Looking for an ecommerce platform that works with your point of sale?

Over the last year or so, many shop owners will have been thinking about selling goods online. 

However before you start building your ecommerce website, it's vital to weigh up your options.  Diving right in without first thinking of how best to go about online selling will not produce the results you want.

Take time to consider which eCommerce platform to use

The natural place to start is thinking about the ecommerce platform you will use but it's essential to think about all aspects of your sales, not just what you may sell directly through your online shop but for your retail shop too, and if you want to sell in other places like events, pop-ups, Facebook, Amazon etc. 

It is also key to look at, not only what your requirements are now, but also what they may be in the future. The simple truth is that there are lots of platforms you could use out there and this vast array of choice can often seem confusing or overwhelming.

This is especially true if you are not overly tech-savvy or do not have expertise in the world of ecommerce.

Choose an ecommerce platform that works with your ePOS system

This is an absolute must for all businesses!  A massive mistake that you need to avoid is choosing an ecommerce platform that does not work with your ePOS system. 

While your online shop deals with online sales and your ePOS deals with in-store sales, they must be in sync with one another.

This will only happen if you choose an ecommerce platform that is compatible with your point of sale system. If you do not do this, you will soon find your inventory is not kept up to date. This naturally brings huge problems in terms of managing stock levels across your channels.

But what other mistakes should you avoid when choosing the right platform to sell goods online?

Choosing a retail system that reports old data

So, your ePOS system and your online shop talk to each other - problem solved, right?  This is not always the case, unfortunately!   

Another common mistake is picking an ecommerce platform that does link to your point of sale system, but does not report real-time data. This can easily see you working with out of date information and making decisions which may turn out to be expensive mistakes.

The other mistake to watch out for here is a system that syncs but only shows basic data. This will not give you enough detail to get a full picture of what is happening in your business. In the end, this could see you making poor decisions due to a lack of meaningful information.

Using a retail system that doubles your workload

The chances are that you and your staff are busy enough anyway - without having to double up on work. One mistake to watch out for is using systems which need separate, manual data entry. 

If you have to add the same product data into your ecommerce platform AND your point of sale system, you will soon get fed up.

It is also a very time-consuming and inefficient way of working.  It is much better to look for an all-in-one retail system that links everything together in one place and updates across the board when the new pricing or products get added.

Not looking at costs and ecommerce features closely

Cost and budget are important when looking for an ecommerce system.  It is therefore a real mistake to not look closely at this when making your choice. Remember to investigate what any plan you might sign up for includes and how the pricing works. 

For example some ecommerce platforms may ask for large upfront fees, while others like Cloud-based retail systems might allow you to pay per month which can really help with cashflow.

Be sure to check which ecommerce features are actually included in your plan, as many retailers get caught out with low headline prices but then find out every useful feature they need to sell successfully actually costs them extra.  Escalating costs are certainly not what any retail shop needs.

In terms of features, see if the ecommerce platform includes click and collect functionality as standard. This is a key feature shoppers now look for, providing them with the choice of how and when they can pick up their purchases. 

Choosing an all-in-one retail system makes sense

As the above points demonstrate, it really is crucial to choose an ecommerce platform that works with your ePOS system. 

This is not only more efficient and scalable for the future but also saves you spending money on multiple systems. With this in mind, an all-in-one retail system that integrates everything you need into one easy to use solution may be best.

Combined ePOS and ecommerce platform 

ShopTill-e is a cutting-edge all-in-one retail system which combines in-store ePOS technology with an easy to use ecommerce platform. 

Our complete multi-channel selling solution also enables you to easily make sales on popular internet marketplaces, such as Amazon, eBay, Wayfair and Etsy.  The all-in-one retail system also makes it simple to sell via channels like Instagram and Facebook.

Get in touch today and take advantage of the 14 day free trial or book your demo and get a personalised tour of ShopTill-e to find out how it can help your retail business.