E-commerce Business Management Certification
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Added on 2020-11-30
E-commerce Business Management Certification
Added on 2020-11-30
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CERTIFICATE IN E-COMMERCE MANAGEMENT LEVEL 3P a g e 1 |283Learning OutcomesBy the end of this unit the learner will be able to:Evaluate e-commerce software options.Build an online store with product pages, supporting features, a shoppingcart, and an effective checkout processUNIT-2Software Options andSolutions
CERTIFICATE IN E-COMMERCE MANAGEMENT LEVEL 3P a g e 2 |28Unit 2Software Options and SolutionsLooking at the OptionsSoftware and Services Required for E-Commerce BusinessesAn e-commerce business typically requires two types of software. The first element is a contentmanagement system, which will host all the back-end features for your business (such as inventorymanagement and web page content). The second element is an e-commerce server package, which willhost all the customer-facing (front-end) features for your business, such as online catalogs and creditcard processing. These two systems may be separate software packages that can be connected together,or they may be part of an integrated software suite.You will also need a web host that will broadcast your site to the Internet. Most e-commerce businesseschoose a hosting company to do this for them. When evaluating hosting companies, be sure to find out:How many pages are included with a site packageWhat the site size limit isWhat the bandwidth isHow many users are supportedIf there is a guaranteed uptime percentageWhat content management systems and e-commerce server packages they support, or ifcertain features (such as shopping cart services) are built inWhat level of customization is supported (for example, can users make changes to webpages or does the hosting company make all site changes)All fees and taxesBe sure to test some sites that are currently hosted by the company that you are looking at to evaluatetheir speed and functionality.Options for Your BusinessLet’s take a look at the most common options for e-commerce server software.Out of the BoxYour first option is to choose an online service that provides all the tools you will need via an onlineinterface, as well as templates to get started. Shopify, Yahoo! Small Business, Volusion, and Amazon allprovide this type of service. This option is best if you have a small budget and a simple business.
CERTIFICATE IN E-COMMERCE MANAGEMENT LEVEL 3P a g e 3 |28Specialized SoftwareThere are also a number of more advanced software options that are highly customizable, such as IBMWebSphere Commerce, Magelia WebStore, and NetSuite. This is the route chosen by most start-up e-commerce businesses, as it maximizes customizability and features while keeping costs low.Custom DesignAnother option is to have a technical design firm create a custom solution for your company, built fromthe ground up. Although this option is quite expensive, it is often used by large retailers who havespecific needs and a large budget.In-House SolutionThe final option is to build a solution in-house from the ground up. This is ideal if your business has theexperience required, but it can be a time-consuming endeavor.Test DrivingSet up and test an e-commerce site.As of this writing, free trials were available from the following sites:Shopify.com (http://www.shopify.com/free-trial)Volusion (http://www.volusion.com/free-trial)Pinnacle Cart (https://www.pinnaclecart.com/trial/)Please note : the sites listed above are for reference purposes only and we do not endorse any of thelisted sites. These links were accurate at the time of publication.Use the space below to record your observations about the e-commerce site you chose.
CERTIFICATE IN E-COMMERCE MANAGEMENT LEVEL 3P a g e 4 |28Building Your Online StoreYour Internet AddressThe setup of your e-commerce store will depend on your company and what products and/or servicesyou offer. However, there are some basic elements that all stores contain and that should be optimized.First, let’s look at what customers will see first: your domain name and your top-level page.Domain NameYour domain name will be your business’ Internet address, so make sure that it is easy to remember andtype. Consider using an alternative top-level domain like .biz or .info if the .com version is taken. As ofthis writing, top-level domain names are becoming more diverse and experts are predicting that they willtake on more importance in the coming years.Overall Site OrganizationTypically, a website will have a three-tier setup that makes it easy to navigate through the site and findinformation. Product pages are typically organized by category (and sometimes further by sub-category),with an additional category for site information pages. Links to these information pages are usuallydisplayed in the footer of every site page for easy access.
CERTIFICATE IN E-COMMERCE MANAGEMENT LEVEL 3P a g e 5 |28Here is a sample site hierarchy for a site selling body care products.CERTIFICATE IN E-COMMERCE MANAGEMENT LEVEL 3P a g e 5 |28Here is a sample site hierarchy for a site selling body care products.CERTIFICATE IN E-COMMERCE MANAGEMENT LEVEL 3P a g e 5 |28Here is a sample site hierarchy for a site selling body care products.
CERTIFICATE IN E-COMMERCE MANAGEMENT LEVEL 3P a g e 6 |28Top-Level PageThe top-level page of your website is also known as the home page. This is the page that loads whencustomers type in your Internet address or click its link from a search engine. It needs to engage thereader within five to seven seconds, or they will probably go elsewhere to find what they are looking for.Ensure that the design is clean and that it clearly states the business and key product names. Use short,snappy sentences that tell the reader why they should stay and how they can benefit from the productsand services offered. Chunk information using headings and blocks to help customers scan through theinformation. As well, offer the same navigation structure (menus, search box, etc.) that users will seethroughout the rest of the site.Consider Amazon’s top-level page:An easy-to-use directory is featured on the left, with a search box and quick links clearly visible at thetop. A sales pitch currently occupies the center of the page, which will be replaced with recently viewedand related items once the user has searched for products. Finally, current promotions are featured onthe right-hand side.CERTIFICATE IN E-COMMERCE MANAGEMENT LEVEL 3P a g e 6 |28Top-Level PageThe top-level page of your website is also known as the home page. This is the page that loads whencustomers type in your Internet address or click its link from a search engine. It needs to engage thereader within five to seven seconds, or they will probably go elsewhere to find what they are looking for.Ensure that the design is clean and that it clearly states the business and key product names. Use short,snappy sentences that tell the reader why they should stay and how they can benefit from the productsand services offered. Chunk information using headings and blocks to help customers scan through theinformation. As well, offer the same navigation structure (menus, search box, etc.) that users will seethroughout the rest of the site.Consider Amazon’s top-level page:An easy-to-use directory is featured on the left, with a search box and quick links clearly visible at thetop. A sales pitch currently occupies the center of the page, which will be replaced with recently viewedand related items once the user has searched for products. Finally, current promotions are featured onthe right-hand side.CERTIFICATE IN E-COMMERCE MANAGEMENT LEVEL 3P a g e 6 |28Top-Level PageThe top-level page of your website is also known as the home page. This is the page that loads whencustomers type in your Internet address or click its link from a search engine. It needs to engage thereader within five to seven seconds, or they will probably go elsewhere to find what they are looking for.Ensure that the design is clean and that it clearly states the business and key product names. Use short,snappy sentences that tell the reader why they should stay and how they can benefit from the productsand services offered. Chunk information using headings and blocks to help customers scan through theinformation. As well, offer the same navigation structure (menus, search box, etc.) that users will seethroughout the rest of the site.Consider Amazon’s top-level page:An easy-to-use directory is featured on the left, with a search box and quick links clearly visible at thetop. A sales pitch currently occupies the center of the page, which will be replaced with recently viewedand related items once the user has searched for products. Finally, current promotions are featured onthe right-hand side.
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