month with a set up fee of $25 – $75. Get this…on top of the high upfront fee; they impose a transaction fee of up to 2% of the Revenue, which applies to all plans except Premium.
- Annoying “Liquid”. You had better figure out Liquid, a programming language that many find quite complex to study. Shopify could have chosen a more common and simpler framework to control the options/appearance of your online store. Instead Shopify shoves Liquid down the shop owners’ throats even to just change Meta tags or little tags.
- Minimalist Customer Support, too. If there’s one thing that you cannot afford NOT to have is an all-out support from your Ecommerce provider. This is a very common complaint with Shopify, especially among users coming from another platform. If you’re even remotely contemplating any idea of shifting providers, better make sure that you iron out all the kinks before you consider purchasing Shopify services. Another worrisome issue is the long gaps before Shopify releases new features that are highly indispensable to the advancement of your online store. Don’t expect to get add-ons and plug-ins that may be helpful in your e-selling process. Forget about any significant modifications to happen – not by a long shot, anyway. You’d probably get stuck with what you have for quite some time.
- Other Drawbacks. There are other shortcomings and features that Shopify lacks to make it your ideal Ecommerce solution provider; among them: shopping cart is not always visible; no product bundling/kitting; does not support drop ship and multiple shipment to locations; no Quickbooks integration; and not even a semblance of product reviews and ratings capability to speak of.
Conclusion
Granting, Shopify may be a good platform for small businesses just starting up and are quite happy with available templates and customizable styles to design online stores. If you don’t require dynamic performance and functionality; or you only want to dabble and experiment with products and prices, Shopify may perhaps work for you. If you’re looking to expand your online store’s functionality, however; the smarter thing to do is to start looking for the BEST in the business…an Ecommerce solution provider that would certainly set you up for bigger things to happen. Ecommerce hosting solution with topnotch features such as BigCommerce offers.
GreenGeeks Promo Code 2011
(The Best Web Hosting Service )- GreenGeeks is certainly a great web hosting service and why I do recommend them as much as InMotion, Hostgator, and WebHostingHub there are couple of things that make them a valuable company to call your web hosting service.
Save $30 on ALL annual packages “TBWHS30″ CLICK HERE.
For starters when you sign up with GreenGeeks you get a free domain which is an excellent benefit. Not to mention all the extra goodies their service comes with like Adwords credit, site builders, ect. but they are fairly cheap for the money. True their are cheaper web hosting companies such as Fatcow, but GreekGeeks is certainly a feature rich web hosting service.
I have personally worked out a special offer with GreenGeeks and you can receive $30 off their annual packages if you use the promo code “TBWHS30″. This certainly is a great deal and you get web hosting for 3 years for $150. That averages out to a little over $4 per month!
This coupon code is going to expire at the end of this year so please make sure you don’t wait if you are serious about doing business with GreenGeeks (which I highly recommend) You can see my full GreenGeeks review if you are still not sure about their service.
Not to mention they are 100% green!
Save $30 on ALL annual packages “TBWHS30″ CLICK HERE.
What You Need For An Ecommerce Site: Make Online Shopping A Pleasure
( The Best Web Hosting Service )- Have you ever thought of setting up your own online business or perhaps dreamed of expanding your local business to all parts of the country; maybe even in a global scale, across the world? Then you are on the right track; you’re about to take a great stride to reach a wider market span.
One of the fun parts in the exhilarating venture of running an online business is creating an online store, generally known as Ecommerce; which, some may say, is just a glam name for a business website where purchase of goods or services by customers is done. If done correctly and efficiently, Ecommerce can result to a well-organized business that will enhance your trade and boost your customer-base.
Of course, preparation and careful planning are key elements to kick off to a good start. You have to be familiar with some necessary and particularly crucial features to ensure the success of your online business as well as maintain the integrity and security of sensitive payment information of customers; otherwise, current customers may feel apprehensive at the thought of their information being in your possession and potential customers may be cagey at the idea of entrusting such vital data to your website.
Now you may have the mistaken notion that you have to be an expert or maybe spend a fortune to run your online shop. Creating an online store is a lot simpler than you think but only if you have the basic knowledge of what you need for a full-featured Ecommerce site to get going.
Obviously, the first thing you need is to have a product/s or services to sell – either physical/hard goods or downloadable/soft goods. Below is a list of the essential things you will need to push off a successful Ecommerce website.
Power Up Your Ecommerce Site
Before you can get your Ecommerce site underway, there are three key elements that you cannot do without:
Domain Name
This is your business identity by which your online store will be associated with; it is the online business address that shows customers – both existing and potential – the way to your site. More importantly, it is a determining factor to your page ranking in search engines. The ideal domain name should not only identify your business by name; it should also give a brief yet full description of the nature of your business, and what products and/or services are being offered.
Website/Website Design
Whether you build an Ecommerce website from scratch or have an existing website that you can add Ecommerce features and capabilities to, it’s important to remember that resultant Ecommerce site should convey a high level of trustworthiness. Your web design should reflect your excellent brand and quality products/services. An Ecommerce website with good design combined with functionality inspire a sense of trust as well as depict convenience. Bear in mind that nobody wants to do business with an “anonymous” entity. When building trust among customers, you must show your credibility and get across that you’re not just a fly-by-night business so make sure that you include “About Us”, “Contact Information”, and “Terms of Service” pages in your web design. Although, not quite an easy task, it doesn’t have to be technically challenging. You can simplify things by either getting the help of professionals that offer services to get your Ecommerce site up and running; or by doing it yourself with the use of tools available for such purpose – like WordPress, for instance.
Web Hosting Provider
Of course, you need a place for your site to reside and get hosted. There’s a huge number of Ecommerce hosting companies all too willing to offer their services but keep in mind that getting the most reliable one is crucial to your online store’s success. Pricing may be a factor but the Ecommerce features you get with package are critical to the smooth operation of your site. However, there are Ecommerce hosting companies such as BigCommerce that offer plans fully-loaded with up-to-the-minute features at very reasonable prices.
Ecommerce Tools – Your Site Won’t Survive Without Them
These are actually what will make or break your online business. The ease and proficiency of merging and integrating Ecommerce tools is greatly influenced by the platform you use. Simple-to-use Ecommerce tools work best, especially for those that are not so tech savvy. Here’s a list of some basic and essential tools to look out for:
- Shopping Cart System. This is absolutely one of the most imperative components of smooth Ecommerce operation and management. You need to incorporate this into your site right off the bat, as it is indispensable when processing orders, calculating payments, and issuing invoices. A really great shopping cart can be a bit expensive, so try to go for a host that includes several options for shopping carts as part of the hosting plan/package.
- Payment Gateway/Credit Card Processing. Needless to say, you need a system/method of accepting online payments; which generally means credit card payments, although there are other forms of payment that your shopping cart may be capable of (e.g., Checks, PayPal, COD, etc.). Simply put, the payment gateway processes payments from your website and essentially converts electronic transactions into actual funds that eventually go to your bank account. You have two options to make this work. You may set up free accounts with gateways that authorize credit card payments then deposit the amount to your bank account. These gateways usually charge a percentage (about 3% or less) for every transaction. Be aware that your customers will be redirected to the secure page of the gateway provider and once done, brought back to a pre-identified page you have chosen on your site. Or you can go for the more professional look and enable your customers to complete their checkout and payment process direct from your own site.
- Merchant Account. If you want to process check transactions and credit card payments right within your own website, a merchant account is required. It is very much like an ordinary bank account but besides the usual similarities, a merchant account allows you to accept and process credit card payments/charges for goods and services. It is typical for banks that cater to merchant accounts to charge a percentage of all transactions and may also impose additional setup fee and/or monthly fees.
- SSL Certificate. It doesn’t need reiterating that security is extremely important, especially when you process credit card payments. “Security” here means that all your customers’ sensitive data stored in your shopping pages and transferred through your Ecommerce site are totally protected through encryption. This is accomplished with the use of Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate, indicated by the LOCK ICON on the browser. This little “lock” tells the consumers that your website is secure and can be trusted; without it, potential customers may have second thoughts about buying your products and entrusting their data to your online store. SSL certificate can cost anywhere from $100 (for shared SSL) to about $300; thus it is ideal to find a host that can provide this along with the Ecommerce plan you purchase. Another option is to find a host that will let you “piggyback” off their SSL certificate for free.
- Marketing and Site Promotion Tools/Search Engine Optimization (SEO). You need to think about how to attract customers to your site. A good marketing strategy that includes search engine optimization is critical. Blogs, banner ads, keywords, social media presence and the likes are some of the things you should keep in mind while you’re working to boost the sales potential of your Ecommerce site. Find a provider that offers hosting packages/plans that include these requirements.
There are several other things you need to keep your Ecommerce website running smoothly, among them: Product Catalog, Mailing List, Database Support, and more. The point is to make your customers’ online shopping a pleasant and convenient experience. And you can attain this by having an Ecommerce solution provider with simple and user-friendly apps that allow hassle-free integration of fully-functioning features. It’s guaranteed; your customers would love doing business with you again…and again!
HostGator – Why I Recommend Them
( The Best Web Hosting Service )- As you may have read in my Hostgator reviews, HostGator has been one of those providers that I have been recommending to my readers for their hosting needs. And no, it is not just a biased review at all. I personally use HostGator for a lot of my websites for some years now, and I must say I am definitely impressed with their service.
Whether you’re looking for a multiple domain host, dedicated server, or just plain web hosting, HostGator is the superb choice for that optimal performance. As you can see, with HostGator, you will get much more value for your money. This is especially true for dedicated hosting service, as it offers its clients powerful, guaranteed 99% uptime, speed, and secured performance of its servers. They’ve got both Linux and Windows servers to suit what you need for your website.
Obviously, HostGator has already proven how reliable and world-class its service is, and thus became recipient of numerous awards. Its plans can either cost you a monthly or yearly fee, and while this may be a little bit more costly than others, expect a great service overall. You can also try their service for a 45-day no strings attached trial period, and then decide whether you’ll stay or not. If I was a betting person I would bet that you would stay with them.
Now of course, there are times when you’d have doubts or issues with your server, but hey, that’s where you’ll get in touch with their outstanding customer support which is probably the best in this industry. They’ve got a 24/7 customer service support ready to assist you in any way possible. You can contact them via phone, live chat, forum, and ticket systems. They don’t outsource, but train their own support staffs in their base at Dallas, Texas. Technically, this means reaching staff who can really understand what you need, what you’re asking for, and will be ready to assist you any time. Plus, you’d be sure you’re reaching a real human when you call them, not a computer-generated message that will let you wait and wait for minutes without even getting a “real” response. They will serve one customer at a time, and they will transfer you to another representative available so you won’t have to wait a long time before being assisted. Awesome indeed.
Satisfied customers, impressed experts, won awards, and overpassed competitions, HostGator is highly recommended by not only me but numerous webmasters, bloggers, and beginners out there. Once you try out their services, you will not just get a nice experience, but a mind boggling journey that will take you years in this online industry.
Fatcow – The Reason Their Clients Moo About Them!
( The Best Web Hosting Service )- FatCow is another web hosting company that has more than a decade of outstanding service to its clients. Established in 1998, FatCow has already gained its rank among the top of the list of the most trusted hosting providers, with a unique twist.
On first look, you’d see their cool cow and farm-themed website. In fact, this is certainly an eye-catcher. In an interview with their marketing manager, Paul Bukhovko (see interview with Fatcow), this theme (and the name FatCow itself) is chosen to show the sense of being a company that will deliver “that simple, old-fashioned service and value”.
Being true to their word, FatCow indeed offers inexpensive hosting plans with great function and quality. In fact, their basic plan, the Original FatCow Plan, is now valued at $56/yr. This plan comes with unlimited disk space and bandwidth, Site Builder tools, Google Search and Webmaster Tools, and lots of advertising freebies such as Google AdWords and Facebook credits. Add up the 30-day money back guarantee and 24/7 customer support service.
FatCow also brings a green and environment-friendly service by providing 100% wind-powered servers, reducing carbon footprint. However, don’t you worry about compromised server reliability, as wind generators are very powerful source of energy. So far, there have been no issues with them being green, and in fact, it garnered praises and awards for its endeavour to do such.
FatCow also boasts largely of its great customer service. It does possess a live and updated “system notices board” that updates customers every time a maintenance or outage is happening. Clients won’t have to check their site or blog to know what is going on, and this lessens the chances of sending support tickets. But still their ticket system is great, and their staff answers in a timely manner. I have talked to them on a number of occasions. They treasure their clients greatly, thus they, as per their Heifercratic Oath, welcome them to FatCow by calling them within the first 7 days of their subscription.
User-friendliness is also a great feature of FatCow plans. Its cPanel is vDeck 4 which is fairly easier than the default cPanel. This control panel can support different kinds of scripts and programming codes such as MySQL, Python, PHP 4 and 5, as well as CGI directory. Their plan also offers a bit of SEO assistance, and it is efficiently managed in the vDeck platform. It also supports Drag and Drop system, which makes it very easy for beginners to fix their sites’ pages.
Another unique and latest server feature is the process called “load balance technology”. This process allows its clients to maximize their bandwidth, speed, and performance since it distributes workload across networks and clusters. This is basically why there have been no negative reports whatsoever about their server performance.
Aside from the Original FatCow Plan which is paid yearly, you can also opt to try their Mini Moo Plan, which is only for $5 a year. This comes with an email account and 35% off a domain name, just perfect to start your venture in online web pages.
As their webpage looks like, FatCow is committed to offering you a fun and simple but satisfying service and value, without lots of extra babbles. Please read my full Fatcow review to see what they can provide you with. They are great for when you want to start a website and do offer a one time payment (shared plan), a later date you can upgrade to an InMotion VPS or dedicated plan if you would like. (because FatCow doesn’t offer anything but shared plans)
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Recommended:
BlueHost
FatCow
Gate.com
HostGator
HostMonster
InMotion
iPage
Lunarpages
Omnis Network
PacificHost
PowWeb
Web.com
WebHostingBuzz
eCommerce Reviews
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