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Download PDFEcommerce entrepreneurs have to juggle countless complex and interconnected tasks, with moving parts that change constantly. The backbone of a successful operation lies in a robust digital infrastructure which facilitates those plans while being both secure and adaptable—but not necessarily local. As an industry, merchants have increasingly embraced the adoption of ecommerce cloud platforms— a true paradigm shift in how businesses organize processes and leverage data to sell more. In this blog, we’ll define how leveraging a cloud-based SaaS platform can be an important pillar of smooth, fast, and profitable ecommerce.
Imagine having one multifaceted tool that streamlines and supports every key process of your business, from hosting to payment gateway integrations—allowing you more bandwidth to focus solely on business growth. By eliminating the need for local resource management and leveraging the power of partner services, this is exactly what an ecommerce cloud platform brings to the table. "Cloud computing" is a way of describing software tools and infrastructure services which are served over the internet—also known as Software as a Solution, or SaaS.
Cloud services might integrate resource planning, customer account management, inventory management, shipping integration, and every tool a business needs to serve a full-featured online selling experience. The true power of such a platform lies in its scalability, allowing businesses to adapt to changing conditions, increased needs, or complications in the marketplace, without having to painstakingly manage and rebuild physical resources every season. This results in faster decision-making, lower operational costs, and the ability to respond to changes on a dime.
Cloud-based ecommerce allows you to cut costs by reducing (or eliminating) in-house IT needs, and ensuring that only resources that are actually needed are paid for. But cloud ecommerce isn’t just about curbing unnecessary expenditures; it also opens up opportunities to actively increase ROI in these key ways:
1. Minimal Initial Outlay: A cloud-based platform negates big upfront investments, allowing a smoother entry point for new businesses, or for existing business which are marketing to new channels. Scalable subscription models let merchants dictate the pace of resource growth and expenditure.
2. Operational Performance: Common technical hurdles can be managed and addressed at the provider level, freeing the merchant from having to perform constant performance checks. Service providers might include regular updates and maintenance as well as troubleshooting, preventing issues before they happen and freeing up time and energy for other aspects of the business.
3. Tailored Experiences without Premium Development Costs: Cloud-based software solutions make it easier to customize an ecommerce platform to best meet the needs of your unique business. Drawing on the computing power of cloud services gives merchants more options and fine control over sophisticated shopping experience elements.
4. Scalability: As your enterprise grows, cloud resources can be dialed up to accommodate increasing demand, removing the need for substantial (and continuous) reinvestments in infrastructure.
5. Security: Cloud ecommerce solutions give merchants more tools and protections for dealing with threats and fraud. Regular updates, backups, bug fixes, and specific threat defense help businesses safeguard their sensitive data without having to lift a finger.
Choosing a SaaS ecommerce cloud platform can help you save money while providing greater customization and security features. With the ability to scale and the flexibility to adapt to your changing business needs, a SaaS ecommerce platform is an excellent investment for any ecommerce business. The right platform promises reduced operational costs, and the freedom to expand into new markets and audiences at the unique pace of an individual business.
Katy Ellquist, Miva’s Digital Marketing Strategist, is an accomplished writer, marketer, and social media analyst who has created sophisticated content campaigns for a broad range of professional clients. She brings to Miva a complex understanding of ecommerce trends and techniques, building upon extensive digital agency experience and a prior role as direct liaison to Miva’s top accounts. Katy is a regular contributor to the Miva blog, covering essential ecommerce topics like design & development strategy, site optimization, and omnichannel selling, with the goal of increasing the actionable knowledgebase of the entire Miva community.
Vanessa Loughty