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Ε-commerce website (eshop)

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Asset 23 - Website Development & Digital Marketing

Ε-commerce website (eshop)

E-shop development is a process that requires careful planning and a strategic approach. But what exactly do we mean by an online store or e-shop?

An e-shop is a website whose primary goal is to increase product sales. From selecting the right platform to designing a user-friendly interface (UI), an online store must be easy to use and able to present products quickly and clearly to potential customers.

The functionality of an e-shop must be seamless, with the ultimate goal of converting visitors into customers as efficiently as possible. An ideal online store is designed to provide a smooth and enjoyable shopping experience, encouraging customers to return and maintain a positive impression of the brand. Every element of e-shop development—from product search to checkout—must be designed with usability and customer satisfaction in mind.

Research and Strategy in E-Shop Development

Research and strategy are two essential processes that must take place before developers begin the actual e-shop implementation. At Cactus, these processes are not theoretical; they are carried out by specialized consultants who deliver concrete outputs.

These deliverables include:

At the start of the project, the Cactus Project Manager identifies and presents competitive online stores. This allows informed decisions to be made on critical strategic questions. Next, the Project Manager—together with a specialized marketing consultant—defines the buyer persona, target market, and product strategy using the 4Ps model. Finally, a specialized UI/UX designer proposes a design approach aligned with all research findings and analyses.

By strategy, we mean that from the very beginning of the project, the Cactus team creates a structured plan with clear steps and actions aimed at delivering a high-quality e-shop.

A high-quality e-shop means:

E-Commerce Platform Selection

At Cactus, we understand the critical role that platform selection plays in the success of an e-shop. Before development begins, our specialized consultants present all key factors that should be considered in choosing the right e-commerce platform.

Our long-term goal has always been to ensure that our development team can effectively work across multiple platforms. At Cactus, we do not rely on developers who specialize in only one platform; instead, we employ software engineers who deeply understand how different e-commerce systems operate.

Currently, more than 20 software engineers at Cactus—organized into dedicated teams—develop in-house projects using WooCommerce (WordPress) and OpenCart, while also supporting Magento and PrestaShop. This allows us to remain fully objective in our platform recommendations. We are among the first companies with two vertical software production teams, making us truly technology-independent by international standards.

Many of our competitors tend to recommend only the platform they already know, without presenting clients with all the necessary data. At Cactus, we take a different approach—one based on transparency and informed decision-making.

Custom E-Shop Design vs Template Selection

At Cactus, we can create a fully custom design for your website and e-shop. We analyze your requirements and work closely with you to design a template that reflects your vision. The final design is unique and created exclusively for your business.

The website is fully integrated with WordPress, allowing you to easily update and manage your content. Choosing a custom design increases development cost and delivery time, but results in a distinctive and tailored digital presence.

Content Collection & Product Presentation

Content collection is a critical component in the creation and growth of an e-commerce store. It involves the curation and organization of various content types, including product descriptions, images, videos, customer reviews, and blog posts, all aimed at enriching the shopping experience and attracting customers.

By strategically gathering relevant and engaging content, we ensure that our clients’ e-shops not only showcase their products but also tell a compelling brand story and provide valuable information to potential buyers. Core functionalities include product pages, shopping cart functionality, checkout processes, user accounts, and search features.

Our team creates content with a focus on improving search engine visibility, increasing user engagement, and ultimately driving conversions. With our expertise, businesses can build a strong online presence, establish customer trust, and foster long-term relationships with their audience.

ERP System Integration

We can integrate your e-shop with any ERP or business management system you currently use. For example, orders can be automatically transferred to your ERP system, while product inventory can be updated in real time directly from your ERP.

Terms of Use, Shipping & Payment Configuration

When building an e-shop, defining clear terms of use, shipping policies, and payment options is essential. Transparent and user-friendly terms outline the rights and responsibilities of both the business and its customers.

Comprehensive shipping policies ensure customers clearly understand delivery expectations, helping build trust and satisfaction. Equally important are seamless and secure payment options, which significantly impact both user experience and conversion rates. Popular options include PayPal, Stripe, Authorize.Net, and Square.

Security measures such as SSL/TLS encryption are implemented to protect customer data and ensure secure communication between the user’s browser and the server.

Support & Ongoing Improvements

At Cactus, we maintain continuous communication with our clients throughout every e-shop project. For this reason, we introduced the “Open Kitchen” approach—inspired by the hospitality industry—into digital projects.

Just as an open kitchen allows customers to see how food is prepared, our approach emphasizes transparency and trust. We have developed a custom CRM system that allows clients to monitor project progress at any time.

Quality Assurance & Testing

We place strong emphasis on attention to detail and rigorous testing procedures to ensure that every aspect of our clients’ e-shops meets the highest quality standards. From website functionality and product accuracy to payment gateway security, everything is thoroughly tested.

Our dedicated QA team applies comprehensive quality assurance protocols to identify and resolve issues early, ensuring a seamless and frustration-free shopping experience. This commitment allows businesses to not only meet but exceed customer expectations in a highly competitive online market.

E-Shop Training & Project Delivery

Our goal is to ensure that, after development, you can manage your e-shop easily and efficiently. It is essential that store owners—not technicians—handle day-to-day management, as they best understand their products and customers.

Store owners should be able to update inventory, descriptions, images, and manage orders independently. We also provide ERP integrations to automate order handling and stock updates.

After the completion of your e-shop or website, we offer Website Support Packages to ensure ongoing stability, updates, and performance.

Frequently Asked Questions about Eshop creation

The cost of implementing an online store depends on many variables. The number of products, the different operating languages ​​and in general the requirements desired by each of our clients determine the cost. There are many different prices on the market for creating an online store. From 2,000 thousand euros to several thousand euros. At Cactus we have quality solutions for small – medium and large businesses.
An online store has the cost of the Server each month in which all its data is located. A second cost is the Domain name. These are the absolutely necessary costs and beyond them, an owner can purchase various services and tools to further develop his online activity. An indicative annual fixed cost starts from 500 euros for the minimum – necessary services.
The choice of the appropriate platform depends on the following issues. Number of Products, Flexibility, Concurrent number of visitors, design tools, loading speed, maintenance and development costs. It is important to mention that there is no “bad” implementation platform, the choice should be proportional to your needs. At Cactus we perform a requirements analysis of your project and present you with all the data to make the right choice of e-commerce platform.
One of the most important aspects of your online store’s success is that it is properly designed for all different screen sizes. At Cactus, we have a specialized quality assurance process that checks the operation of your store on every screen.
In every new project related to the construction of an Eshop, after completion but also during the implementation process, the Project Manager will train you in order to have full autonomy in the management of your online store. We also offer training services for your employees in order to ensure that each of your employees knows how to handle the store.
Our company operates a daily customer support hotline. At the same time, we maintain 24/7 online ticketing for serious issues that may arise. In any case, we offer you support packages that will cover your every need.
The success of an online store depends on 3 main pillars. The first pillar is design. Cactus with our specialized UI / UX designers always recommend the most beautiful design for your project. The second pillar is functionality. In this area, our developers will offer you high-level solutions so that your online store always functions flawlessly. The third pillar is content. That is, how you present your products. In this area, we have marketing consultants who will advise you and produce content in order to have the most unique online store.
The time required to develop and build an Eshop varies depending on several factors such as the complexity of the project, the features and functionalities required, the level of customization, the size of the product catalog, and the platform used for development. In general, a basic e-shop website with standard features and a small product catalog can take from a few weeks to several months to develop. However, more complex projects with extensive customization, integrations with third-party services, advanced functionality (such as user accounts, wish lists, product recommendations, etc.), and large product catalogs can take several months to a year or more to complete. It is important to allocate sufficient time for testing and refinement to ensure a successful launch of the e-shop.

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