E-commerce is the most innovative sphere of business, as it is the first to implement all the tech solutions targeting local or worldwide market influence.
The cornerstone of the digital existence of any online store is its application, which serves as the mediator between the business and the customers.
When aiming to grow their online presence and extend their audience, business owners are looking for functional solutions to make their stores visible in the highly competitive environment.
BigCommerce, as one of the best options to consider, offers a range of commodities and tools to every user that provide highly sustainable E-commerce management and functioning.
What is BigCommerce, and what are the main practices to follow to create a well-performing E-commerce application? Let’s explore together.
Article Contents
What Is BigCommerce?
BigCommerce is among the leading E-commerce business solutions that provide its clients with the platform and tools for creating, managing, and innovating online stores.
BigCommerce is an open software as a service solution (SaaS), which is why its users will not be bothered with numerous technical aspects of the E-store functioning, as all the data is kept in the cloud storage without a need to extend the hardware regularly.
Why Build A BigCommerce Application?
BigCommerce marketplace accelerates the E-commerce functioning and opens new possibilities for online store development regarding the size of the audience and its geographical extension.
BigCommerce will propel the development of every ‘fresh’ store entering the E-commerce market, as its subscription plans for starters offer numerous unlimited options and free add-ons, helping to grow the store from scratch.
BigCommerce will also be a perfect fit for large enterprises who keep extending their online presence and influence, as it offers SEO tools, the latest security measures for data protection (SSL certification, advanced fraud detection, anti-DDoS solutions, etc), unlimited, customizable solutions, hosting services, etc.
Since there are a lot of things to consider when looking for E-commerce solutions, it is worth contacting the BigCommerce web development company to discuss all the available options.
Best Practices To Follow
1. Clear Objectives
A successful development of any type of online solution should start with a clear vision and understanding of the final product.
While changing a few buttons or options along the way is possible, the client should always see the big picture.
2. Budget
Financial planning is one of the most challenging stages, as the store app development is never cheap.
There is no standard regarding the pricing tags; however, application design and development start from $5000 to $10,000 and more.
The final cost is driven by the complexity of the work, the rank of the developers, and the subscription plan.
3. Team Of Developers
Successful performance of E-commerce applications is always based on the ideas of the clients and the skill set of the developers.
The teams consist of project managers, business analysts, UX/UI designers, front-end and back-end developers, and QA engineers.
4. MVP Development
MVP, or minimally viable product, is a type of app, ‘dress rehearsal’, yet with fewer efforts.
Unlike the fully developed and fine-tuned finished product, MVP is a light version of the application, which takes a rather short time for development yet helps to present the major aspects of the app’s functioning and evaluate them accordingly.
MVP development is faster and more affordable; it helps to execute the project in its simplified forms, evaluate the benefits and the flaws of the application, and use these insights for fully functional application development.
5. PWA Development
A PWA, or progressive web application, is a widely used form of software. It is an application that is built using web platform technologies, and whose database fits multiple platforms and devices.
PWA features the functionality of the web versions, yet also presents offline access, push notifications, and a native-like experience.
6. QA Testing
Testing is one of the most important stages of product development. It helps to reveal all the bugs of the code, change it, and as a result, get a perfectly functioning E-commerce store application.
The QA specialists need to check the functionality of the application in different conditions, with different operational systems and multiple devices, to make sure every client regardless of the background will get access to a well-performing E-commerce environment.
Typical Pitfall When Developing A BigCommerce Application
1. Underdeveloped UI/UX design
When the app fails to meet UI/UX requirements, the user will not associate the application with a positive experience, and thus, will not use an E-commerce store again.
The UI, user interface design, refers to all the visual elements and their aesthetic load.
All the buttons, icons, menu, colors, and font should comply with the brand vision, to avoid visual noises. The UX, user experience, refers to a comfortable interaction with the functionalities of the application.
When developing the design of the application, it is important to consider the current trends and fit them into the brand vision.
2. Lack Of Communication
Lack of communication is a common reason for the poor performance of the final product.
It is important to double-check all the critical moments and hold regular meetings regarding every stage and milestone of the application development.
3. Insufficient Metric System
When building the E-commerce store, it is important to consider all the metric systems, to let the user seamlessly proceed with their purchase, without the need to look for the converter somewhere else.
You never know the origin of the store visitors, so it’s important to let them feel comfortable with the metric system they are used to.
4. ‘Functional’ Noise
Overloaded applications make it difficult for customers to concentrate on their needs and find relevant products.
The application design should be balanced with options, product lists, and functions. It is important to be very specific and clear with the CTAs and use only one per page.
When the CTAs are not prioritized, the users fail to understand what to do and simply look for a different and less complicated choice.
5. Ignorance Of Users’ feedback
Reviews are a great way to improve the store, as they help to create the application that the user is looking for.
It is important to analyze Google reviews (or more professional options) to understand the pain points of the customers and work on them.
The Bottom Line
A successfully performing E-commerce application (regardless of its type) is the result of a productive collaboration between the business and the developing team.
Business owners are responsible for the ideas and novelty of their vision, while the developers’ team is meant to bring the ideas to life.
When reaching out to the companies, check up on their portfolios to ensure their knowledge and expertise in BigCommerce application development.
