Top Apps To Launch Your Own E-Commerce Store

Launching an eCommerce store is both a very challenging and an easy process at the same time. It’s challenging because there are a number of different functions to take care of during launch. An eCommerce business owner needs resources to help them with the website launch, product procurement, marketing and order handling to mention a few.

However, the good thing is that there are apps to take care of all these various tasks that make your job easy. In this article, we will take a look at all the important functions of an eCommerce store and how those can be fulfilled with apps.

Apps To Launch a store

This is by far the most vital aspect of launching an eCommerce store. The platform you pick has a great bearing on the rest of your operations. Platforms like Shopify are popular because they have an established ecosystem of app developers, theme designers that make it easier for you to set up a site and find resources to help you manage the site. There are many smaller eCommerce platforms too, but they do not enjoy the same ecosystem that a platform like Shopify does.

Apps To Set Up Supply Chain

Once your eCommerce store has been set up, the next step is to populate your store with products. Finding a reliable supplier can make or break your business. A business that does not deliver its products on time tends to lose customer trust, and also their business. If you are on Shopify, apps like Oberlo can help you find reliable suppliers for your products. The app makes it possible for eCommerce businesses to pass on customer orders directly to the supplier who can handle all the packaging and shipping. In effect, apps like Oberlo simplify the supply chain for your eCommerce store.

Apps To Help In Shipping

If you are making your own product or do not want to rely on third party suppliers for your shipment, then you will need apps that can make the job of packaging and shipping easy for you. There are a number of steps involved in this process. A typical customer order requires the product to be packaged, shipping labels to be printed, invoices to be generated, and finally finding the right mode of transport.

Apps like ‘Order Printer’ and ‘AfterShip’ are ideal in such instances. Order Printer, for instance, is a free app that allows you to preview and print invoices, labels, receipts and packing slips in bulk with just a click of a button. AfterShip is also a free app that integrates with courier services like FedEx and USPS and allows you to engage with customers after their order is shipped. This includes providing them with a tracking code and send them automated order status messages on email and SMS.

Apps To Help With Marketing

As any business owner will tell you, marketing is everything and is what separates a successful business from a failed one. Fortunately, there are hundreds of apps that focus on specific marketing needs of eCommerce businesses. Apps like MailChimp, Get Response and Constant Contact are fantastic to build a mailing list and engage with them for conversion. Social media apps like Instagram and Facebook work wonders in building visibility and nurturing a loyal following.

Besides these, there are also eCommerce-specific marketing apps that are vital in your campaigns. Apps like Recart are useful in reaching out to customers who have abandoned their carts and need to be coaxed further for conversions. Apps like ReferralCandy help you set up a loyalty program for your customers while there are hundreds of others that can help you with setting up contests, giveaways, tracking user behavior, and managing discounts.

ECommerce is an industry with a very high failure rate. A lot of this has to do with improper execution of your strategies. The apps provided in this article will help you optimize your operational resources and instead focus on growing your store into a successful business.

Author Bio: Anand Srinivasan is the founder of Hubbion, a suite of free business apps and resources. Check out their comparison page of the top landing page builder applications.