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The Intersection of Art and Science in Web Development
Web development is a fascinating blend of art and science. However, the task of integrating various e-commerce vendors or enabling e-commerce functionality in-house can often feel less rewarding than the primary design and development process.
Most clients are more concerned with the business functionality of their website rather than the intricacies of the underlying source code. As such, features like online credit card authorization often take precedence over aesthetic design. This is understandable, as their business success is at stake.
As a web developer, you are tasked with transforming a client’s vision into a functional, web-based reality. This often includes the additional responsibility of integrating e-commerce systems and coordinating various service providers, which can be a frustrating task whether you outsource or handle tasks in-house.
The Challenges of e-Commerce Integration
E-commerce integration often involves organizing secure server hosting, integrating an automated payment processing system and secure order page, incorporating catalog and shopping cart functionality, and sometimes even assisting in setting up a card-not-present merchant account so your client can accept credit cards online. This involves a significant amount of detail-oriented work.
The ideal solution is to find a reliable service provider who can handle the entire spectrum of e-commerce tasks. This ‘single-source’ e-commerce company can manage and coordinate every aspect of a robust, flexible e-commerce platform, simplifying the process for both the web developer and the client.
The Benefits of a Single-Source e-Commerce Company
Working with a single-source e-commerce company is beneficial as it provides one point of contact for all e-commerce needs. This not only simplifies the process for the web developer but also for the clients, who will have a single point of contact for all their customer service and maintenance issues.
However, compatibility and integration are crucial for a successful partnership. The chosen technology, such as automated payment processing systems, catalogs, and shopping carts, must be state-of-the-art and flexible enough to be seamlessly integrated into your design work.
Your vendor should offer secure transactions, a robust processing system, full-featured catalogs and shopping carts (with custom-design capability), and secure hosting at a recognized data center. They should also be able to accommodate multiple business models and commerce channels, from shippable e-tail and downloadable goods to subscription and donation-based platforms.
Maintaining Aesthetic Integrity
The process of adding e-commerce functionality to a website should always enhance design. Aesthetics and navigability cannot be compromised. Your web development credibility is at stake when you integrate an e-commerce platform into a client site, which is why your service provider must be reputable on all fronts.
Working with a single, reliable vendor also eliminates any ‘weak links’ among a group of individual service providers. Furthermore, partnering with a single-source provider offers the opportunity to negotiate a lucrative reseller or revenue sharing plan. This not only allows you to offer comprehensive e-commerce functionality in your web development packages but also enables you to earn a percentage or fee for each referral.
By working with a vendor who consolidates all aspects of an e-commerce platform, you are in a better position to leverage a worthwhile revenue sharing deal. This approach not only simplifies the process of e-commerce integration but also provides an additional revenue stream for your web development business.
