E-commerce is becoming mainstream and scores of entrepreneurs and small businesses are diving in to expand their profits. Ensuring that your e-commerce system is running smoothly is critical as small mistakes can add up to giant losses. Mark Gibbs of Forbes.com recently published an article on the subject. Mark suggests that testing your e-commerce system will help ensure that transactions are processed correctly. This is true, but proper research and vetting can be even more important.
In Mark’s real-world example, the e-commerce software was generating inventory problems because of a programming error. This sounds like either a case of a poor shopping cart platform or sloppy programming after the fact. If it’s the former, there’s no reason for this to happen. Because e-commerce has become so popular, there are dozens of reputable e-commerce shopping cart platforms ready to use within minutes. This competition only promotes quality solutions so there’s no need to settle for sub-par e-commerce software OR build it from scratch. If the inventory problem was a result of poor programming after the fact, there’s no reason for this to happen either. Once again, there’s an abundance skilled programmers ready, willing, and able to work. Any good programmer will do the testing for you. That is, in fact, what you’re paying them for!
Essentially it comes down to sound business and management principles. Take the time to properly research and vet all vendors, contractors, and employees to make sure you can rely on them. This will only save you time and money in the long run.
