Hosted eCommerce solutions have gained popularity among small enterprises for their practicality and affordability. However, as these companies expand, they often face challenges in scaling and staying competitive. The limitations of hosted eCommerce platforms can hinder their ability to reach full growth potential, resulting in missed opportunities and sluggish sales.
In our latest blog, we discuss the strategies that empower businesses to transcend the limitations of hosted eCommerce. Discover how successful companies have achieved scalable growth and elevated their operations in the market.
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Limitations of Hosted eCommerce Platform
Hosted eCommerce platforms offer businesses a convenient and easy way to build an online store. However, there are some limitations of eCommerce to consider when using a hosted eCommerce platform:
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Limited Custom Features
Most hosted eCommerce platforms come with pre-built functionality that might not precisely match your company’s needs. You may have limited control over your website’s functioning, preventing you from providing a unique customer experience or including features that make your company stand out.
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Lack of Customization
Hosted eCommerce platforms also have fewer customization choices. It can include having little control over the look and feel of your website and being unable to integrate with specific third-party products or services that could help you run your company more efficiently.
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Security Issues
Even though hosted eCommerce platforms provide a high level of security, this can compromise their robustness. Lack of the ability of these platforms to handle high visitor volumes or extensive product catalogues, results in slow page load times and poor customer experience.
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Limited Scalability
As your company expands, you might discover that your hosted eCommerce platform can no longer meet your demands. It involves not having sufficient storage space, inability to manage a lot of traffic, or having restricted alternatives for scaling.
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Limited Control
Hosted eCommerce platforms may restrict your ability to manage specific facets of your company. There may be limitations on:
- Accessing data and analytics
- Running some kinds of marketing and promotional activities
- Modifying the website as rapidly as you’d want
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How to Overcome Hosted eCommerce Platform Challenges?
Here are some strategies to overcome the above-explained hosted eCommerce limitations to expand and grow your business:
1. Use Third-Party Apps or Plugins
To overcome this disadvantage of eCommerce, consider using third-party apps or plugins that may be coupled with your hosted eCommerce platform. It may offer extra functionality and customization choices not provided by default. Also, consider hiring eCommerce developers to get unique features tailored to your business requirements.
2. Transfer to a More Flexible Hosted Platform
If you’re frustrated by the limited customization choices on your hosted eCommerce platform, think about transferring to a more flexible hosted platform. With this, you will have control over the appearance and operation of your website and can link it with a wider variety of tools and services provided by third parties.
3. Choose a Reliable Hosting eCommerce Development Service
A reliable hosting eCommerce development service can handle high traffic volumes and offer robust security features to ensure your hosted eCommerce platform is safe. You must also speed up and execute website optimization to give your customers a quick and easy purchasing experience.
4. Upgrade to a Higher-tier Plan
Upgrade to a higher-tier plan on your hosted eCommerce platform that gives additional storage space, bandwidth, and other resources to get beyond the limits of restricted scalability.
5. Use a Hosted Platform with More Customization Options and Control
Use a hosted eCommerce platform that gives you more customization options and control over your website to overcome the limitation of limited control. Additionally, be sure to frequently review and analyze the data from your website to find areas that might use better and implement adjustments as necessary.
How to Pick the Right Hosted eCommerce Platform for Your Business?
Choosing the right hosted eCommerce platform is a crucial decision that can significantly impact the success of your online business. With various options available in the market, it’s essential to carefully evaluate and select a platform that aligns with your business goals, requirements, and budget. Read the below points to choose the right hosted eCommerce platform for your business.
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Convenient & Simple Set Up
When selecting a hosted eCommerce platform for your company, it’s critical to consider how convenient and simple the setup process is. You can save money while focusing on other aspects of your business by using an easy platform.
To start fast and efficiently, look for a platform that has a user-friendly interface and simple setup procedure. Ideally, it will also have a guided onboarding process.
Some hosted eCommerce platforms include pre-built designs and themes to streamline the setup procedure further. You can use these samples or templates to build a professional website without having much design or development expertise.
Additionally, to further ease the setup procedure and guarantee that your eCommerce activities work effectively right away, consider selecting a platform that enables interfaces with additional products and services, such as payment gateways and shipping suppliers.
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Easy Navigation and Secured Payment
It’s essential to have easy navigation on your website so that users can find what they’re searching for and have a great user experience. You should seek a hosted eCommerce platform with a user-friendly layout, simple navigation, distinct product categories, and search capabilities.
Secured payment solutions are essential for gaining the trust of your consumers and guaranteeing the security of their private payment data. Look for a hosted eCommerce platform that offers various secure payment options, such as credit card processing, PayPal, and Apple Pay.
Additionally, confirm that your website complies with PCI standards and that SSL encryption is using it to safeguard consumer data.
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SEO Friendly
When choosing a hosted eCommerce platform, it is crucial to consider its SEO friendliness. You can optimize your website for search engines like Google and Bing using the platform’s built-in tools and capabilities. A few examples are the ability to edit URLs, add meta descriptions and title tags, and optimize content and images for search.
With the help of an SEO-friendly hosted eCommerce platform, your website’s exposure and rating in search engine results can be improved. It will help to get more customers and revenue for your company. The platform will also help you stay on top by optimizing your website for the most recent search engine trends and algorithms. When evaluating hosted eCommerce platforms, look for features that support SEO best practices and consult with SEO experts or guides to help you make the best choice for your business.
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Mobile Friendly
Mobile commerce has become more significant as consumers shop on smartphones and tablets. Therefore, it is crucial to check that the hosted eCommerce platform you choose for your company is mobile-friendly.
A mobile-friendly eCommerce platform must have a responsive design to adjust to various screen sizes and resolutions. Users can easily explore the website and make purchases using their mobile devices. It should also provide mobile-friendly features like simple checkout and mobile-friendly payment methods.
You can give your consumers a flawless buying experience and improve your chances of turning mobile shoppers into devoted patrons by ensuring your eCommerce platform is mobile-friendly.
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Scalability
Scalability refers to the platform’s ability to accommodate your business growth without hindering performance. Your business should be able to scale up and down as necessary, and your platform should support it.
When selecting a platform, consider your current business needs and growth plans. Choose a platform that can easily accommodate your growth, whether it’s through adding new products or increasing traffic. Look for a platform with flexible pricing structures that may be changed to reflect the expansion of your company. It is essential to ensure your platform can handle increased traffic and orders without compromising performance.
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Analytics
When selecting a hosted eCommerce platform for your company, analytics are an essential component to consider. It includes gathering and analyzing data to learn more about your internet store’s performance. You can monitor crucial indicators via analytics, including traffic, conversion rates, average order value, and more. You may utilize this information to inform decisions about your company, such as which items to advertise, which marketing avenues to use, and how to enhance client satisfaction.
It’s crucial to consider the platform’s analytics features when selecting a hosted eCommerce platform. Look for platforms with features like Google Analytics integration or integrated reporting that simplify accessing analytics tools and data. Consider the analytics’ degree of customization, enabling you to track the precise metrics most important to your company.
In general, selecting a platform with excellent analytics capabilities can help you learn more about your company’s performance and make data-driven choices to promote growth and success.
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Integration
It’s critical to consider an eCommerce platform’s connectivity capabilities and make sure it can integrate with the business software you employ. Integrations can streamline your operations and guarantee smooth data transfer between various platforms. It can help you save time and lower the possibility that your data will contain errors and inconsistencies, resulting in more effective operations and a better customer experience.
Choosing an eCommerce platform with strong integration capabilities will help you optimize your processes, save time, and give your consumers a better experience.
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Cost-Effective
Cost-effectiveness is a key consideration when selecting a hosted eCommerce platform for your company. Make sure the platform you select is within your spending limit and provides a fair return on investment. While some platforms may charge monthly fees or take a percentage of your sales, some may have large upfront prices. It’s crucial to thoroughly compare the pricing policies of various platforms and consider the long-term costs related to each choice.
How Can PixelCrayons Help in Growing Your Business With Your Platform?
PixelCrayons is a full-service digital agency that can help you in creating a platform especially suited to your business requirements. We can assist you with platform support and maintenance in addition to platform development. It includes handling technical issues, such as software updates, security patches, and bug fixes, so you can concentrate on running your business. Doing this ensures your platform is constantly responsive and effective while saving time and resources.
Overall, we can assist you in expanding your company by offering professional advice, specialized development, and continuing support. Contact us today to leverage our eCommerce development services.
Read Also: Headless eCommerce Platforms: 10 of the Best to Help Grow Your Online Business
Key Takeaways
Hosted eCommerce platforms come with various advantages and disadvantages of eCommerce. Whether you build a custom platform in-house or partner with a trusted hosted eCommerce, the key is prioritizing scalability, flexibility, and future-proofing.
It will ensure your platform can adapt to changing market conditions and support your business goals for years. Moreover, by investing in a specialized eCommerce platform to meet your business requirements, you can overcome the above-mentioned hosted eCommerce limitations and grow your business.
Get in touch with PixelCrayons professionals for all your project needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the two main limitations of eCommerce?
There are the following two main limitations or disadvantages of eCommerce:
- Lack of physical interaction: One of the drawbacks of eCommerce is the absence of direct contact between clients and goods. Unlike conventional brick-and-mortar retailers, customers can only touch, feel, or test out things after purchasing. It may be a disadvantage for some markets, like fashion or furniture, where tactile sensation plays a significant role in consumer choice.
Additionally, it may be difficult for clients to receive prompt assistance or individualized advice when they cannot contact a salesperson face-to-face.
- Security and trust concerns: Customers may be reluctant to submit their financial and personal information online, fearing possible data breaches or fraudulent activity. Hire eCommerce developers to put in strong security measures and cultivate client confidence by using secure payment channels, encryption technologies, and open privacy policies to save your business.
2. What are the limitations of eCommerce to consumers?
The limitations of eCommerce to consumers are:
- Limited sensory experience: Online shopping provides a different sensory stimulation than physical stores. As consumers cannot physically see, touch, or try things, making wise purchasing judgments can occasionally take time.
For instance, clients who purchase garments online could have trouble choosing the proper size or assessing the fabric’s quality.
- Delivery and returns: Reliance on delivery providers is another restriction for consumers. Customers may become frustrated by shipment or delivery delays, especially if they have urgent demands.
Additionally, returning or exchanging online-purchased goods can be laborious and time-consuming as it involves packaging, shipping, and waiting for refunds or replacements.
