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          Running an online store should be simple. It should work for you to boost your sales and it should be easy to manage. A good online store could potentially change the way that you conduct your business. By running your shop online, you reduce the overhead costs that come with running a physical store and potentially reach an international customer base. Here's how to make your eCommerce solution work for you:

Beautifully designed storefront

Just like with a physical shop, if your eCommerce store isn't a pleasant place to visit then people won't shop there. The more aesthetically appealing your shop face is, the more likely people are to look around, explore your site and potentially buy your products. You can put your best foot forward by listing your most popular items on the home page,
making them easy to find and buy.

Shopping security

You wouldn't go into a shop, hand over your credit card, tell them your PIN number and write down your address, so why would you expect people to be careless with their spending online? If you don't provide secure online payments, chances are your store will most likely fail. Security is key with online shoppers, they need to know that their details are being looked after and that they won't have their identity and money stolen. There are many ways to arrange secure payment, the most popular include: Using a merchant account with your bank or implementing an online payment system like PayPal.

Chuck it in the basket

People like to browse, so make it easy for them to add items to the basket and continue looking around. You want a safe, straightforward shopping cart that has information such as cost and number of items. Being able to remove items with a simple click is a huge benefit, and although it may mean that some customers don't buy everything they add, it will stop people cancelling their entire order due to one unwanted product.

Sorry: The item you ordered is not available

There is nothing more frustrating when shopping online than being told that the product you ordered is not in stock. It's even more infuriating if you're told after your order has gone through and the payment has left your account. This can lead to some very disappointed and angry customers - something you want to avoid! Make sure that you keep good track of your inventory and update your website as quickly as possible when a product is out of stock. There are various apps that can help you keep track of your stock, but it is always good to double check.

Sales, offers and promotions

Think about what draws you into a store on the high street - big discount sales! The same is true with eCommerce stores, by offering your products at a discount or having various promotions and competitions you can bring more customers to your store. It's important to remember that there are thousands of online stores out there and you need to stand out. One straightforward way of doing this is by injecting your personality into the business through newsletters, social media, blogs and any marketing materials.

One of the best eCommerce solutions is Shopify, as it is fully customisable, provides state-of-the-art security, a fully hosted shopping cart and the ability to reach anybody in the world. If you're not particularly technologically minded, but you have excellent products, then PHP genie can help you setup and design bespoke Shopify eCommerce stores. If you have an idea of what you want then PHP Genie can make it a reality, to find out more visit the website.