Selling online and running an online store is more than just having an ecommerce website. It requires understanding customer behavior and preferences, leveraging technology, and offering personalized experiences to elevate your e commerce business and keep up with the growing expectations of the modern buyer.
It’s true, though. In fact, Salesforce revealed that over half of commerce leaders (64%) admitted that customers’ expectations have become more challenging to meet. Buyers are expecting not just great and lightning-speed customer service, but also omnichannel experiences, excellent website performance, and top-tier security.
Whether you’re a thriving or small business owner, exceeding customer expectations on top of your usual responsibilities can take a toll on you and your internal team. Thankfully, an ecommerce service provider can bring the most out of your online business and get the best possible ROI from outsourcing.
This article defines what an e commerce service provider is and includes 10 tips on choosing the right vendor for your online business.
What Is An Ecommerce Service Provider?
An ecommerce service provider is a third-party company that offers digital marketing, content creation, data entry, website design, web development, product management, and other related services involved in running an online store.
This prevents entrepreneurs and their internal teams from spreading themselves too thin and neglecting the core aspects of their business. E commerce providers can be found in developing countries, allowing business owners to increase their savings while improving the shopping experience and ensuring smooth operations.
10 Tips on Finding the Right Ecommerce Partner
Whether you’re trying to build your existing online store, or transitioning your brick-and-mortar store to the digital space, choosing a partner is a crucial decision. Here are 10 tips to help your decision-making:
1. Look for Ecommerce Expertise
One of the first things that you have to look for in finding an Ecommerce service provider is to find experts in the industry. Come up with a shortlist of Ecommerce experts based on how long they have been in service. This allows you to benefit from their hard-earned skills and knowledge on how to solve issues, avoid pitfalls, boost value, and enhance customer satisfaction.
More experienced service providers can guarantee success for your goals. Aside from experience, look for outsourcing business providers with the necessary e commerce platform and technology expertise specific to your online store.
2. Take Note of Their E Commerce Services
Speaking of value, you can get more out of a partnership with a service provider if they have all the services that cater to what you need. Some of the essential Ecommerce services to look out for include:
- E commerce development
- Graphic design
- Product listing
- Product information management
- Digital marketing
- Customer support
- Order management and processing
- Inventory management
The more ecommerce services you can get, the better, as it is also more convenient for you. Because if an ecommerce agency can give you all the specific assistance you need, then you don’t have to find another person or company for different jobs or roles.
3. Check Out Their Previous Work
Numerous service providers can give you the same experience and expertise. Still, you also need to know if they’re a good fit for you. That being said, the next thing you should do is to look for proof in the form of case studies or portfolios. This will allow you to gauge their skills based on how they have helped other businesses.
Moreover, look at the industries they’ve worked with. See if they’ve helped a business similar to yours. An Ecommerce service provider that has experience with a business related to yours will more likely know what will work for your ecommerce business.
Although not a necessity, this will help you feel more comfortable working with them. Meanwhile, if a service provider doesn’t have a case study or portfolio at all, then they might not be a good fit for you.
4. Look Up Client Reviews or Testimonials
Case studies and portfolios show you their perspective on their skills. So, the next step is to know what their clients are saying about them. A good service provider will more likely have client testimonials on their website. However, don’t hesitate to look at other channels for customer reviews.
Just as you would when looking for similar businesses in their portfolio, see if they have testimonials from companies similar to yours. This will also give you a clear picture of how they can help you. While you’re at it, look at how they’re treating their employees.
Check out their website About Us or social media page, and see if they have good working relationships with their employees. This ensures reliability and reputation because how they treat their employees says a lot about them in terms of management, human resources, and other factors.
5. Ask for a Quote
Once you have a good feel of the value you can get from an Ecommerce service provider, pricing is what will make or break your decision. However, it’s difficult to determine a price upfront, so the best way around it is to ask for a quote.
Don’t forget to specify all the e commerce services you need help with, and don’t hesitate to ask other questions about their business. An essential part of asking for a quote is to also request a breakdown of their prices. When comparing prices from different service providers, weigh who gives you more value for your money in terms of services, experience, and other inclusions.
6. Assess Cultural Fit
Failing to account for a provider’s cultural fit is a fatal outsourcing mistake. While culture fit is difficult to assess (at least, objectively), there are still ways to know if a potential e commerce service provider will mesh well with your company’s culture. During the vetting process, pay attention to the following:
- Shared goals and values
- Communication style
- Language
- Work ethics
- Business practices
- Workplace culture
An e commerce service provider may excel in your industry — but without a solid foundation of cultural compatibility — the partnership won’t be fruitful and harmonious.
7. Know Their Data Security Practices
E commerce involves working with data, so it’s important to choose a vendor that takes data security as seriously as you do. While most offshore outsourcing companies boast having world-class IT facilities and strong data encryption measures, you need to ask in-depth questions about the company’s cybersecurity capabilities to back up their claims.
Here are a couple of examples:
- Has the company experienced any cybersecurity threats in the past year (or the past six months)?
- How do you process, manage, and store data?
- What security measures are in place on the production floor?
- What security measures do your remote employees practice?
- What measures do you take to manage security risk?
- How often do you train your IT staff and other employees on data security?
- How often are security audits being conducted in the company?
8. Check for Experience In Scaling Businesses
Scaling a business is an important milestone, and outsourcing makes this goal more accessible and achievable for ecommerce business owners.
When vetting an ecommerce agency, ensure it has ample experience and resources in scaling businesses and meeting the demands that come with scalability. Otherwise, you’ll risk partnering with an outsourcing company that doesn’t help achieve your long-term goals.
9. Assess the Provider’s Workforce
You don’t need a perfect e commerce team; you need a high-performing one that drives your business to success. Before fully committing to a vendor, make sure you have answers to the following questions:
- What are the company’s hiring policies?
- How does the e commerce service provider vet candidates for expertise and cultural fit?
- What sourcing software solutions does the company use to find and match candidates with outsourced roles?
- How does the provider maintain high employee retention?
An e commerce service provider with high turnover signals alarming workplace issues, such as a lack of professional development and poor satisfaction.
10. Take Advantage of Trial Projects
Marketing claims are just claims until there’s concrete proof of the e commerce provider’s ability to deliver high-quality work. Fortunately, most BPO companies are happy to offer a trial project or period to give you a glimpse of their performance, expertise, service quality, strategies, and internal processes.
When evaluating a potential outsourcing partner during a trial period, keep an eye out for lapses and red flags. Your potential offshore e commerce team is not perfect, but their ability to receive and apply your feedback shows their commitment to continuous improvement.
But if your team misses deadlines or delivers substandard services (even after multiple feedback sessions), it’s a sign that the ecommerce agency is not a good match for you. In this case, don’t let the trial period drag on for too long — move on and find a better service provider.
Outsource Ecommerce Services to KDCI Outsourcing
Reaching your goals for your Ecommerce business requires having the right people to help you achieve them. With an experienced Ecommerce service provider, you trust that you’re working with people who know exactly how to bring your business to success.
KDCI Outsourcing has been helping Ecommerce businesses for over a decade. Thanks to our deep experience in outsourcing, we have built teams of experts in outsourced e commerce solutions, including graphic design, web design, website development, digital marketing, inventory management, product information writing, and more.
Choose KDCI Outsourcing As Your Ecommerce Service Provider
Our expertise and experience have allowed us to help our clients with end-to-end Ecommerce outsourcing.
Let’s take care of your business needs. Contact us today and grow your online business with KDCI Outsourcing!
