FAQs

An eCommerce platform functions as a website builder designed for conducting and managing trade within the platform. Its primary offerings include:

1. An online store to showcase and promote your products to customers.
2. A centralised space for effectively managing and expanding your online business.

While it's not mandatory for your business to exclusively operate in this manner – some eCommerce platforms, such as Shopify's POS, seamlessly integrate with physical stores – the distinctive feature lies in the ability of eCommerce platforms to facilitate the internal operation of your business, a capability not universally provided by all platforms.

The choice of an eCommerce platform depends on various factors, including your specific needs, business model, technical expertise, scalability needs, desired level of customisation, and budget.

Shopify and Magento stand out as prominent players in the eCommerce sector. Shopify, recognised for ushering in a new era of eCommerce brands, is favoured for its user-friendly interface, intuitive design, and affordable pricing, making it an ideal choice for emerging entrepreneurs and startups.

On the other hand, Magento, now under Adobe as "Adobe Commerce," is an enterprise-grade eCommerce platform tailored for mid-size and large merchants. Highly customisable, scalable and open-source. It serves as the go-to solution for establishing a global, multi-store eCommerce brand.

Selling online typically involves certain costs, but some platforms offer free plans or trials to get you started. Here are a few options:

1. Shopify: While not entirely free, Shopify offers a 14-day free trial. It is a user-friendly platform with various pricing plans based on your needs.
2. Magento Open-Source: While the Magento software itself is free, there are other costs to consider, such as hosting, domain registration, and hiring developers for customisation and maintenance. Additionally, Adobe offers a more feature-rich version called Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento Enterprise Edition), which is a paid, premium solution with additional features and support, but offering the same ability to customise and extend the platform to meet the needs of your business.

3. WooCommerce: If you have a WordPress site, WooCommerce is a free plugin. However, you may incur costs for hosting, domain, any additional extensions, and ongoing maintenance.

Remember, even with free plans you may encounter transaction fees and there can be costs associated with custom domains, marketing, and additional features. As your business grows you might find it beneficial to invest in a paid plan to access more advanced tools and capabilities.

Building eCommerce websites on platforms like Shopify, Magento, and bespoke solutions built from scratch have distinct differences in terms of development, customisation, flexibility, and maintenance.

1. Ease of Setup:
   • Shopify and Magento: Quick and fairly easy to set up. Both platforms offer a user-friendly interface, and you can launch a store relatively quickly.
   • Bespoke: Requires more time and effort to plan and build for every aspect.
2. Customisation:
   • Shopify and Magento: Both platforms offer customisation through themes and plugins/extensions. While flexible there are some limitations especially with regard to highly specialised requirements.
   • Bespoke: Fully customisable. Developers have complete control over every aspect of design and functionality. Possible to accommodate more complex business requirements from the ground up
3. Scalability:
   • Shopify and Magento: Scalable for small to large businesses. Magento is particularly known for its scalability, catering to enterprise-level needs.
   • Bespoke: Tailored precisely to business needs. Suitable for enterprises with complex and unique requirements.
4. Development Time:
   • Shopify and Magento: Faster development due to pre-built features and templates. Launching a standard store is faster.
   • Bespoke: Development takes more time, especially for complex features. Every aspect must be built from the ground up.
5. Ownership and Control:
   • Shopify and Magento: Businesses operate within the framework provided by the platform. Updates and security patches are dependent on the platform provider. Shopify does not give ownership of any part of the codebase beyond theming.
   • Bespoke: Full ownership and control over the entire infrastructure and codebase.
6. Cost:
   • Shopify and Magento: Costs are more predictable, including subscription fees. Additional costs may include transaction fees and apps or extensions.
   • Bespoke: Higher upfront costs for development. Ongoing maintenance and updates are required to ensure continued support for payment gateways and other third

   party services.

7. Community and Support:
   • Shopify and Magento: Large communities and support networks. Extensive documentation and a range of plugins and extensions are available.
   • Bespoke: Relies on the expertise of the development team. Community support may be more limited, however community packages are available as build

   ing blocks for the majority of popular languages and frameworks.

8. Updates and Maintenance:
   • Shopify and Magento: Shopify control all security updates and maintenance. Security patches and improvements for Magento open source would need to be managed by a competent developer.
   • Bespoke: Requires ongoing maintenance, updates, and management of the server. Developers are responsible for these tasks.

In conclusion, the choice between using eCommerce platforms like Shopify or Magento and building from scratch depends on factors such as budget, timeline, scalability needs, and the level of customisation required. Platforms offer convenience and speed, while building from scratch provides unparalleled flexibility and control.

An effective eCommerce website should incorporate essential features to enhance user experience, encourage conversions, and streamline business operations. Here are some key features:

1. User-Friendly Design:
   1. Intuitive navigation and layout for easy exploration.
   2. Clear product categorisation and search functionality.
2. Mobile Responsiveness:
   1. Ensures a seamless experience on smartphones and tablets.
3. Product Pages:
   1. High-quality images.
   2. Detailed product descriptions.
   3. Pricing information.
   4. Add to Cart and Buy Now buttons.
4. Shopping Cart:
   1. Clear display of selected items.
   2. Ability to edit quantities and remove items.
   3. Transparent pricing and shipping information.
5. Secure Checkout Process:
   1. Encrypted SSL connection for secure transactions.
   2. Multiple payment options (credit cards, digital wallets, etc.).
   3. Guest checkout option.
6. User Accounts:
   1. Easy registration and login process.
   2. Order history and tracking.
   3. Saved addresses and payment information for returning customers.
7. Search Functionality:
   1. Robust search engine for products.
   2. Filters and sorting options for search results.
8. Product Recommendations:
   1. Personalised product suggestions based on user behaviour.
   2. Cross-selling and upselling features.
9. Reviews and Ratings:
   1. Customer reviews and ratings for products.
   2. Builds trust and helps in decision-making.
10. Responsive Customer Support:
    1. Live chat, email, or phone support.
    2. Clear contact information.
11. Wishlist:
    1. Allows users to save items for future purchases.
    2. Encourages return visits.
12. Inventory Management:
    1. Real-time updates on product availability.
    2. Automatic alerts for low stock.
13. Order Confirmation and Tracking:
    1. Immediate confirmation emails.
    2. Shipment tracking information.
14. Returns and Refunds:
    1. Clearly defined return policy.
    2. A streamlined process for returns and refunds.
15. Analytics and Reporting:
    1. Integration with analytics tools.
    2. Provides insights into user behaviour and sales performance.
16. Newsletter Subscription:
    1. Option for users to subscribe to newsletters.
    2. Marketing and promotional updates.
17. Multi-Currency and Multi-Language Support:
    1. Appeals to a global audience.
    2. Enhances accessibility for international customers.
18. Loading Speed Optimisation:
    1. Fast page loading times for a smooth user experience.

Implementing these features ensures a well-rounded eCommerce platform that caters to the needs of both customers and the business itself. Tailoring these features to your specific industry and target audience is crucial for your success.

It is possible to change eCommerce solutions but the ease of transition depends on various factors such as the complexity of your current website, the features you require on the new platform, and your technical expertise.

It's important to carefully plan the transition and consider potential downtime, ability to migrate the complete dataset, and any SEO implications before making changes.

Big Eye Deers can facilitate the migration of your eCommerce store by leveraging our expertise in website development and migration services. Our team will assess your current platform and requirements to develop a tailored migration strategy. We offer seamless data migration ensuring that your products, customer information, and other essential data are transferred accurately to the new platform. Additionally, we can assist with redesigning and optimising your website to align with your brand identity and enhance user experience. With our comprehensive support and guidance throughout the migration process, you can transition to a new eCommerce platform smoothly and efficiently.

Magento itself is an open-source eCommerce platform, and there are no transaction fees on your sales. However, this may depend on your choice of payment gateways as you may incur transaction fees associated with those third parties.

It's essential to research and compare the transaction fees of different payment gateways to find the most cost-effective option for your eCommerce store.

Platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce also offer competitive transaction fees with their native payments solution, so it's worth considering all options based on your specific business needs and sales volume.

Shopify stores are hosted on the Shopify platform only which helps with taking the responsibility out of your hands for uptime and maintenance.

Magento stores need a hosting provider that offers robust and scalable hosting solutions specifically optimised for Magento. Here are some key factors to consider when choosing hosting for your Magento store:

1. Performance: Opt for a hosting provider that offers high-performance servers with sufficient resources (CPU, RAM, storage, etc.) to ensure fast page load times and smooth website performance, even during peak traffic periods.
2. Scalability: Choose a hosting solution that can easily scale with your Magento store's growth. Look for providers that offer scalable hosting plans or cloud-based solutions that allow you to upgrade resources as needed to accommodate increasing website traffic and demand.
3. Reliability: Select a hosting provider with a proven track record of reliability and uptime. Your Magento store should be accessible to customers 24/7 without experiencing frequent downtime or disruptions.
4. Security: Ensure that the hosting provider implements robust security measures to protect your Magento store from cyber threats, malware, and unauthorized access. Look for features like firewalls, DDoS protection, SSL/TLS encryption, regular security audits, and malware scanning.
5. Support: Choose a hosting provider that offers reliable and responsive customer support, ideally with experience in Magento hosting. You may encounter technical issues or require assistance with server configuration, so having access to knowledgeable support staff can be invaluable.
6. Magento Compatibility: Verify that the hosting provider's infrastructure is optimised for Magento and meets the system requirements for running Magento effectively. Ensure compatibility with the Magento version you intend to use (Magento Open Source or Magento Commerce) and any additional extensions or modules you plan to install.
7. Performance Optimisation: Look for hosting providers that offer built-in performance optimization features such as caching mechanisms (e.g., Varnish, Redis), content delivery network (CDN) integration, and server-level optimisations tailored for Magento.
8. Backup and Recovery: Choose a hosting provider that performs regular backups of your Magento store's data and offers reliable backup and recovery solutions. This ensures that you can restore your website quickly in the event of data loss or server failure.

By considering these factors and choosing a hosting provider that meets your Magento store's requirements, you can ensure reliable performance, security, and scalability for your eCommerce business.

As an experienced eCommerce design agency, Big Eye Deers offers comprehensive services, including assistance with hosting for Magento stores. We understand the importance of reliable and optimised hosting for eCommerce websites, especially those built on platforms like Magento. Our team can provide guidance and support in selecting the right hosting solution tailored to your specific needs.

Whether you're launching a new Magento store or looking to migrate an existing one, we can help you navigate the hosting landscape and set up a hosting environment that meets your requirements. With Big Eye Deers by your side you can trust that your Magento store will have a solid foundation for success.

When deciding on payment methods for your store it's essential to offer options that align with your customers' preferences and provide a seamless checkout experience. Here are some common payment methods to consider accepting on your store:

1. Credit and Debit Cards: Accept major credit and debit cards such as Visa and Mastercard. This is a standard payment method preferred by many customers for its convenience and familiarity. Most payment gateways will offer support for additional card issuers like American Express.
2. PayPal: Offer PayPal as a payment option to cater to customers who prefer using their PayPal accounts for online transactions. PayPal provides an additional layer of security and can help increase trust and conversion rates.
3. Digital Wallets: Consider integrating digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay which allow customers to make payments using stored payment information on their devices. Digital wallets offer a streamlined checkout process in particular for mobile users.
4. Bank Transfers: Provide the option for customers to pay via bank transfer or direct bank deposit. This method is suitable for customers who prefer to pay directly from their bank accounts or for larger purchases. This is usually an option for B2B business rather than B2C.
5. Alternative Payment Methods: Depending on your target market and geographic location, consider offering alternative payment methods such as Klarna, Afterpay, or other buy now, pay later options. These services allow customers to split their payments into manageable instalments.
6. Gift Cards and Store Credit: Allow customers to use gift cards or store credit to make purchases on your website. Gift cards are a popular choice for gifting occasions and can help increase customer loyalty and repeat purchases.

NOTE: Depending on your chosen platform some providers may or may not be available to offer. Always check that your chosen platform aligns with your business needs.

By offering a diverse range of payment methods, you can accommodate various customer preferences and enhance the overall shopping experience on your store. It's essential to balance convenience, security, and accessibility when selecting payment options for your eCommerce business.

Here are some well-known brands that use Magento for their eCommerce platforms:

1. Coca-Cola
2. Ford
3. Nike
4. Nestlé
5. Barbour
6. Bulgari
7. Olympus
8. Helly Hansen
9. Paul Smith
10. HP
11. JCB
12. Canon
13. Jack Daniels
14. Muscle Food
15. Tom Dixon
16. Moschino
17. Christian Louboutin
18. Harvey Nichols
19. Urbanista
20. Tommy Hilfiger
21. Asus
22. Omega Watches