What are some of the variables that separate online retail success from anonymity and ultimate failure? Quality products, superior levels of customer service, and personalised client interactions are obvious traits to embrace. However, the functionality of the website in question plays an undeniably important role. Were you aware that the average online visitor will spend no more than a few seconds on a website before deciding whether it is worth taking a closer look?
So, we can clearly see that freelancers and entrepreneurs also need to consider whether or not their website is functioning as efficiently as it could. This is also one of the main reasons why working with a free website hosting service might not be the best approach to take. Let us first take a look at some potential drawbacks of free web hosting before examining why working in tandem with a professional e-commerce provider could be the best solution.
To be clear, services such as WordPress and InfinityFree are often excellent options for those who are looking to create a blog or to address an extremely limited audience. The main issue is that such platforms can quickly become outdated when dealing with the larger online retail sector. Here are some potential drawbacks which should be mentioned:
- A rather clumsy user interface.
- A limited number of retail-based widgets.
- Questionable levels of customer support.
- It can be difficult to customise templates.
- Slow page loading times on occasion.
- A lack of support for mobile-responsive designs.
Furthermore, many free website hosting services are associated with rather generic page layouts. This may even detract from the quality of the products or services being offered.
Take a moment to browse through well-maintained websites. Whether referring to gaming-related portals such as comeon.com/in or a retail-based page offering the latest fashion accessories, they all share a handful of metrics in common. Navigation is simple. Orders can be placed quickly. Products are presented in an attractive manner. All of these goals can be accomplished with the help of a third-party enterprise e-commerce platform.
We can think of e-commerce platforms as representing strong digital "foundations" for your business. They are extremely user-friendly and websites can be fully customised based on the needs of the entrepreneur in question. Pages load quickly and security protocols are highly advanced. Customers will remain satisfied and the site itself will often rank higher within a search engine results page (SERP).
The only sticking point is that the majority of quality e-commerce solutions are not free. However, the expression "you get what you pay for" is entirely relevant here. It is impossible to expect a free service to offer the same amenities associated with a monthly subscription. As the rates are often quite agreeable, it is clear to see why e-commerce solutions can come in handy.
If your online venture is struggling, it is wise to consider upgrading to a paid e-commerce platform.
This article is written by Rashmi Goyal, Content Writer.
