Planning to launch your online store? Building a website is one of the first things that you need to do. Whether you’re building the website yourself or hiring a professional, make sure you choose the right template.
Building an e-commerce store has become easier than ever with online store builders like Shopify. It lets you create a store with simple steps, and it’s something that you can do yourself. This means you don’t have to go through the hassle of hiring professionals and paying them to develop your website. But to build your store, you’ll need to choose a template. The choice of template depends on many factors that are directly related to your business. Ask yourself these five questions before choosing a template for your e-commerce website:
1# What Are The Features That Your Website Needs?
The requirement of different stores are different. As a store owner, you need to make a list of features you need your store to have. It’s best if you could look at some of the online stores on the Internet and come up with a list.
Your aim should be to offer your customers a unique and hassle-free experience. If you plan on to launch new products regularly, you can have a ‘new launch section’. On the other hand, if you’re looking to offer your customers cheap products, you can include a ‘below 99’ section etc.
A website can be built to include a lot of features. If the template you choose already has most of the features you want, then you don’t have to spend on additionally on plugins.
2# Is The Template Customizable?
At first sight, almost all templates will look good. However, being visually good isn’t enough when it comes to an e-commerce template. There’s no point in choosing a template that has a lot of flaws and isn’t easy to customize, even if it’s free. Make sure the template you opt for comes with editing options. This lets you to personalize your website, so your customers’ won’t feel like they have seen a similar website before.
Also, the template should be easy to customize. Not everyone know how to code. Make sure you can alter the contents of your template without needing to code.
#3 Is The Template Right For Your Industry?
What do you want to sell? Do you want to sell fashion or real estate? Both are different and your website should be able express it. When it comes to e-commerce, the design of your website should be compatible with the products you intend to sell.
If you’re planning to sell clothes, then you’ll need a template that looks fashionable and stylish. However, if you’re planning to sell stationery, a simple design will do.
#4 Is The Template Scalable?
Always keep the big picture in mind when you’re choosing a template. Many e-commerce websites are launched just for the sake of it. Unless you have a clear business idea in your head, there’s no point in choosing a template. Some templates are created to sell products and some are created to sell services. Most people make the mistake of having a long term perspective in mind when building a website. The template you choose should scalable, because you don’t know what the future holds for you and your business.
#5 What Is The Source Of The Template?
It’s crucial that you choose a template from the right place. You might get tempted to opt for free e-commerce website templates that are available. However, quality rarely comes for free. When you get a template for free, you’ll have to face a lot of issues with customization. You can minimize these issues by knowing where to look.
Shopify is a great place to hunt for e-commerce website templates. They offer both paid and free templates and there’s a lot to choose from. Knowing the seller or the source of your template can help you select the right template. Customer support is important, since even the best templates can have few flaws. Knowing that you have your back covered is important when it comes to running a store, and having customer support ensures that.
Make sure you find answers to these questions when you’re looking for a website template for your e-commerce store. This ensures that your store gets what exactly it needs. A good template ensures that you don’t have to do most of the heavy lifting when you’re actually constructing the website.
