One of the more important aspects of an eCommerce service is shipping products to customers. The main problem we’ve seen is that most platforms are not built to handle eCommerce without using third party plugins and you need to have the technical skills to integrate these external services providers into a website platform.

If you’re considering starting an online business or if the current platform you’re using is not as user friendly as you’d like then consider the Adobe Business Catalyst platform. With shipping providers already linked to the system you can be delivering your products to your customers in no time.

What we like about the Adobe Business Catalyst system 

Shipping options

The BC system allows you to integrate with just a few clicks a number of shipping providers. With shipping providers like DHL, Australia Post, FedEx, UPS and USPS you will have everything ready to go to start shipping products to your customers.

Custom Shipping options

For custom shipping options the Adobe Business Catalyst system allows you to input your own shipping pricing based on size and or weight. This gives you the flexibility to manage shipping costs as you require to better service your customer base.

Free shipping

You can also set free shipping or provide coupon codes to allow you to offer special incentives to your customers. One tip is to Provide an additional free return shipping label, which can save you a lot of trouble if by chance the wrong product is shipped to the customer. In some cases the customer might not want the product or the product doesn't meet their expectations and a free return shipping option provides your customers with that little bit extra when buying from you.

Managing your online store

The Adobe Business Catalyst online store is ready to go out of the box. The system is already setup for you to start offering products to your customers. Once you have your products ready to go, all you need to do is use the eCommerce section of the site to start loading the product images, descriptions and pricing. You can select product categories, and also customise options for quantity, sizes and weights all from easy to use back end system.

eCommerce logistics

Most startups tend to overlook the logistics in moving products from production to market. One consideration is the additional freight charges and other potential import taxes and charges you might face when bringing products in from another country before you even ship a product to a customer. Fragile products also pose additional challenges with products arriving intact. A contingency plan is good place to start before you calculate the overall pricing structures, you should include things like insurances and costs of having products either resent or remade.

Starting your online store

While there are other online eCommerce systems, many lack the full capabilities of Adobe Business Catalyst with it’s all in one online business solution. Before you commit to an ecommerce system, review these 3 principles.

With the added bonus of payment gateways, blog modules, secure login areas, it’s easy to see why more businesses are turning to a system that is user friendly with all the right options. If you’re looking to start selling products online and have more control over the system you’re using then have a look at how Business Catalyst could work for you.

About the Author

 

About Adam Mole

Adam is the proprietor of start up BPO company Transeo and has been working with offshore and outsourcing services for more than 20 years. Adam is passionate about small business. He likes to write about his experiences in sales and startup business ventures. In his spare time you'll find him on one of Sydney's south coast beaches surfing and smiling. Email Adam at adam.mole@transeo.com.au and follow Adam on Twitter @adam_transeo.