WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WEBSITE AND ONLINE STORE
What is the difference amongst a website and an online store ? What does an e-commerce have that a normal and current website does not have? Many companies ask these questions when it comes to selling online, but they do not always have a clear vision of what needs to be done. bolts
In this post we will dialogue about the difference between a
website and an online store, an essential aspect that you must be clear about
when hiring a web designer to develop your page.
What is the difference between online store and website
Let's see what is the difference between a website and an
online store. Having this clear is very important when it comes to knowing how
you want to promote your business on the Internet.
What is an online store
An online store refers to a website where it is possible to
make a purchase directly, without the owner of the website intervening in the
process. By pressing the button to add to the shopping cart, the user is able
to finalize the purchase and make the payment by the means of payment that are
provided (PayPal, credit card ...), knowing the price, shipping costs and date
approximate delivery.
In an online store, physical or virtual products are
generally sold. But it can also be an online store with packaged services,
where the services to be received are specified and paid in advance for these.
What is a web page
A web page is any site on the Internet that is accessible
through a web browser. It does not necessarily have to be possible to make a
transaction directly. In many cases, a website simply contains a contact form
with the company that owns the website.
A website can be static (it has no programming) or it can be
dynamic (it offers a response based on user actions). Web 2.0 is totally
dynamic, since the user needs to interact with the web page in some way. For
example, if there is the possibility of submitting a form, then the web is
dynamic, while if there is only text on the page, it would be a static web.
On static websites, the content they offer cannot be
modified, the user cannot perform any action. This type of website makes less
and less sense, since even landing pages have a call-to-action, aimed at the
user interacting with the page.
How do I know if I need an online store or a website?
Here one of the most common questions is to know if I need
an online store (e-commerce), or if a website is enough for me.
In general, our recommendation is that all companies that
sell products create an online store.
It does not make sense today that the user cannot buy the
product directly, without a person pending to manage the transaction. The
process is much faster and easier with an online store than with a normal
website.
In the case of service companies, there may be a difference
in approach here. If, for example, the service you offer is 100% digital, such
as a web application, then what makes sense is that the page works through a
subscription payment. It is not exactly an online store, but you can do online
transactions to use the functionalities you want.
However, there are many companies that do not want to put
prices on their services, since they offer tailored services, with online
quotes. In this case, where the sales are made through a budget and generally
end up being closed by e-mail, it is not necessary for the page to be an online
store.
What CMS do I need for an online store or for a website?
A pretty serious mistake would be to choose a CMS that is
not suitable for the type of page I want to create. The CMS is the content
management system or the administration panel from which you are going to
manage the web. There are CMS oriented to e-commerce and others that are more
common for websites.
For example, if your desire is to have an online store, then
the ideal would be to opt for Prestashop, Magento, Shopify or WordPress with
WooCommerce. However, if what you want is to have a website that is not an
online store, then the right thing to do would be to opt for a website in
WordPress, Joomla or made to measure.
Regardless of the CMS you use, we recommend that you always
work with design professionals, who can provide you with a website with a
modern, intuitive, personalized, fast and responsive design.
Get in dash with us if you want us to take care of the web
development of your online store or corporate website. Also if you require our
advice for any question related to your project.