Free Online eCommerce Solutions

For many years, the only way to be really successful with an online eCommerce website was to spend thousands of dollars to hire a professional to design, develop, and manage the site. Thanks to technology, as well as extreme demand, selling online can be done in a completely different way using free solutions. Although free templates and designs may not be as robust as one professional created, many companies now offer some pretty incredible solutions specific to eCommerce.

For many years, the only way to be really successful with an online eCommerce website was to spend thousands of dollars to hire a professional to design, develop, and manage the site. Thanks to technology, as well as extreme demand, selling online can be done in a completely different way using free solutions. Although free templates and designs may not be as robust as one professional created, many companies now offer some pretty incredible solutions specific to eCommerce.

 

Open Source and Paid-For Possibilities

 

Of course, along with free eCommerce solutions, a number of low cost solutions also exist. By scouring the internet, an abundance of decent website templates can be found. These sites include not only an appealing aesthetics, but also various navigational, shopping cart, and payment options. In addition, many of the better free online eCommerce solutions also provide areas where information and other content can be placed for existing and potential customers.

 

Because of so many possibilities, individuals and companies on a budget have the same chance to secure customers as eCommerce sites that cost a fortune. The key is to review a variety of options, choosing the one that coordinates best with the company’s products and/or services being sold. After all, customers are unique to each company so the ultimate goal would be to find a free online solution that would serve the customers best. Some of these free solutions also come with great graphics and hosting but if not, it would be essential to find a reputable hosting company to support the free site.

 

After looking through a long list of possible free online eCommerce solutions and choosing the appropriate one, the next step would be to ensure the content attracts the attention of visitors. If someone interested in developing an online eCommerce presence does not have the needed writing skills, a professional writer could be hired for a reasonable rate. Considering the importance of content, spending a little money for excellent site content would be an important investment, one that would pay off in the end.

 

Value in Web Hosting

 

With the free site created, again a hosting company must be chosen. This company would be the backbone of the website, meaning the professionals would provide support, as well as internet access. However, the best hosting companies for an eCommerce site would also offer different package deals to help with article directories, search engine optimization, traffic generation, reporting, and much more. All of these things allow the company owner to get word out that the eCommerce website is open for business but also to monitor activity so adjustments could be made if required.

 

Popular Solutions for eCommerce Websites

 

Although there are numerous free online eCommerce solutions from which to choose, we wanted to provide a few examples of those considered among the best. This would provide the chance to compare what each site offers to see pros and cons of each.

 

• Digistore – Based in New Zealand, this site is found at www.digistore.co.nz and one of the top free eCommerce solutions found on the internet. Digistore is a site designed for complete functionality, customizable solutions, processing of credit card payments in real time, unlimited categories, and web-based administration services. Best of all, the finished eCommerce site looks as if a significant amount of time and money had been spent.

 

• VirtueMart – Found at www.virtuemart.net, this solution is another one that comes highly recommended for eCommerce services. With this, individuals, small mom and pop stores, and large corporations alike can benefit from the full features with excellent security, performance, and usability. In fact, VirtueMart has become so popular for its professional look and feel that currently the program has been downloaded more than 2.5 million times.

 

• Vendio – Located at www.vendio.com, this free online eCommerce solution has become increasingly popular for a number of reasons but primarily, the quick and easy operation. Creating an account takes only a few minutes, the online store can be fully customized with a drag-and-drop interface, items being sold can be manually entered or imported, and the overall design is excellent for selling through Amazon, eBay, and other forms of media.

 

• osCommerce – The last option for free online eCommerce solutions we wanted to mention is found at www.oscommerce.com. As an open source option (free), the solutions are quite sophisticated. In fact, this eCommerce solution has been so beneficial that many larger corporations have chosen this route. Today, more than 245,000 online store owners use osCommerce for its rich out-of-the-box shopping cart functionality, great support, and over 6,400 add-ons for a customized experience.