Shift4Shop eCommerce Blog | eCommerce Features

Long before eCommerce existed, people invented other ways to shop remotely. Physical catalogs have been around for over 200 years and are still popular. Newspapers also have a long history of advertisements that invite shoppers to mail in an order. Even comic books have had mail-order products advertised on the last few pages.

But no matter how much the methods have changed, mail-order shopping has always required a correct shipping address. From newspaper ads to eCommerce, a business needs[...]

Every business owner is looking for ways to reach more customers. Multichannel eCommerce — selling your products on more than one website or marketplace — is one of the best solutions for doing so. Amazon is a common choice for multichannel sales due to its huge customer base and services like Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) that offer new opportunities for retailers.

Many brands have had great success selling on both Amazon and their own websites, but one of the pitfalls of multichannel[...]

Inventory management is one of the most crucial parts of running a successful store. Whether you're selling online, offline, or both, proper inventory management will reduce problems and lighten your workload. It can even increase sales and brand loyalty, such as by offering back order for products rather than simply marking them as out of stock.

When it comes to running a business, there are some strategies everyone uses. Even with the possibility of a vast difference between industries, things like SEO and email marketing are old standbys, for example. But sometimes, a business will need to use a more uncommon strategy.

This is especially true for B2B merchants, who thrive on building personal relationships with the customers they supply. It's common for B2B sellers to work out customer-specific pricing or other special deals to[...]

It's no secret that the global pandemic has dramatically changed the world. People are now more cautious about getting together, going to public places, and even shopping. When the pandemic started, the panic shopping that followed resulted in necessary items becoming a priority and non-essential items being almost completely forgotten.

Has your business hit a ceiling? Have sales peaked and you’re wondering where to go from here? Are you looking for an easy way to grow your ecommerce store?

There’s a big world out there just waiting for you – and the secret is expanding into new markets globally. Localization – not to be confused with translation – is the key to almost unlimited growth for your business.

Coupons and other types of promotions are excellent for boosting your sales. Customers always love a great bargain. And during certain times of the year, like the holiday season, a big sale is pretty much expected.

Customers aren't the only ones who benefit from promotions. Not only can your business get that coveted sales increase, you can also earn more repeat customers who originally found your website because of the promotion. A great promotion will please shoppers and breathe more life[...]

Does your eCommerce website load quickly? Or do customers need to wait?

What if your website falls victim to an attack? Does everything grind to a halt?

Denial of service attacks can overwhelm a website by sending a flood of traffic. If your store becomes overrun, it could easily crash.

The answer to these speed and security issues? Content delivery networks or CDNs.

This article examines the best CDN solutions and how they can help your eCommerce site.

The eCommerce market is unbelievably competitive. For retailers to be on top of their business, they need to be agile and smart. This will not happen if those who manage the IT system used by the eCommerce store fail to keep pace with technology.

Some businesses make their mark with only a few products. But online stores come in all sizes.

Some online stores have thousands of products. Others have hundreds of thousands. Some of these businesses grew their catalogs slowly. Others started out in an industry that's already known for large catalogs.

Your business could be in any of these situations. Maybe you're still growing, but you plan to add more products with time. Or maybe you already have a large catalog.

If you do, you might[...]

In the early 2000s, having a presence online was enough to have a successful eCommerce business. Now, e-merchants are in a constant battle for every customer and it’s hard to compete on price alone. Also, chances are that your competitors are sourcing parts from the same distributors, leaving you very little space to differentiate.

Providing auto parts shoppers with a great user experience is the best way to win over customers. Customer satisfaction from using your website is what you need[...]

Marketplaces have conquered online retail long ago. In 2019, sales through online marketplaces went beyond $2 trillion — it’s 52% of the global retail market. It’s no surprise at all: in the United States, 59% of shoppers start searching products on Amazon avoiding Google.

There once was a time when opening a store meant starting a brick-and-mortar business — but not anymore. These days, being a store owner is as simple as creating a website. In this new age of technology, online shopping is the new normal.

You're under a lot of pressure when you start an online business. Choosing the right eCommerce software is a big part of that.

Shift4Shop and BigCommerce are both popular eCommerce platforms. They're both used by businesses of all sizes, from startup to enterprise. Both have their benefits. But this doesn't make choosing between them any easier.

Your eCommerce software will either help your business succeed, or get in its way. So this is an important decision. One you shouldn't make without[...]

Lead capturing is key to the success of any business, but it’s especially crucial in the eCommerce world. The more leads you capture, the more sales you’ll have. In fact, data has shown that the top priority for marketers is generating leads.

“Knowledge is power.” This aphorism has stood the test of time because history has proven it again and again. Look no further for an example than the United States. The tiny colonies created an intelligence network to fight an imperial superpower. The development of this network helped transform the young nation into the most powerful in history.

Every business owner wants to earn more customers and make more sales. Sometimes, though, this can seem like an impossible task. It can even be discouraging, especially if you're not growing at the rate you want. If you're already using the most well-known marketing tactics, and your SEO is on point, what else can you do? Are there any eCommerce tools you haven't taken advantage of?

Gift cards, or gift certificates, are something everyone knows about. But they're often not used to their full[...]

Buying products online has completely revolutionized the shopping experience. Modern-day tech means we can watch TV while scrolling through our favorite online brand’s site. All from the comfort of our sofa.

Consider the following: a product on your site has become unavailable. This product may simply be out of stock, or it may never be sold again. However, that product’s page has historically brought your website valuable traffic and conversions. How can you maintain that value, even without selling that product anymore?

Smart business owners are always looking for ways to improve the services they offer their customers, and for tools to help them adjust their business model to match their own vision. Customers always appreciate having more options, and if you can provide them without significantly adding to your workload, it's a winning situation for everyone. One eCommerce feature with this potential is in-store pickup, the practice of allowing the customer to pick up their online purchase from your[...]