1. Ensure Your Host Server Provides Fast Loading Times

This is more crucial than many website owners imagine. The problem with slow-loading sites is that they tend to be ranked lower by Google, Bing and the other big search engines. Site loading plays a big part in search engine results pages so you need to have your site hosted by a provider which doesn’t only offer proper cybersecurity measures but which also provides a slick, effective service to users on devices in any part of the globe. This is why web hosting is so important for all websites and it is certainly the case that e-commerce sites need fast-loading pages if they are to rank highly and get an edge over their competitors. Note that rapid loading capacity from your web host service should be scaleable, too. In other words, it needs to remain just as quick regardless of how many pages you add to your site over time.

2. Provide Unique Content For Each of Your Category Landing Pages

Among the best practices for running a commercial website of any kind is how you deal with content that is generic in its nature. Let’s say you have just added a new line of products to your site from a manufacturer. If you upload information about each of these products that has been copied and pasted from the manufacturer’s own sales literature, then you can bet that the same wording will appear on multiple e-commerce websites. Search engines will recognise this and won’t typically rank your site so well going forward. Doing so can drag your visibility down overall. To counter this, provide your own, unique wording for the web crawlers to read.

3. Keep Your URLs as Simple as Possible

URLS – the online addresses for each of your e-commerce site’s pages – may not be a key part of the user experience shoppers will encounter when they visit your platform but they are important nonetheless. If you have URLs with long strings of letters and numbers that no one can understand or if you have an inconsistent approach to naming your product pages, then it can affect your SEO. Use a methodical approach that can be replicated with every product you sell to make it easier for both people and bots to navigate your site.

SEO For e-Commerce Platforms in a Nutshell

Raising the visibility of your e-commerce platform takes time and some care but it doesn’t have to be expensive. Some of the measures, such as updating your site’s schema, can be achieved relatively simply. What you shouldn’t do is assume your site’s SEO is in good order and needs no further attention because this will only open the door to competitors who are keen to outrank you.

The post Three Tips For Improving the Visibility of Your e-Commerce Site appeared first on WP Pluginsify.

Understanding Canadian Value-Added Taxes: GST, PST, and HST

The first thing to understand is that Canada has a value-added tax called the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which is applied to most goods and services in Canada. The current rate of GST is 5%. In addition to GST, certain provinces have a provincial sales tax (PST), which varies by province. Some provinces also have a harmonized sales tax (HST), which combines both GST and PST. The current HST rates range from 13% to 15%, depending on the province.

When shipping goods to Canada, you will need to determine whether your goods are subject to any duties or taxes. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is responsible for assessing and collecting duties and taxes on imported goods. The CBSA uses the Harmonized System (HS) to classify goods and determine the applicable duty rates.

Duties are calculated based on the value of the goods, as well as the country of origin. The duty rates vary depending on the HS code and the country of origin. For example, the duty rate for clothing from the United States is generally 16.5%, while the duty rate for clothing from China is generally 17%. The HS code, or Harmonized System code, is a standardized system used to classify goods for international trade. The HS code is used to determine the applicable duty rates, as well as any other fees or taxes that may apply. It’s important to accurately determine the HS code for your goods to ensure that the correct duty rates are applied.

In addition to the HS code, the country of origin can also impact the duty rates. For example, the duty rate for clothing from the United States is generally 16.5%, while the duty rate for clothing from China is generally 17%. This difference in duty rates can impact the cost of importing goods and should be carefully considered when planning your shipments.

It’s important to note that there are some exceptions to duty rates, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which eliminates duties on most goods traded between Canada, the United States, and Mexico. However, with the recent implementation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), there are some changes to duty rates that businesses should be aware of.

Navigating duties and taxes when shipping to Canada can be a complex process, but understanding the applicable rates and fees is essential to the success of your business. By doing your research and working with experienced professionals, you can ensure that your shipments are compliant with all regulations and requirements, and that you are able to successfully expand your business into the Canadian market.

In addition to duties, imported goods may also be subject to other fees, such as excise taxes and anti-dumping duties. Excise taxes are applied to certain goods, such as tobacco and alcohol. Anti-dumping duties are applied when imported goods are sold at a lower price than the domestic market, which can harm domestic industries.

To navigate taxes and duties when shipping to Canada, it’s important to do your research and understand the applicable rates and fees. You can use the CBSA’s online tool, the Customs Tariff, to determine the HS code and applicable duty rates for your goods. You should also consider working with a customs broker or freight forwarder who can help you navigate the complex process of importing goods into Canada.

Compliance with Documentation and Permit Requirements

When shipping to Canada, it’s also important to ensure that you comply with all regulations and documentation requirements. You will need to provide a commercial invoice, bill of lading, and any necessary permits or licenses. Failure to comply with these requirements can result in delays or penalties.

Conclusion

In conclusion, shipping to Canada can be a valuable opportunity for businesses looking to expand their customer base, but it requires careful consideration of taxes and duties. To navigate this complex process, it’s important to do your research, work with experienced professionals, and ensure compliance with regulations. By taking these steps, you can successfully expand your business into the Canadian market and achieve long-term success. Remember, the key to success when shipping to Canada is to stay informed, plan ahead, and be diligent in your efforts to comply with all regulations and requirements.

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Expert Knowledge and Industry Insights

eCommerce consultants bring specialized knowledge and industry insights that can prove invaluable for businesses. These professionals possess a deep understanding of the eCommerce landscape, including market trends, consumer behavior, and emerging technologies. By leveraging their expertise, consultants can help businesses identify opportunities, mitigate risks, and make informed decisions. They stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the field, ensuring that businesses stay ahead of the competition and maximize their potential for growth.

Tailored Strategies for Business Success

Every business is unique, and a one-size-fits-all approach rarely works in the eCommerce world. An eCommerce consultant works closely with a company to understand its goals, target audience, and competitive landscape. Based on this comprehensive analysis, the consultant develops a customized strategy that aligns with the business’s specific needs and objectives. From choosing the right eCommerce platform and optimizing product listings to implementing effective marketing campaigns, the consultant provides tailored ecommerce solutions that can drive success.

Overcoming Operational Challenges

eCommerce operations encompass various components, such as inventory management, order fulfillment, logistics, and customer service. These operational challenges can be overwhelming for businesses new to eCommerce or those experiencing rapid growth. An eCommerce consultant helps streamline operations by identifying bottlenecks, implementing efficient workflows, and recommending tools and technologies that enhance productivity. By optimizing processes, businesses can ensure seamless customer experiences, reduce costs, and scale operations effectively.

Enhancing Customer Experience

Customer experience lies at the heart of eCommerce success. In an increasingly competitive market, businesses must differentiate themselves by providing exceptional online experiences that delight customers. eCommerce consultants have a deep understanding of user experience (UX) design, website optimization, and personalization techniques. They can evaluate a company’s existing digital presence, identify areas for improvement, and develop strategies to enhance user engagement, improve conversion rates, and build long-term customer loyalty.

Maximizing ROI and Revenue Growth

Investing in eCommerce consultancy and strategy creation can yield significant returns on investment (ROI). By leveraging the expertise of consultants, businesses can optimize their marketing spend, identify profitable market segments, and implement effective pricing strategies. Consultants can also conduct data analysis and performance tracking, enabling businesses to make data-driven decisions and continuously refine their eCommerce approach. With the right strategies in place, businesses can maximize their revenue growth and achieve long-term profitability.

Keeping Pace with Technological Advancements

The eCommerce landscape is constantly evolving, with new technologies and innovations emerging regularly. Staying updated with these advancements can be challenging for businesses focused on their core operations. Here’s where eCommerce consultants play a crucial role. They have their fingers on the pulse of the industry and can provide insights on the latest technological trends that can benefit businesses.

Whether it’s implementing artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots for customer support, adopting virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) for immersive shopping experiences, or integrating voice commerce solutions, consultants can help businesses identify the right technologies to stay competitive. By embracing the right tools and platforms, businesses can offer cutting-edge experiences to their customers and gain a strategic advantage over their competitors.

Mitigating Risks and Security Concerns

The online realm is not without its risks, particularly concerning cybersecurity and data protection. With the increasing number of cyber threats and privacy concerns, businesses must prioritize the security of their eCommerce operations. eCommerce consultants are well-versed in identifying vulnerabilities and implementing robust security measures to protect sensitive customer information, secure transactions, and maintain regulatory compliance.

Consultants can conduct thorough audits of a business’s eCommerce infrastructure and processes, identifying potential risks and suggesting appropriate security solutions. By proactively addressing security concerns, businesses can build trust with their customers and safeguard their reputation in the digital space.

Adapting to Changing Consumer Behavior

Consumer behavior is constantly evolving, driven by shifting preferences, demographics, and cultural changes. Staying attuned to these shifts is vital for eCommerce success. eCommerce consultants conduct market research and analyze consumer behavior patterns to help businesses understand their target audience better.

They provide valuable insights into consumer expectations, preferences, and purchase behavior across various channels and touchpoints. Armed with this knowledge, businesses can tailor their eCommerce strategies to meet customer needs, develop personalized marketing campaigns, and create engaging experiences that resonate with their target market. By adapting to changing consumer behavior, businesses can foster brand loyalty and drive customer satisfaction.

Conclusion

eCommerce consultancy and strategy creation have become imperative for businesses navigating the dynamic digital landscape. With their expertise, eCommerce consultants guide businesses through the intricacies of the online marketplace, helping them develop tailored strategies, overcome operational challenges, enhance customer experiences, and maximize revenue growth.

Moreover, consultants bring in-depth knowledge of emerging technologies, keeping businesses up-to-date with the latest trends and ensuring they remain competitive. They also mitigate risks, address security concerns, and adapt strategies to match changing consumer behavior. Investing in eCommerce consultancy is an investment in the long-term success and sustainability of a business in the digital age.

By partnering with experienced eCommerce consultants, businesses can unlock their full potential, capitalize on growth opportunities, and establish a strong online presence that propels them ahead of the competition. In a world where eCommerce continues to reshape the way we do business, the importance of consultancy and strategy creation cannot be overstated.

Article written in cooperation with https://noaignite.co.uk/

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However, it is not enough just to offer customers the option of ordering products from the webshop. It is necessary to create an overall shopping experience that will keep your customers and encourage them to repeat the purchase and return.

The most basic method is to invest in a hosting platform. And there is nothing better than finding multiple high-quality options combined all in one place, right?

One thing that sets WPMU DEV’s hosting platform apart is that as well as having all the hosting features you’d expect – it also comes built-in with 7 pro-WP plugins – covering performance, security, backups, and more. Get 20% off any of their plans.

Optimize Your Website

You must do some things to optimize your eCommerce for a key position in sales operations. A well-optimized and well-designed eCommerce will maintain a stable global position. It can harm your point of sale status.

The main thing you will want is the data when people search for a product on the web; yours is one of the first to be found on the site. Ranking high on the Google search engine results page is one indication that you are on the right track.

As a result, having keywords and good product descriptions is essential. It is good to have complete and optimized descriptions of your products as possible. When creating a webshop, it is vital to consider that navigation follows the logical sequence of product searches.

Also, this is how you will directly influence the improvement of the user experience during the purchase process.

Improve the Overall Shopping Experience

Customers’ satisfaction should always be your priority. The first impression is the most important. Improving it can be done in many ways. You can add website features like a shopping cart that make the shopping process way quicker. Adding approximate delivery dates and optimizing the buying process is what will make your customers come back.

You should provide your customers with information such as which items they have added to the cart recently, quantities, and total prices. The visitor must be able to see the selected products at all times and have the option to complete the purchase. Allow them to enter payment and delivery information.

There are numerous plugins and tools available to help you improve the shopping experience on your eCommerce site. Great ways to make the eCommerce user experience excellent are adding a chatbox, shipping details, product description, etc.

Know Finance and Logistics

When it comes to finances and logistics, you need to know about some things. There is always a specific knowledge that directly affects the work and that you have to consider. Therefore, you must learn about them. For example, you need to ensure that your business will survive in the financial field.

You must understand financial concepts to make decisions, avoid risky situations, and lead the company to success. Also, you must ensure that the investments you make will pay off and generate revenue for your business.

Be Creative and Innovative

This is possibly the most crucial aspect of your job as an eCommerce store owner and one of the professional skills you should value the most.

Furthermore, this will set you apart from the competition and attract customers. Therefore, it is said that a professional must have a creative mind, be very careful and passionate about challenges, propose ideas, and have a completely different vision from others.

In the sense of seeing views that others have not thought about. The market is constantly changing, and you need to stay up to date at all times.

Update Your Social Networks and Email

To sell, you need to reach as large an audience as possible. So updating and maintaining interaction with customers via social media is a great idea. Your social media should be the best showcase of your eCommerce store. It has the power to attract customers to your website and make them purchase the products or services you are offering.

If you manage to get the user’s email address after requesting it, there is a high probability that the user will become a customer. Using email marketing, you can offer new products, provide subscribers with discounts and thus direct them to purchase.

You can use the “Pop-up” method, but we genuinely don’t recommend using it frequently because website visitors often find it intrusive. It is critical to test the ways to see how likely visitors will reject it or find it too aggressive.

Conclusion

It is crucial to test and try out new ideas that can influence the user experience. By using proven practices and asking experts’ opinions, you can contribute to the creation of a quality eCommerce online shop.

The post 5 Ways to Improve Your eCommerce User Experience (UX) in 2022 appeared first on WP Pluginsify.

Planning, market research, and the use of the appropriate tools will help your business grow faster and with a more predictable future trajectory. And we’re here to help with that. Today we’ll talk about the essential tools every small business needs to start the right way – an ultimate eCommerce checklist if you will.

So, grab a pen, put your thinking cap on and let’s get straight into it.

1. An eCommerce Platform

Right, first things first. Choosing a platform for your future webshop is the first thing you’ll have to do. Numerous options are available, ranging from free to paid, and so on. When it comes to beginners, the most common options are Shopify or WooCommerce.

Both platforms have a lot to offer and work perfectly with WordPress. Either should work just fine, but we would genuinely recommend WooCommerce. The base itself is entirely free, and it’s relatively easy to up and run – even with zero previous experience.

Plus, it’s infinitely customizable to integrations of other tools and a seemingly endless list of WordPress plugins.

2. Payment Processing System

Payment and shipping are both vital for an eCommerce shop to function, but more on shipping later.

WooCommerce supports a wide range of payment gateways by default, thanks to its open-source nature, including Stripe, PayPal, Amazon Pay, and Authrize.net. These payment gateways should cover roughly 90% of the total customer base.

And as far as the remaining 10% are concerned, feel free to pick between numerous payment tool integrations. These third-party extensions are typically targeted locally and assist in connecting buyers from a specific country.

However, even though WooCommerce is safe by default, and so are these payment gateways, it’s important to mention here that you should also get a security plugin considering you’ll be privy to some sensitive information like bank details.

And of course, we can’t forget a tool for creating printable and editable paystubs for your employees.

3. Shipping

Alright, the store is all set up, your customer has a viable payment gateway, and they’re starting to order items from the site. What you must now do is establish shipping policies and costs.

Shipping can be challenging because it affects every aspect of the business, including the bottom line and customer satisfaction. If you’re going global, chances are you’ll need varying shipping rates – probably by country or by weight if you’re selling furniture.

Shipping fees can vary greatly depending on a country’s tax laws and general import rules, depending on where the warehouse is located.

Install WooCommerce Table Rate Shipping to create a foolproof shipping system, and you’ll never need a shipping plugin again. If you want to try before you buy, no worries, as this plugin offers both free and premium versions, so you can make up your mind before upgrading.

Essentially with this plugin, you can add countless shipping zones sorted by ZIP codes, or countries set a base rate shipping fee, and add extra ones based on the weight, item count, and total worth.

There are also option to make the packages taxable and add a handling fee.

4. Advanced Analytics and Tracking

To have a thriving business, you’ll have to make decisions based on data rather than hunched and personal desires. The answer to doing that right is website analytics. Just the idea alone can make a beginner sweat, but it’s not as complicated as it sounds.

Google Analytics is a widely used free tool that can provide primary analytical data and assist business owners in better understanding their customers.

Advanced analytics broaden the scope of available data and expand on what you learn about our customers. KISS Metrics is a powerful online tool that provides valuable data into crucial customer interactions.

However, to truly tap into the power of analytics as an eCommerce business, you’ll have to export the data from the site and connect it to an analytics tool. WooCommerce Order Export (also available in a more bare-bones free version) allows users to export data whenever they want quickly.

There are also filters and customization tools that enable the user to export new data and schedule weekly data extractions.

In case you’re wondering, the reason why you’ll need a tool for this is that data extraction is quite tedious and time-consuming to do otherwise. It could take hours, if not days, once you start getting a lot of orders. The plugin we mentioned earlier is the best data extraction solution for WooCommerce, so check it out.

5. Checkout

Because checkout is the final step before completing a transaction, it should be no surprise that it is the most crucial page on an eCommerce website. It must be quick, dependable, and easily accessible. During the design step, do make sure to double-check everything’s in order as this really can make or break the user experience.

Cart abandonments are a real problem when it comes to online shopping. So, you want to give the users a little extra nudge towards going through with the purchase. One of the most effective ways to accomplish this is to skip the cart stage.

We recognize that this appears to be risky, but it creates a sense of urgency around the purchase. And the more time customers spend thinking whether or not they’ll complete the transaction, the more likely they are to opt-out.

This simple yet highly effective functionality can be added to your store using a free plugin. Direct Checkout for WooCommerce, not only allows you to entirely skip the cart but also complements it with a feature that adds a direct “Buy” button next to each item.

6. Coming Soon Pages

When you first open your digital doors, chances are the store won’t carry all of the items right at the beginning. This is why coming soon pages are so important.

Aside from simply acting as a placeholder when introducing new features, products, or functionalities. You can even set them up before the site goes live to generate hype and buzz for a webshop that isn’t even open yet.

Utilizing a plugin designed for the job like UnderConstructionPage or Coming Soon & Maintenace Mode, one can create stunning coming soon pages in mere minutes. Adding elements like countdown timers and opt-in email forms can also help get people talking and connect to potential future customers.

Over To You

Running an online business of any kind is no easy game, especially if you’re looking to go big or go home. You can expand some elements later on, and you can learn as you go along.

But the six things we listed all need immediate attention, or you’ll run into problems you’ll need to fix retroactively. And, you don’t want that to happen, especially if you can stop them from happening in the first place.

The post Unique eCommerce Tools Every Small Business Needs to Start the Right Way appeared first on WP Pluginsify.

Accordingly, one of the best platforms on which you can create and run an eStore is SamCart. Furthermore, we can say that it is a comprehensive tool with many available features, which require a lot of money. This software has certain limitations and, as such, may not be suitable for every internet company.

Due to the mentioned disadvantages of this tool, we at this moment present you with several alternative options that could be acceptable for your eCommerce.

What is SamCart?

This platform appeared to be the leading software on the Internet market to sell certain products. The advantage and focus of the company are exclusively on product placement, not brands or stores. As such, it is the only one to provide a direct interface for consumer products.

You can optimize this platform for both digital and physical ways of selling products. Many companies use this platform to sell eCommerce products, digital products, subscription services, or even promo training packages.

Furthermore, it even comes with a great feature pack where you can find a multitude of templates and integrations that further increase the value of SamCart. Despite all the benefits and advantages of the platform, the other side that rejects most users is the high price that you will have to set aside every month.

However, depending on which plan you choose, you will need to set aside $39 to $159 per month. These plans also represent a considerable cost for many, and accordingly, in the rest of the article, we will inform you about possible alternatives.

1. ThriveCart

One of the possible alternative platforms for your eCommerce is ThriveCart. It is a payment software where you can sell a single product or create a funnel process for sale. It offers the option of conducting affiliate marketing on a specially made platform.

However, access is effortless with ease of movement on the platform. The possibility of integration is one of the most critical factors that every seller wants, which this platform has. With ThriveCart, you can integrate with various websites, making maintaining and improving your workflow easier.

In addition to sales opportunities, many users will also demand the aesthetic appearance of the website. Also, a vital fact is that your site will get a new look with the features of different templates, resulting in increased earnings.

When it comes to affordability, ThriveCart boasts and outperforms all its competitors. Once you make a payment of $495, you will be able to be a lifetime user.

2. SendOwl

Like its most significant competitor SamCart, SendOwl is the online platform most commonly used to sell products, subscriptions, etc. The company’s policy includes providing the buyer with comfort and ensuring the seller’s convenience. You can even customize some of the created features.

Also, this way makes it easy to access the website from any device, available in multiple languages, and flexible payment. The focus is on involving customers in the entire process, so accordingly, a particular drip function has been created.

SendOwl also offers users the benefit of detailed analysis using advanced reports. As for the price range, you need to set aside $15 to $39 per month.

3. Podia

If you are looking for an all-in-one platform, then Podia is the best choice for you. When you become a user of this platform, you can sell courses, digital products, memberships – all in one place. All the tools needed to place a digital product or an online system are available on this platform.

It also offers features designed to host and sell your content and features for running marketing campaigns via email. The built-in page editor is designed to be very easy to use and does not require any prior knowledge. The platform supports all file formats, be it videos, audio, or photos.

Podia offers no restrictions, which means you can sell as much as you want. This platform is available to users in two pricing plans. They are known as “Mover” and “Shaker,” which are available for $39 per month, and you can try them out for a 14 day trial period.

4. Kartra

When we talk about Kartra, we can without any doubt say that it is the only platform that has integrated all the elements of technology needed to run internet marketing. It is possible to create destination stations, order forms, programs, and many other features.

You can also sell as many products as you want. And that way make unlimited profits accordingly. It is also possible to adjust different price amounts for different products. The card allows sellers to create various discounts and surcharges, which in the long-run has the effect of retaining and attracting other potential customers.

The platform provides translation for over 40 languages and currency conversion options. When it comes to the costs you have to set aside for this set of options, the basic plan starts at $99 per month. At the same time, the other three plans require much higher amounts if you’re willing to pay.

Conclusion

Each of the mentioned platforms is created to increase sales. However, it will always be one that will stand out the most for you.

When you consider the balance between all the features, the accessibility of the tools, the price range, and the adaptability to your business, you will only be able to choose the best one for you.

Take enough time and explore the best alternative for you. Whether it’s selling products, consulting, or webinar management services that you want to deliver to everyone worldwide with your eCommerce.

The post The Best SamCart Alternatives: Create Your eStore Easily appeared first on WP Pluginsify.

1. Kin

Kin HR software is a one-stop-shop for all of your critical human resource requirements. You may use their dashboard and templates to manage to hire, develop onboarding checklists, set HR rules, and organize and manage employee information. You may even schedule staff evaluations and arrange team goals and feedback.

2. Slack

Slack is a time-saving and user-friendly real-time communications solution for teams. However, what makes Slack appealing is its vast library of different applications and connections.

Also, it will allow merchants to have everything they need in one location. It also has a slew of helpful features. Some are the ability to organize discussions in different channels, make video calls, share files, and much more.

Also, a vital fact is that Slack is one of the fastest-growing B2B SaaS startups in history.

3. Trello

Trello is productivity software that enables teams to collaborate on projects and monitor tasks. And it doesn’t represent an issue if they are not in the same workplace. Project boards may help your team allocate and manage work more efficiently.

For example, if you recently launched a new product, you might assign team members to check reviews. Or even, you will have to monitor how frequently a discount code is linked with the product customers use per day.

Individual cards on the board feature information such as due dates and a progress indicator to help everyone stay on track.

After examining the pricing of Wrike, its industry rival, we can also safely say that Trello is quite affordable.

4. Smile.io

Smile.io is a loyalty platform that you can use to create a rewards program to enhance client loyalty. Customers get points when they interact with your brand, such as making a purchase or submitting a review.

Provide discounts or other incentives to consumers who accumulate a particular amount of points. Your loyalty program will encourage individuals to become repeat clients. However, Smile.io will assist in making the entire process simple to administer.

5. SEMrush

SEMrush is a comprehensive marketing analytics tool that is extremely simple to use. This tool provides several functional SEO capabilities, such as site auditing, backlink analytics, keyword research, content planning tools, and competition monitoring.

Aside from SEO, it also aids marketers with SEM analysis, social media, public relations, and content analysis.

6. Omnisend

Omnisend specializes in omnichannel marketing solutions for eCommerce, as the name implies. Also, we would love to point out that this application offers numerous automation focused at various stages of the client experience.

Such as order confirmations, browse and cart abandonment, and so on. OmniSend includes several fantastic email features, such as incentives and interactive registration forms, landing pages, sales reports, click maps, and detailed info.

Ominsend goes beyond email by allowing businesses to combine several communication channels. Some of them are Facebook and Google retargeting advertisements, SMS marketing, push notifications, and others, into a single communication flow.

7. Google Analytics

This tool is the most commonly utilized one in business. It aids in a better understanding of your consumers. Analytics insights may help you assess how your market, content, goods, campaigns, and other elements are doing. It will point you where your investments are failing, so you may take corrective action.

Google Analytics for eCommerce businesses also displays how many visitors visited your website and how many purchased. It also can help you create better strategies, product sites, and other materials.

8. Google docs

This well-known editing and collaboration tool Google docs allows you to create and manage content while on the road. Businesses can use it to collaborate on content creation or to exchange material for editing and publishing easily. It also lets you alter the formatting, keep track of changes, and add pictures.

This tool may access docs from any location. You may write and edit from anywhere you are by just logging in with your email address. All you need is a solid internet connection, but Docs can even sync new entries when you’re not connected! All of your thoughts and documents you can save in the cloud.

Conclusion

So there you have it, our top 8 most excellent e-commerce marketing tools! We hope you find the resources we’ve mentioned helpful in your team’s marketing journey. This year, but also in the future.

The post Top 8 eCommerce Tools You Must Have in 2021: Enhance Your Efficiency appeared first on WP Pluginsify.

Well, there are many ways:

• You can visit third-party services like StubHub and Ticketmaster, but you might have to pay hefty commissions to these services and cut your profits.
• You can create a separate landing page with a CTA that allows your audience to purchase tickets. While this is a good approach if you are hosting a single event, it can be a menace if you want to sell multiple gigs from your website.
• You can turn to social media to sell the tickets and facilitate ticket sales on the platform to reduce friction for the customers. But as you know, social media is a competitive world, and for a newbie, it can be challenging to reach an audience instantly.

All these methods are great and have their pros and cons. But what if you add another very underrated way of selling tickets to your events? I’m talking about WooCommerce.

Ecommerce has worked wonders for many industries, and with WooCommerce, every business person wants to sell anything online. Even the tickets to your first gig. This article will share how you can use a WooCommerce store to sell the tickets to your WooCommerce store.

Why WooCommerce?

The straight answer is WooCommerce is fantastic, and it’s not me; the numbers speak so.

According to a report by BuiltWith, 4,414,537 live websites are using WooCommerce. So many sellers couldn’t go wrong in choosing a platform to run their business. But still, let’s see some factual information as to why you should WooCommerce for selling online:

1. WooCommerce Is Free

So actually, WooCommerce is a free and open-source WordPress plugin; therefore, it is accessible to anyone who owns a WordPress website.

WordPress is the most popular content management system in the platform, and it provides direct developmental support to the WooCommerce plugin.

2. Comes With Built-In eCommerce Features

WooCommerce gives you all the features required to create a full-functioning eCommerce website, therefore, saving you from all the efforts of building custom product pages.

Here are some of the promising features of WooCommerce:

• Unrestricted customization.
• It comes with a built-in blogging system.
• The product categories are easy to manage in WooCommerce.
• You can quickly know your customers’ feedback with the help of reviews and ratings.
• The product can be quickly sorted and filtered with the help of tags and attributes.
• You can make customizations according to the region you’re selling in for currency, taxes, and other details like measurement units.

3. Flexibility To Sell

WooCommerce store owners are free to sell anything and everything from their eCommerce stores. The default WooCommerce store lets you selling the following types of products:

1. Simple Product

A stand-alone physical product that might have to be shipped to your customers is known as a simple product. For selling a simple product, you have to assign a price and SKU for the product and start selling them.

Example: books

2. Grouped Product

A cluster of simple products clubbed together to form a single entity is known as a grouped product in WooCommerce. The grouped products are identified by their child products that have unique features of their own. One of the best examples for a grouped product can be a t-shirt available in muted colors.

3. Virtual Product

With WooCommerce, you can even sell non-physical entities. Unlike the simple and grouped products, there is no need to ship virtual products. For example, you can list services as a product in your store.

4. Downloadable Product

Similar to virtual products, the downloadable product need not be shipped. These products are available as a downloadable file to the customers with a specified path and URL.

5. External/Affiliate Product

Products that you are not the actual seller for comes under the external/affiliate product. The products listed on your website but the customers are directed to somewhere else for completing the checkout process fall under this category.

As you can see with WooCommerce, you can sell almost anything from an eCommerce website. However, you can extend the functionality of WooCommerce with the help of plugins and introduce a new product that you will use in the case of events. Moving forward, we’ll see how you can extend the functionality of core WooCommerce and add events as products on your WordPress site.

How to Add Events as Products to My Woocommerce Store?

Let’s begin with the most awaited part of this article and learn step-by-step how to create an event and ticketing website using WooCommerce.

Ready to sell your first gig?

Step 1: Creating a WooCommerce Store

To sell events from WooCommerce, you first need to have a WooCommerce store. Creating a WooCommerce store is very detailed, and if it is your first, you might need a WooCommerce setup tutorial.

But I’ll take you through all the necessary steps to make and the prerequisites for creating a WooCommerce store.

1. Purchase a Domain Name and Hosting Service

The very first step is to purchase a unique domain name which will be your website’s address on the internet. Then, you have to buy a hosting service that will make your website accessible to the searchers.

Instead of a standard hosting service, you can go with a WordPress hosting service provider such as Hostinger.

The advantage of a WordPress hosting service is that you get pre-installed WordPress thus, making it for you to start your website with a click.

Lastly, you’ve to invest in an SSL certificate, but you can skip this step if your hosting provider has already done it for you.

2. Installing WooCommerce

Once you finish that setting up your WordPress website, you have to install WooCommerce. It is similar to installing any other plugin in your WordPress environment.

Just trace the following steps:

• On your WordPress dashboard, press on the Plugins → Adds new from the side menus.
• In the search bar, type WooCommerce and from the search results, press on the install button beside the WooCommerce plugin.
• Once you’ve installed WooCommerce, activate it and move forward with other procedures.

3. Configuring Essential Settings

Once you activate WooCommerce, it will ask you to fill in some vital information for starting selling online.

These configurations include:

• Store location, currency, and product type.
• Next, you’ve to choose a payment method. If your payment method is not available, you can skip this step and add a payment method later.
• After choosing a payment method, WooCommerce will ask you to select a shipping method.
• Lastly, the setup wizard will ask you to install some recommended services. If you want any assistance, you can install them or skip this step too.

As I’ve said earlier, the features have to be extended to add a product type that is not available in the stock WooCommerce. Once you have installed WooCommerce and do all the necessary steps, you must add products. In this case, those are events. Let’s see how.

Step 2: Installing Event Tickets Manager for WooCommerce

By default, WooCommerce does not have a feature to add events as products. But we can always turn to plugins for achieving our plugins. So after installing WooCommerce, the next step is to install a plugin called Event Tickets Manager For WooCommerce.

You have to use the same process to install the which you used to install WooCommerce, or you can directly visit WordPress.org, download the plugin and activate it.

Wasn’t it simple?

Installing his plugin will open your routes for selling events from a WooCommerce store. Therefore, our next step is to add your gig for selling the tickets online.

Step 3: Adding Events to Your WooCommerce Store

Like any other product, you have to add events as products if you want to sell them. Trace the following steps to add events on your WooCommerce store:

• Visit the Products → Add New page to upload your first gig.
• Upon visiting the page, scroll down to the product data box section.
• You’ve to select Events as product type from the drop-down menu.
• Finally, you have to start filling in the required details.

The event-based products require the vendors to fill in some essential details before your gig goes live. These events include:

1. Price

The vendor has to enter the price of the tickets for your gig. You’ll find two fields in the pricing section: Regular price and Sale price; if the tickets are at a discount, you’ve to enter expenses in both these fields. You can leave the Sale price field empty if there is no discount available.

By clicking on the Schedule button below, you can fix the start and end date of the sale. This lets you build a sense of urgency among your customers.

2. Date and Time

Select the Events tab in the product box, and you’ll find some vital information to be filled in, such as the start and end date along with the timings of the event.

The vendor has to enter the date and time of the gig for the audience.

3. Location

If you’re inviting people to an event, you cannot keep the location hidden. Therefore, the Event Tickets manager asks the vendor to enter the location of an event. The merchant has to enter the exact locational address, and the plugin will automatically generate the longitude and latitude related to the location.

You can also show the gig’s location on the product page by clicking on the checkbox beside “Display event on google map.” The plugin offers integration with Google Maps that lets the merchants show the live location of the event through a widget.

Step 4: Configuring the Ticket Settings

When customers visit your store and book a seat at your gig, they receive the tickets in an email. The WooCommerce plugin has some settings that you have to configure to ensure the guests receive correct emails.

The Event Tickets Manager lets you modify the subject and body of the emails sent to the customers whenever they purchase your WooCommerce store. Customers can find the ticket settings on the MakeWebBetter → Event Tickets Manager For WooCommerce page, and finally, click on the Ticket Setting tab.

Under the ticket settings tab, you’ll find the options to:

• Edit the subject line of emails and automatically send it when a customer purchases a ticket.
• You’ll also find an editor that lets you edit the content of the email’s body. Thus, letting you make personalized content in a breeze.
• Also, you have an option that allows the merchants to upload an image used as a logo for an email template.

Once you’ve configured the emails, don’t forget to save the settings.

Step 5: Show Live Location of Your Gig

I love Event Tickets Manager For WooCommerce and show the live location of gigs. We don’t want our attendees to get lost or face any problem finding the event’s exact location. Therefore, the plugin has a feature that shows the live location of your gigs on the product pages.

This WooCommerce event management system offers integration with Google. The merchant has to generate an API key and later update the key on the MakeWebBetter → Event Tickets Manager For WooCommerce → Integrations page.

Once you’ve entered the API key, visit the page product editing page and enter the location using the steps mentioned above in Step 3.

Consequently, you’ll see the live location of your gigs on the product page within a widget.

Step 6: Managing the Ticket Stocks

If you are aware of WooCommerce inventory management, you’ll know that the eCommerce platform provides an option for every product to enter the stock quantity.

In this case, the stock quantity defines the number of seats that are available for your event. You can also set the threshold for low stock and take advantage of the feeling of urgency to sell your tickets.

For a quick overview of all things, you may look at the plugin documentation and follow all the steps easily.

Let the Party Begin!

So this is all how you can sell your first gig with WooCommerce. Wasn’t it easy?

The Event Tickets Manager For WooCommerce is an extension that has it all. From selling the tickets to your audience to managing the sales in your store. Indeed it is a complete event management solution that automates most of your marketing efforts and lets you focus on the big day.

This WooCommerce extension simplifies the highly complex task of event management and lets you coordinate and plan all the details. I hope this article was helpful and gave you an idea of using an overrated platform to sell a very underrated product with eCommerce power.

Don’t forget to invite us to your first gig!

Author bio-  Himanshu Rauthan is an entrepreneur, Co-Founder at MakeWebBetter, BotMyWork, and the Director of CEDCOSS Technologies. He has worn many hats in his career – programmer, researcher, writer, and strategist. As a result, he has a unique ability to manage multi-disciplinary projects and navigate complex challenges. He is passionate about building and scaling eCommerce development.

Email address linked with Gravatar account- himanshurauthan@cedcoss.com

Twitter profile URL

LinkedIn profile URL

The post How to Sell Tickets to Your First Gig With WooCommerce? appeared first on WP Pluginsify.

In a sea of ​​weird name tools, one stands out more than the others – WordPress and its free eCommerce plugin WooCommerce allows you to sell anything literally. Over 60% of all websites that have a CMS use WordPress as well.

Thus has fulfilled its mission to make it easier for people to create a variety of online content. It is also the basis of its spread. WordPress is used in government portals, corporate headquarters, media / NGO services, and eCommerce applications because it puts content and ownership at the heart of digital activities.

Built to integrate into WordPress seamlessly, WooCommerce is the world’s favorite eCommerce solution that gives store owners and developers complete control. If we look at the current statistics, WooCommerce is currently the leader of the eCommerce system, and its share in all websites is higher than all three of its competitors combined (Shopify, Magento, PrestaShop).

Top 10 Reasons Why WordPress is a Great Option for eCommerce

1. Product Creation as a Unit of Content

In the summer of 2010, WordPress released version 3.0 (Thelonious Monk). This version allows you to create any content you like, not just blogs and static pages. However, then came WooCommerce and which allowed website owners to create products as a unit of content. At that point, WordPress also became a platform for eCommerce stores.

WordPress is slowly but surely becoming an important concept that has enabled the connection and interaction between all content units. And you can have them in one online store: news, promotions, products, brands, collections, themed products, landing pages, microsites. All this can be created and realized within the same WordPress system. Such content fusion is a tremendous advantage that other eCommerce systems can only dream of.

2. You Don’t Need the Help from Developers or Designers

Eight years later, it was time to refine the content editor (text editor). The WP community has published a long-announced Gutenberg editor. It has made it possible to compose content just how a web store owner needs it without seeking programming help.

With this, WordPress got the opportunity to create even more complex content and the concept of writing in blocks, rows, and columns. And this editor as well saves you a lot of time.

Today, Gutenberg allows you to create various pages that will contain your products, brands, promotions, texts, and multimedia. However, all of these elements are arranged to suit the online store without the help of developers or designers.

3. Safety First

The number of security threats with the WordPress platform is relatively small. macOS, Windows, various Linux distributions, and even the PDF format have a far greater number of reported security threats, and these are the systems we use every day.

However, hundreds of active volunteers have been polishing every WordPress and WooCommerce core aspect since 2003. If a security risk occurs, the system will always automatically upgrade itself, and the time required to apply the patch is a maximum of one day.

Also, in early May 2019, version 5.2 of WordPress (Jaco Pastorius) was released, bringing long-awaited security enhancements and an “enterprise-grade” level of upgrade management.

4. Concern for User Privacy Is Also Facilitated

GDPR – WordPress has been compliant with EU regulations in many fields since version 4.9.6 (Billy Tipton). As far as user privacy is concerned, you cannot avoid the omnipresent. A tool for agreeing to publish user comments is built-in. Tools for exporting and deleting complete user data and orders have been implemented in the core system. Generating privacy pages and terms of use have built a whole module.

5. Accessibility, Adaptability, and Inclusive Design

Accessibility is one of the most crucial topics in the web industry, and now it has its legal framework. When we talked about EU regulations, in 2016, a new set of rules came into force describing how eCommerce applications should be accessible and easy to use. Two dates are matter:

• All web applications created after September 2018 should be accessible and easy to use by September 2019.
• All existing web applications created before September 2018 have until September 2020 to meet all the rules regarding the stated accessibility.

6. Constant Support From Volunteers Who Make Sure Everything Works Properly

The WordPress or WooCommerce system has a handful of tools that make it accessible and easy to use. There is a whole team of volunteers in the community who make sure that all lines of code, design decisions, and modules are built according to the WCAG 2.0 system.

In addition, it is an objective advantage over eCommerce systems that ignore that moment. Namely, testing accessibility issues and their implementation requires a considerable number of volunteers and their comments.

7. Open Source Builds an Entire Market, Not a Single Company

Open source is of better quality because it is harmonized and not dictated. In this way, the knowledge and the quality of several programmer volunteers are built into the application. However, such a process is noisier than more straightforward, direct management in the long run. It leads to a more robust code on the market, in which objectively more experience and knowledge is embedded.

However, open-source loves to grow, evolve and jump out of its framework. The more open it is, the greater the chance that you can find a qualified programmer, implementer, or consultant for your business needs.

8. Trade Administration and Delivery Options

WordPress allows you to easily self-enter products with a short and long description, gallery, regular and special price, and code. There is also the possibility of adding and editing things like categories, reviewing orders, and marking the status of orders.

You can regulate delivery in several ways. As delivery at a fixed price, free shipping after a certain amount, or approve the possibility of picking up goods at the point of sale.

9. Different Payment Options

The buyer can choose the way he wants to pay, and that works the best for him. Pay by cash on delivery,  to a giro account (the system automatically sends a payment offer to the customer’s email), or even via PayPal.

With simple upgrades, you can extend the platform to accept credit cards from domestic banks. And the payment can be adjusted to the end-user so that his satisfaction is fulfilled to the end.

10. Ideal Responsiveness on All Devices

From the very beginning, WooCommerce has been optimized for use on mobile devices, both externally and in the administrator interface. This fact allows web developers to integrate the WooCommerce plugin with the WordPress theme much more quickly (especially in responsive web design), which lowers the overall cost of the product.

Conclusion

Creating a webshop requires a lot of planning and preparation for a successful result. If you are already using WordPress to run a blog or site, you’ve probably thought it would be ideal to be able to integrate your new online store with an existing site.

However, over the years, many WordPress eCommerce solutions have been developed. Some are simpler, others more advanced, but the choice is by no means scarce.

In this article, we have explained to you why to choose WordPress for your virtual store location. We wish you good luck with your choice! And it is now up to you to begin the process of creating products and selling.

The post Why WordPress Is a Great Option for eCommerce: Top 10 Reasons You Should Know appeared first on WP Pluginsify.

When it comes to eCommerce website plugins, you need to be very picky. You need to check the plugin’s features in great detail to make sure they are the features you need. For example, if you are going to use the eCommerce website to sell physical products, you need to make sure that you have a good shipping plugin that will get the job done. Also, you need a plugin that will provide safety for your customers so they can, without fear, input their sensitive information.

There are many more examples we can name, but how about we just skip the examples and go straight to the list of plugins you need to get for your eCommerce website? Let’s go!

1. Coming Soon & Maintenance Mode

Coming Soon & Maintenance Mode is a very useful plugin that will help you with marketing your site even before it has fully launched. With it, you can create coming soon and under-maintenance pages in minutes (literally).  On these pages, customers can find information about your store, its products, its official launch date, and much more. This way, you are building hype around your business and setting it up for success.

So basically, after you get hosting and a domain, create a coming soon page and let future customers become intrigued with what you will offer.

You don’t have to create the pages from scratch; just use one of the available themes, which cover a range of industries/store types.

Below are two great examples!

2. WP Reset

WP Reset is something like a big red button that is only used in case of emergencies. WP Reset is very useful for faster website development. For example, with WP Reset, you can easily install all of your favorite plugins in bulk with one click by creating a “collection” that can be used when creating a new website or after resetting an old one.

You will need to reset your website every once in a while, especially if you are selling products that often get redesigned. The nuclear reset option (or other less harsh reset options) can help with that. It erases everything, from options to files and filters, with just one click, so you can get started on posting a new collection as soon as possible.

The plugin’s automatic database snapshots feature is useful as well; in case something goes south after making a big change on your website, you can just revert it back to a previous state using a snapshot.

All in all, WP Reset is a useful plugin that you need to get for your eCommerce site.

3. WooCommerce

WooCommerce is the most popular open-source eCommerce plugin. WooCommerce is great because it successfully combines content and commerce on your website. WooCommerce will allow you to build beautiful stores using themes, customize web pages in minutes, set up and manage payments, configure shipping options for your customers, and will also help you rise to the top of the search results by improving your SEO.

It will be the heart and soul of your whole eCommerce operation!

4. WP 301 Redirects

WP 301 Redirects is another very useful plugin, especially when you have an online store.

Say you were selling something in the past, and a customer found that item online somewhere with a link that leads to your website. But, you do not sell that item anymore.  What does this plugin do in that case? Instead of letting 404 pages pop up in front of the customer, it will redirect the customer to a working part of your website. That way, the customer can understand that the product is not in stock anymore. Also, they are free to look around and see if they like something else that you are selling.

To sum up, this plugin keeps potential customers relaxed by redirecting them away from a 404 page.

5. Easy Digital Downloads

Easy Digital Downloads is a solution for selling digital and downloadable products on WordPress. It offers a frontend shopping cart that will allow you to either put multiple products into a shopping cart or skip the shopping cart if you just need one product. It also offers payment flexibility (your customers can pay either with credit card or PayPal) as well as detailed reports that will show you your earnings, refunds, sales, and all other necessary information about your online shop.

A lot more features are included in this plugin, and you should definitely check it out. Plus, it works with any WordPress theme!

6. WP Sticky

WP Sticky is a plugin that will allow you to make any part of your website sticky. Just choose the element of the website that should stick when scrolling, and that is it. Everything is done in a very user-friendly interface, and you will thus be able to master this plugin in no time.

It is very useful for online shops because it can make the most important parts of your website stick, like the header, for example, so that the customer can see their shopping cart and how many items are in there at all times. You could also stick the navigation menu so that the customer can easily navigate through the website.

7. Mailchimp for WooCommerce

Mailchimp for WooCommerce is a plugin that will allow you to make an automated marketing campaign. Through it, Mailchimp integrates with WooCommerce, syncing your customers’ information and making it easier to send out targeted marketing campaigns and promotions to selected customers.

For example, you can send a promo code to selected customers based on their last purchase.

Oh, one more thing, this plugin is completely free.

8. Google Maps Widget PRO

Google Maps Widget PRO is there to help your customers find the physical location of your store(s). If your store has a physical location, you can use this plugin to put a map on your website with the store’s location pinned on the map.

The maps are mobile responsive and customizable as well, so you can make them fit the style of your website.

9. Product Time Countdown for WooCommerce

Product Time Countdown for WooCommerce is a pretty self-explanatory plugin. Whenever you want to announce something (it does not matter if it is a product launch or a sale), you can use this plugin to put a countdown on your website. That way, your customers know exactly when the sale starts or when a new product is going to be released.

It is important to mention that this plugin is also free.

10. Funnel Builder by CartFlows

Funnel Builder by CartFlows is a plugin that will allow you to build funnels and therefore increase your sales. It works great if you are selling online courses, services, event tickets, physical products, anything really.

You can either add an existing funnel or build your own using the templates.

The plugin works with any website builder. With it, you can add a “thank you” page after the checkout, where the customers can see some more products you are selling. You can also replace the generic checkout page with their customizable templates.

This plugin is also free, so be sure to check it out.

11. Advanced Coupons for WooCommerce Coupons

Advanced Coupons for WooCommerce Coupons is a plugin that will allow you to create coupons for your customers. It will allow you to set up “buy one get one” deals. It will help you with your sales by setting up cart conditions. It will also help you create URL coupons and smart coupons as well.

This plugin is worth checking out, especially if you are getting started and want to intrigue people with great deals and coupons.

FAQs

1. Does the size of my store impact which plugins I should use?

It does not. However, some plugins have limitations on their use, and if your store gets too big, you might need to consider buying premium/pro versions of plugins.

2. Can I do it all by myself?

Yes, you can. Setting up an eCommerce website does not require any coding whatsoever; the plugins are very easy to use and install. Plus, WordPress was created for people that do not know how to code but want to have a website.

3. Is it safe to create an eCommerce website?

It is as safe as creating any other website, but you can always maximize your security by adding some plugins that will secure your website even more. There are a lot of options out there, free and paid ones, and they will not be hard to find.

Conclusion

And, there you have it. All of the plugins presented in this article are essential ones you will need if you are setting up an online store. Be sure to check them out; they are all pretty great and very useful. Plus, the fact that most of them are free is something that is certainly appealing to every person that is just starting their online store.

The post Must-Have WordPress Plugins for an eCommerce Site That Will Make It the Center of Attention appeared first on WP Pluginsify.