Generic website builders often fail to meet the unique needs of ecommerce. Online stores need special features for inventory management, secure payments, and complex product catalogs. Ecommerce website builders are designed for these tasks, with tools that streamline operations and improve the customer experience.
These platforms offer strong security and easy payment gateway integrations. They provide a solid foundation for online businesses and may even offer complimentary hardware add-ons for physical stores. Tailored solutions save time and money, letting you focus on revenue instead of getting bogged down by technical issues.
In this article, we'll highlight five important reasons to invest in an ecommerce website builder. We'll discuss the key benefits that make these platforms better than generic ones, while also offering insider information on things to look out for.
1. Built-in security features like PCI DSS compliance
Running an ecommerce store means you must prioritize security. Handling customer payment information makes you responsible for keeping that data safe. This is where PCI DSS compliance comes into play. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) sets guidelines for protecting sensitive credit card information. Ecommerce platforms with built-in compliance help ease your burden.
These platforms include strong security features like encryption, tokenization, and regular audits. For instance, encryption makes payment data unreadable if intercepted. Moreover, PCI DSS-compliant platforms do not store sensitive card details. This makes your site less appealing to cybercriminals. In short, you protect your customers and your business from costly data breaches.
But technology is only part of the story; trust matters too. Shoppers prefer buying from sites that show a commitment to security. Features like HTTPS connections and visible trust badges assure customers that their payment information is safe. This boosts confidence in your brand and encourages repeat purchases—essential for any online store.
Also, consider the legal implications. Not complying with PCI DSS can lead to hefty fines or lawsuits in the event of a breach. By choosing an ecommerce website builder with built-in compliance, you protect both your customers and your business from legal troubles. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.
2. Seamless integration with multiple payment gateways
Offering flexible payment options is a great way to enhance your customers' shopping experience. It can also boost your profits. Ecommerce website builders that work well with various payment gateways make this easy. Whether your customers like credit cards, digital wallets like PayPal or Apple Pay, or even cryptocurrencies, these platforms have it covered.
Why does this matter? First, it lowers the chance of failed transactions. If one payment gateway has issues, another option keeps your sales going. This backup is crucial during busy times like holiday sales or product launches when every sale counts.
Second, supporting multiple gateways allows you to reach a global audience. Different areas have unique payment preferences—like Alipay in China or Klarna in Europe. Offering these options can be the difference between a sale and a missed opportunity.
Many ecommerce platforms also handle currency conversions automatically, making international payments smooth for you and your customers.
But it’s not just about convenience; it's a smart strategy. Advanced platforms can direct transactions through the cheapest gateway based on location or transaction size. This can save you money on fees while ensuring a hassle-free payment process for your customers.
In summary, adding multiple payment gateways is not just a technical upgrade. It’s a strategy that keeps sales flowing and customers satisfied.
3. Specialized inventory management systems
Managing inventory is one of the trickiest parts of running an online store. But ecommerce website builders with inventory tools make it easier. These systems give you real-time visibility into stock levels across all sales channels. Whether you’re selling on your website, Amazon, or social media marketplaces, you’ll always be in control.
One big advantage of these tools is automation. They can update stock levels automatically after each sale. They also send alerts when inventory runs low, so you can reorder before running out. No more manual tracking or scrambling to restock popular items. It’s all handled for you.
Many of these platforms include demand forecasting features too. By analyzing past sales trends and market data, they predict what products you’ll need more or less of in the future. This means fewer overstocked items collecting dust and fewer missed opportunities when something sells out quickly.
These systems also integrate smoothly with other parts of your business, like order fulfillment and shipping. Imagine receiving an order and having everything — from picking lists to shipping labels — automatically generated. You won’t have to lift a finger. It saves time and reduces human error. This translates to happier customers who get their orders faster and more accurately.
With specialized inventory tools at your fingertips, you’ll spend less time worrying about stock levels and more time growing your business.
4. Ecommerce-specific SEO, marketing, and analytics tools
To get people to find and buy from your online store, you need more than great products. You need visibility and smart marketing strategies. That’s where ecommerce tools for SEO, marketing, and analytics come in.
Ecommerce website builders usually include SEO tools that help your store rank higher on search engines like Google. These tools make it easy to optimize product descriptions, meta tags, image alt text, and URL structures. All these factors improve your search rankings. Many platforms also offer site speed optimization and mobile-friendly designs, both critical for SEO success.
On the marketing side, you can benefit from email marketing tools. These platforms let you run email campaigns, create discount codes, manage social media promotions, and set up retargeting ads — all from one dashboard. For instance, if a customer abandons their cart, you can automatically send them an email reminder with a discount code to bring them back.
Then there are analytics. They are a secret weapon for any successful ecommerce business. These tools track everything from traffic sources to sales performance and customer behavior in real-time. Want to know which products are selling fast? Or which marketing campaign brought in the most traffic? Analytics provide those answers, so you can focus on what works and fix what doesn’t.
With these specialized tools, driving traffic and boosting conversions becomes much easier and more effective.
5. Automated tax calculation and shipping rate integration
Let’s face it: taxes and shipping rates aren't glamorous, but they are crucial. Ecommerce website builders with automated tax calculations and shipping integration make these tasks easier. This lets you focus on growing your business.
For taxes, these platforms automatically compute the correct amount based on your customer's location and what they’re buying. This is helpful if you sell across different states or countries, where tax laws vary. No more worrying about whether you’ve charged the right amount — these systems handle it in real-time during checkout.
Shipping rate integration works in a similar way. It provides accurate shipping costs based on package weight, dimensions, destination, and carrier rates. Customers see the exact shipping cost before completing their purchase. This transparency helps reduce cart abandonment rates.
If you sell internationally or face complex tax situations, like exempt items or multi-tiered rates, these systems are lifesavers. They manage everything behind the scenes, so you don’t have to calculate taxes or shipping costs for each order. This process is tedious and prone to mistakes.
In short, automating taxes and shipping rates saves time while ensuring accuracy and compliance. These are two things every ecommerce business needs to succeed.
Things to consider when choosing an ecommerce website builder
When choosing an ecommerce website builder, focus on platforms made for online stores. Unlike generic builders, ecommerce platforms include features like secure payment processing, inventory management, and content marketing tools. But how do you pick the right one?
Start by thinking about your business size and goals. For small businesses or startups, look for ease of use and affordability. Choose platforms with drag-and-drop editors, pre-designed templates, and built-in tools that make setup and maintenance easy. If you’re scaling up or running a high-volume store, look for advanced features. These include multi-channel selling, strong analytics, and scalability for more traffic and sales.
Security is important, too. Make sure the platform has PCI DSS compliance for safe payments, SSL certificates for encrypted connections, and fraud detection tools. Also, check for integrations with third-party apps, like marketing tools, shipping services, or accounting software. This ensures your store can grow with your business.
TechRadar Pro created this content as part of a paid partnership with Squarespace. The content of this article is entirely independent and solely reflects the editorial opinion of TechRadar Pro.
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