Reap the multifold benefits of Drupal web development

Drupal is an open source CMS which is used by thousands of small, medium and enterprise level businesses and organizations. Drupal powers millions of websites and applications all around the globe and it is one of the most sought-after CMS platform. The major benefit of choosing is that Drupal is written in PHP code, which is an open source script code, cost effective and the favorite choice of developers. Moreover, Drupal has no proprietary code, it is fully extensible and flexible and gives access to an extensive and active worldwide developer community.

Let’s look at the top benefits of using the Drupal platform

1. Agile web development

With Drupal, organizations can meet all the requirements of having an active online presence – from community web portals to personal websites, from e-commerce sites to a blogging site, content management, search polls and forums; agile web development is at the heart of Drupal.

Moreover, Drupal has open access to APIs and modules. Its provides ample of opportunities to customize a website with pre-determined solutions like payment gateways, shopping carts, CRM, logistics etc. Thousands of free modules are available in the community to help developers quickly add and customize their websites.

2. Cost effective web development

Drupal is an open source platform; hence it is 100% free. Its main software, modules, themes and many other features are available for free. Its saves the trouble of licenses, extra fees or anything proprietary. Key aspects like CRM, SEO, security, migration etc are also available for free.

3. SEO friendly

Drupal’s clean code, agile modules and modern publishing system works really well for the SEO performance of websites. Websites in Drupal can also be easily integrated to third party SEO tools and plug-ins that can further improve website’s SEO performance. It has plenty of features to present websites in a way that search engines like.

4. Scalability

Drupal is highly scalable. It can be easily scaled up without making any major development changes. Once can start with 5 pages and scale up his website to 100+ pages without haggling prices or majorly changing anything. Security and performance can easily be maintained from the Admin console. Some of the popular websites which attract high traffic like Grammys, White House, Nascar etc are run on Drupal.

5. User experience

User friendly websites that have easy navigation and attractive content interface can be effectively and easily created on Drupal. With Drupal, developers can develop highly responsive websites that are responsive across all devices, thus giving businesses the opportunity to exploit marketing opportunities across all platforms.

Advertisements

Features of a successful online store

Features of a successful online store

The e-commerce market is a trillion-dollar market that has grown 20% during the last couple of years alone. The opportunity in the e-commerce market is huge. If we consider the ecommerce market of India alone, then according to a study done by Indian Institute of eCommerce, by 2020 India is expected to generate $100 billion online retail revenue out of which $35 billion will be through fashion e-commerce. Online apparel sales are set to grow four times in coming years.

The data is stupendous. It gives us a hint of the galore opportunities, waiting to be embraced! But the ecommerce route is no doddle. The opportunity is huge and so is the competition. Many entrepreneurs venture into the e-commerce market but fail to reap the benefits of it. Varying online businesses have varying causes of failure. But, as a website is the face, heart and soul of any e-commerce business, the success of an online business largely depends on the success of its website.

So, what makes an ecommerce site successful?

1. Proper Product Descriptions

This is a necessity. If you want the customers to buy your products, give them all the necessary information. Product descriptions explain the benefits of the product and convinces them to buy it. Even if a customer may like a product, lack of information may demotivate him from placing the order. Short, enticing and crisp product description that cover all important information is the highlights of a successful e-commerce store. The best example for this would be Amazon. Amazon puts up its info in a nice tabular format which is both informative and visually pleasing.

2. Customer Reviews

63% of consumers indicate that they are more likely to purchase from a site if it has product ratings and reviews, according to a CompUSA® and iPerceptions® study. Customer reviews give buying confidence to customers and is a great way to promote products. Successful e-stores make a great use of this mechanism. They either have an integrated star rating system below products or have a separate landing page where users post their reviews.

3. Product filter option

People choose ecommerce for its convenient. If they have to work hard on your site to get what they’re looking for, they’ll just end up leaving your site. To make their customer’s buying experience hassle-free, successful e-commerce website owners have a filter option with varied sorting options.

4. Payment methods and Money back guarantee

By offering multiple payment options like credit card, PayPal, Paytm, other payment wallets, COD, people with different preferences and concerns will feel comfortable making a purchase from your site.

A money back guarantee is very important. You need to give your customers a way to respond if they are not happy with your product. Many sites also use other means like gift vouchers or credit points in place of money back. Find out what works best for you and your customers. The important thing is to give your customers a plan B. Customers, by nature are safe players so this flexible option will be attractive to them.

5. Customer Support

Customers tend to trust an e-store which offers customer support before purchasing a product and troubleshooting solutions after purchasing the product. Customers may have many questions and doubts, they have to be solves by proper customer support mechanism. Many big websites also use 24×7 live chat feature. If you don’t have the resources for providing 24×7 service, a customer support mechanism operative during working hours is important for ensuring success.

6. Security

When cybercrimes are on the rise and ecommerce is the most affected segment. People have become extra conscious while buying online. So, they put their trust on websites which use an extra layer of security. Some of the security methods that successful websites use are – SSL certification, tailored privacy policy, Firewalls etc.

7. Mobile friendly site

Mobile usage is on the rise across the globe. The use of mobile phones for shopping purposes is escalating. Hence, in order to be successful, your site should be available to this large pool of customers who shop from their phones. You don’t want your customers to be annoyed by slow loading and an unresponsive website. Other than catering to customer needs, mobile friendly website is also important for SEO purposes. Mobile friendly design is one of the ranking factors taken into account by Google’s search engine algorithm. Hence, mobile friendly websites are preferred both by your customers and Google.

The value of having your E-commerce site developed by a certified Magento Developer

Businesses with far reaching business aspirations and commitment take all related decisions wisely. Which is why, Magento is the most preferred e-business platform by many successful entrepreneurs. Magento is known for its robust architecture and supportive international community. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg and there are manifold features which make Magento so admired and trusted.

Due to Magento’s huge popularity and scope, many e-commerce companies and freelancers are providing this service. Out of this large pool of developers, only a handful are qualified and experienced enough to serve you with a competent e-store solution. Hence, in order to ensure that you get your e-commerce project handled by a competent person, you must look for an ecommerce company which has certified and experienced Magento developers.

Ecommerce Certified Developer

Below are the few benefits of getting your e-store developed by a certified Magento Developer

1. They are experienced

While working with a certified developer, you can be assured of professional experience because the developers get certified by Magento only after they have gained valuable experience working with Magento. Certification ensures that the developer is competent to meet varied alternative requirements and developmental solutions. Besides, timely delivery and quality assurance are other benefits that come with hiring a certified Magento developer.

2. They are qualified

Certified Magento developer is synonymous with qualified Magento developer. This is because, in order to get certified, a developer has to pass eligibility and quality tests. He has to prove his potential of being steady and capable of being associated with the Magento name. This assures you that you project is being undertaken by an expert who matches industry standards and quality.

3. They are systematic

Most of the Magento companies have organized and systematic working models. This assures that you will be working with a dedicated developer or developers who are backed-up by full-fledged facilities and support options. They follow a systematic approach of development and testing which approves less glitches. Hence, delivering the best e-commerce solutions that match your requirements and bill.

4. They give technical assistance

When you work with a certifies Magento Developer, you can depend on him to receive post-development services. This is because, a developer gets certified on the basis of his abilities to provide both development and post-development services. Hence, you can be assured that you will receive dependable technical support and assistance while working with a certified developer.

Conclusion

You will get all the above benefits and more if you choose to work with a certified Magento Developer. You just have to make sure that you’ve checked all the credentials and properly notified them about project requirements and other details. However, the final decision will be based on your judgement. If you feel convinced of a particular company’s potential and commitment, you must go ahead with it.

Top 7 Advantages to Organizations Using E-Commerce

1. Global market

If you have a physical store, then your business’s reach is restricted to a specific geographical location. But, with an Ecommerce, the entire world is your playground. With an Ecommerce store, you can reach the global market and showcase your products or services to the entire world.

2. Wide range of products

If you have a physical store, you can stock only a limited amount of good and display a lot less than what is there in your warehouse. A virtual store enables a vendor to store unlimited number of goods without the limitation of inventory cost. This also gives the consumer many choices to choose from.

3. Enhance visibility

Vendors make their businesses visible through branding and maintaining relationships. This offers a very limited scope. E-commerce businesses can increase their visibility through search engines. In the age of internet, it is not unusual for a consumer to click on a link and land up on an Ecommerce website that is completely new to them. Traffic though search engines can be the tipping point for many e-commerce businesses. With the help of an Ecommerce web development company, you can make your site appear higher on search engine results.

4. Save money and time

As the middlemen are completely eliminated in an e-commerce business, such businesses can offer their products and services at a relatively cheaper price. Similarly, since the consumers do not have to travel long distances to reach a physical store, travel costs are also eliminated. Also, online shopping is a matter of few clicks, hence, it saves a large chunk of time also.

5. Target potential customers

An e-commerce businessman can collect information from customers, generate sales leads and in turn communicate with customers. For example, if a person is searching for a certain product, then with the help of collected information, relevant products similar to the search will be shown automatically. Merchants can also email such persons about similar products which they sell.

6. Be open all the time

Time becomes the biggest drawback of a physical store. It cannot be kept open all day and throughout the year. An e-commerce store is working 24×7. For a merchant, this leads to increase in sales and for a consumer, an always open store is more convenient.

7. Information

Internet gives the consumer an opportunity to search for product information, compare products, read reviews, compare prices from different vendors, etc. Adequate information gives a consumer the confidence that he is purchasing a good quality product at the best price. There are limitations in the amount of information that can be displayed in a physical store. E-commerce stores can make adequate information easily available to consumers.

Need a certified Magento Developer? We can help.

Certified Magento Developer

Are you looking for a Certified Magento Developer for your next project? You have come to the right place. One of the major advantages of working with Atlas Softweb is that we have the best talents in the industry.

Magento is a dynamic platform with tools that can give your online business an extra edge. Our Magento developers are certified, experienced and have the skills to make the best use of Magento tools, custom tailored for your business requirements. Our Magento designers design and build responsive Magento themes that are aesthetic, modern and creative. Pour developers make sure that your website is highly functional and at the same time a visual treat for your audience. No matter what your requirements may be, you will get top quality solutions from our developers. We build scalable and robust websites and portals using the latest tools and techniques.

Our expert Magento developers are available on part time and full-time basis. We offer 24-hour technical support to our clients. From the beginning of the project to its delivery, we work with our clients at every step. The websites we develop are 100% SEO friendly, expandable and scalable.

Our team brainstorm new ideas for every project and we make sure that every website is a blue diamond. We have the ability to transform client’s ideas into reality. By hiring Dedicated Magento Developers with Atlas, you save on Time, Resource and Overhead cost. Hassle free project execution guaranteed!

The Clash of Ecommerce Platforms: Magento vs. Shopify

The two most used and trusted ecommerce platforms are Magento and Shopify. These two are the widely acclaimed and probably the best ecommerce website builders available in the market today. However, they both have some fundamental differences which one must consider in order to select the best one for your project.

Magento vs. Shopify

In this article, we have touched upon the basic similarities and differences between Magento and Shopify.

1. Popularity

Magento is the most commonly used ecommerce platform, claiming 14% of the top million sites versus 6% for Shopify. Both Magento and Shopify have some big names in their radar like Tesla, Nike etc. However, Shopify has a majority of small and medium sized business in comparison to Magento.

2. Inventory

Magento offers a vitally unlimited number of store items whereas, Shopify’s starter plan restricts the number to a max of 25 store items. However, when you add a big number of items, the problem of performance and site load time arises in Magento. This is not a problem in Shopify because Shopify is a fully managed and hosted solution.

3. Coding

Magento uses PHP while Shopify uses Liquid. Magento is open source while Shopify is proprietary. Open source means the source code is freely available and can be modified, hence Magento can be altered to suit store needs. While with Shopify, it cannot be done. Hence, Shopify is more recommended for simple stores but not for complex stores requiring advanced functions.

4. Themes and Templates

A wide range of themes and templates are available in both Magento and Shopify. However, the number of free themes available in Shopify is relatively smaller. Premium/paid themes are available in both of them, but in Shopify, cost of premium themes start from $80 whereas in Magento, the costs start from a nominal rate of $1!

5. Capabilities

Magento has an edge while considering capabilities. It has more than 5000 add-on extensions while Shopify has more than 100 of them. In Magento, the admin can create and manage multiple stores with the same admin panel. This is of great value to business owners as you can work and manage your stores the way you prefer. In addition, compared to Shopify, Magento comes with more frontend features for customers like coupon codes, giftcards and more.

6. Multilingual support

Magento provides built in multi lingual support. For creating multi lingual stores in Shopify, you’ll have to seek support from third party/ paid apps or custom code your theme.

7. Customization

Both platforms have great customization features. With Shopify, it’s easier as it provides a simple, menu driven method. Magento is an open source platform, hence you can customize it the way you want but it will require web programming and HTML/CSS coding know-how.

Conclusion

Both Magento and Shopify have some robust features, however choosing the best ecommerce platform for your project will depend on your expectations, budget and expertise.

Shopify is a good fit for amateur merchants and developers. However, if you know that your store will require advanced features and customization and if you are well equipped (budget and tech), then Magento will be the best option.

Automating your E-commerce Site to Save Time and Money

As entrepreneur, you are responsible for pretty much everything related to your business. Whether its inventory management, marketing or operation, your head is dug deep in every aspect.
Till a certain point this manual labor reaps results, but after a threshold, doing everything manually badly affects the scalability of your business. Some of the tasks should be delegated while other tasks should be automated or refined. Automation will give you more space to focus on areas which require your direct control. Automation is important because it will free up your time and also save money.

The areas of your Ecommerce development company which you must consider automating are; Analytics
Good business decisions are made on the basis of statistics and real time data. In order to keep a track on all statistics of interactions and conversion rates between your customers and website, relying on an automation software is a good choice.
With Google Analytics you should be measuring;

• Email signups
• Conversions
• Cost per acquisition

You can run A/B testing by using Optimizely which will allow you to measure and optimize your site conversion process.

Order fulfillment, shipping and inventory management

Timely order fulfillment is crucial for boosting sales. Hence, automating your order fulfillment process is a great stratergy to control your flow of sales. With an automated extension, like Order Fulfillment for Magento 2, you can create new orders, manage all orders and track order fulfillment process in only 5 simple steps. As businesses grow, order fulfillment becomes increasingly time consuming. Automating orders and shipping method will save your time and also satisfy your customers as they receive their orders quickly and efficiently.
Magestore Inventory Management Magento 2 is a great extension for inventory management. You can easily adjust, edit, or transfer stocks in line. The stock forecast feature of this extension is very helpful. The extension sends a notification in case there is a need to purchase more items in the near future.

Customer service
Satisfactory customer service is the key to running a successful online business. However, customer service is more about personal interaction so we cannot totally eliminate the human element from it. Automating can streamline your customer service process. Automating your customer services processes can make sure that customer’s questions and queries are answered quickly. Automated workflows can also allow you to move through some crucial tasks like approving refunds quicker. There are many software that can help organize emails of your customers better. Customer service platforms also allow customers to submit tickets, rather than contact forms turned into emails. Support tickets can be prioritized and assigned automatically, which gives your team a little more time to manage cases instead of trying to sip from the fire hose of incoming email requests.

Accounting and book keeping

Manually updating your accounts and keeping pace with purchase orders, sales, expenses is time consuming and can be a headache for even seasoned accounting professionals. There are some great automating software that can help with receipts, unpaid invoices and other documents. These software are capable of synchronizing with your online store through third-party apps. These will automatically pull sales (and even inventory) data into your accounting program to maintain accurate records, including taxes.

Top Considerations for a Successful Mobile App Development Strategy

Increasing mobile penetration is fast impacting significantly on the socio-economic landscape. Read on the article to find more information about mobile app development. 

Technological breakthroughs and advancements have revolutionized many aspects of our lives. And explosive growth of mobile technology is something that you can’t turn a blind eye on. Wide deployment of internet networks and drastic advancements in the hardware specifications of mobile devices have contributed to the rapid growth of mobile communications. Modern business world have been realizing the unlimited potential of mobile technology over the past decade. But a common misconception that prevails in the business world is that mobile apps are only for big brands and corporates. But nothing could be further from the truth. Businesses, regardless of their size and niche may follow the mobile trend and take advantage of the mobile communication technology.

Building a mobile application for your business is the ideal way to connect with your customers, improve your branding strategy and explore new market opportunities. Extending your website or ecommerce application to a mobile allows building brand awareness. Nowadays, people spend majority of their time on mobile devices, which gives your business a highly visible presence in the daily life of targeted audience. For instance, if your business app is installed on their tablet or smart phone, you can engage with the customers anytime with ease. Integrating a communication feature in the mobile app can establish effective channels of communication with the customers thereby increasing the engagement. When you have a dedicated mobile app for your business, it would be easier to devise direct marketing strategies and promotional campaigns.

But in most cases, businesses are uncertain about how to proceed. If you are in charge for choosing the right mobile app development strategy for your business, then you might be probably overwhelmed with the varied choices available in the market. So, let us check out the top factors that you need to bear in mind while choosing a mobile application platform for creating a bespoke app for your business.

Define your business goals and objectives: Why you need a mobile app? Is it for branding your business more efficiently or selling more products? Having a clear vision of your goals is integral for devising an appropriate plan of action. Before hiring a mobile app developer, make sure to plan every step in detail.

No compromise on the user experience: Ensuring a hassle-free and intuitive user experience is the crucial success factor of mobile app development.  Apps should be engaging, designed for performance and customized to meet the unique needs of users. Rather than following any complicated designs or coding application, make it a point to create an app that is very simple to use. If it is a just an extension of your website, the users should be able to find the information easily. On the other hand, if it is an ecommerce app, then product searching, check out process and other features should feel like a breeze.

Choosing the right development approach: There are mainly three development approaches for mobile applications, namely native, web and hybrid. Each development approach has its own set of advantages and disadvantages.

•  Mobile web apps – It is web application accessed through the mobile devices web browser. Even though, they look and feel like native applications, they are implemented as platform and device independent. User may access them by navigating a special URL where they can find the option of ‘installing’ them on their home screen. Mobile web apps use core technologies such as HTML 5, CSS and JavaScript.

• Native Apps – Native mobile apps are built for a specific mobile device and its operating system. Users can download it from application stores (Example: Google Play store) and install it on their smartphones. Since they are developed for a specific platform and operating system, native apps can make the best use of all the device features. Native web apps are scripted in Java, Objective C and other programming languages.

• Hybrid app – If you blend the native and web app development approach, then you get hybrid apps. Cross-platform portability of code and low development costs contribute to the increasing popularity of hybrid mobile applications. A web app is wrapped in a native code so that it can gain access to the device functionalities.

Depending on your budget, time frame, proposed functionality and target audience, you need to make a pick out of the three approaches.

Mobile landscape is constantly changing, so make sure to protect your investment by implementing timely upgrades and updates. Do your homework, plan every step keenly and devise an elaborate product roadmap to attain successful results.

Originally Published:Key Factors of Mobile App Development

The Secrets to Main Elements of Publications Web Design

A well- designed publication website portal is a key component of digital marketing campaign. What does that mean to you? If you are into publishing industry, then you need to design the most appealing website to allure the online audience. E-learning and e-books have been a growing trend these days. From magazines to newspapers and periodicals to kindle edition books, publishing industry have been all geared up to gather the attention of online readers. Building an appealing and informative online presence is essential for publishing and promoting your literary works. Not only it provides you a better exposure and better credibility, but also allows you to get connected with an engaging audience across the virtual platform.

What are the key factors required for a successful publication website design? Take a look at the following points to get a better insight.

Simplicity is the key. Attractive web design doesn’t mean you should overload the pages with unnecessary design elements or use too many colors. Always make it a point to keep the web design layout simple and subtle. Users are coming to your website for purchasing a book or to read an article, not to evaluate the web design. So, keep it simple rather than overdoing.

Navigability determines the user experience. An online visitor should be able to find everything easily. A navigation system acts as the road map of your website. If the navigation is clear and simple, then the users will stick to the website and have a good experience. As a general rule of thumb, it is advised to stick to a simple navigation structure.

Consistency retains the overall look and feel of your website. Background images, color combinations, design patterns and even the style of writing should be consistent across all your website pages. Following the same old conventions of website page structure is also a good move, as it provides the best experience possible for your site visitors.

Originally Published:Main Elements of Publications Web Design

Save