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How to Become an E-commerce Website Developer: A Guide to E-Commerce Development

drishti
drishti
Create: Jul 27,2024


It is common knowledge now that online shopping and e-commerce are the new normal. Gone are the days of skepticism; today, almost everyone around us is buying online. According to Hostinger, a leading web hosting site, more than 20% of 2023's global retail revenue came from online sales, and this proportion is projected to exceed 25% by 2028.


Hostinger also stated that in 2023, 63% of global consumers began their shopping journey online, and at least 1/3rd of global consumers are now regular online shoppers, despite global digital connectivity still being in its early stages.India hasn’t lagged behind in this e-revolution either. According to Bain, 6% of India’s retail sales volume in 2023 came from online transactions. Statista reports a healthy yearly CAGR of 11.45% for India’s e-commerce market from 2024 to 2029. For further evidence, just recall how much you’ve spent on Amazon, Flipkart, and the like in the last three months.


In such a market, the grass is surely greener (with stacks of cash) for e-commerce developers. Glassdoor reports an average Rs. 8.75 LPA for electronic commerce developers, with base pay ranging between 5 and 16 LPA. The opportunities are also vast; Forbes estimated around 24 million e-commerce sites in 2022. So how can you tap into the massive market potential to build a successful and sustainable career as an e-commerce web developer? We're here to help. This article provides a comprehensive guide to everything you need to know to become an online store developer. Let's dive in.


What is E-Commerce Development?


In e-commerce development, a web developer creates websites or web apps specifically designed for buying, selling, and exchanging goods and services, or conducting other commercial activities over the Internet. The rise of e-commerce stems from its ability to save business owners the costs of maintaining a physical store while saving consumers' resources by allowing shopping anywhere and anytime. 


Consumers use e-commerce websites or apps for retail shopping, B2B transactions, digital downloads, subscription services, online auctions, product queries, and more. Electronic commerce development is crucial in electronics, fashion, groceries, entertainment, finance, etc. Other than the obvious cost benefits, it provides features like secure payment gateways, user-friendly interfaces, real-time inventory updates, personalized shopping experiences, etc.


Different Types of E-Commerce Websites and Apps


An all-encompassing list of some major types of electronic commerce websites is given below:


  1. Business-to-Consumer (B2C): Websites where businesses sell directly to consumers. Examples: Amazon, Walmart, Flipkart, etc.
  2. Business-to-Business (B2B): Platforms where businesses sell products or services to other businesses. Examples: Alibaba and Amazon Business.
  3. Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C): Websites that enable consumers to sell to other consumers. Examples: OLX, eBay, Craigslist, etc.
  4. Consumer-to-Business (C2B): Platforms where individuals sell products or services to businesses. Examples: ZoopUp, Upwork, Fiverr, etc.
  5. Business-to-Government and Government-to-Business (B2G and G2B): Websites where businesses and governments exchange goods, services, or data. Examples: SAP Ariba and government contracting portals.
  6. Government-to-Consumer (G2C): Websites where governments provide services directly to consumers. Examples: UIDAI site and tax filing websites.
  7. Subscription-Based or Freemium Apps: Websites that sell products or services on a subscription basis. Examples: Netflix and Spotify.
  8. Drop Shipping: E-commerce sites that sell products without holding inventory by forwarding orders to third-party suppliers who ship directly to customers. Examples: Oberlo, Spocket.
  9. Digital Products: Platforms selling digital goods like software, e-books, music, and online courses. Examples: Udemy, Coursera, and Audible.
  10. Social Commerce: Here, e-commerce is done via social media platforms. Examples: Facebook Marketplace and Instagram Shopping.


Components of an E-Commerce Website/App


An e-commerce platform significantly differs from other websites in its build, features, code, UI/UX, content, and more. For example, an online shop must make you stay, which makes an attractive UI crucial. Its navigation should be intuitive to ensure easy browsing. Below we have elaborated on such major components and their essence in online store development:


  1. Homepage: The homepage is the first point of contact, showcasing key products, UI, and implicitly asserting a brand identity. The e-commerce expert must ensure it's visually appealing and user-friendly to encourage exploration. A poor homepage will waste all the subsequent efforts put into the online store.
  2. Search Functionality: Say you want to buy a new trimmer or some groceries; you will search for it on the search bar on the homepage. The search function must include relevant filters and sorting options for each category, as it eases and simplifies the user’s product inquiry. Amazon’s search filter stands out in this aspect, with many useful and relevant filters for every product category.
  3. Product Categories: Product categories help users navigate and find products. Categories and filters should be well-defined and easy to use, letting customers locate the desired items quickly.
  4. Individual Product Pages: Every product has its own page with detailed information like descriptions, images, prices, specifications, ratings, and reviews. These pages should be informative and engaging to help customers make purchasing decisions. Clear and high-quality images and detailed descriptions are crucial.
  5. Shopping Cart: It’s a virtual cart wherein customers review and modify their selected items before checkout. It should be easily accessible and update itself in real time to reflect changes. A seamless cart experience prevents abandoned purchases, a common problem for online shops.
  6. Checkout Process: Customers want ease, and the checkout process must signify that, while not compromising on relevant shopping details. It should be streamlined with minimal steps, to reduce friction and improve conversion rates.
  7. Payment Gateway: With a massive focus on security, the payment gateway should support various payment methods and ensure data protection. A reliable payment gateway is essential for building customer trust and facilitating smooth transactions.
  8. User Account Management: User account management helps both customers and the business. It helps customers track orders and save preferences, enhancing personalization and customer loyalty. The business, meanwhile, can use this data for improving sales and customer experience. It should be secure and user-friendly, offering easy access to account information.
  9. Shipping and Delivery Options: This section provides information on shipping methods, costs, and delivery times. They should be clear and comprehensive, allowing customers to choose the option that best suits their needs. Free shipping is a big plus.
  10. Contact Information and Support: Contact details and customer support include phone numbers, email addresses, and live chat to help users get help. Establishing trust and resolving conflicts require readily available assistance. It must be responsive and simple to locate.
  11. Security Features (SSL, encryption): It's an essential duty of any e-commerce expert to safeguard data during transactions effectively. This includes using security features like SSL and encryption. A lack of security, if exposed, can seriously damage the business’ profit and revenue goals.
  12. Mobile Responsiveness: Mobile responsiveness ensures the website functions well on different mobile devices. With over 60% of online traffic coming from mobile, a responsive design is perhaps more crucial than its desktop counterpart now for online shops.
  13. Analytics and Reporting Tools: Analytics help business owners decide regarding performance, sales, bounce rate, and other factors, all of which tools assist in improving marketing strategies and optimising the website.
  14. Promotional Features (discounts, coupons): It’s often incentivizing to provide promotional features, like discounts and coupons, offer special deals and incentives.
  15. Terms and Conditions: Terms and conditions, privacy policies, and returns and refund policies state the rules, privacy practices, and return procedures. They should be clear and accessible to ensure transparency and build customer trust. Proper policies protect both the business and its customers.


What Educational Qualifications Do E-Commerce Web Developers Need?


One can pursue e-commerce online store development through various educational routes:


Degrees and Qualifications


Seeking an organized and thorough education is the best option. The programs offer a well-rounded curriculum, knowledgeable teachers, opportunities for peer learning, and a supportive learning environment. Many prestigious companies mandate formal degrees. Key degrees include: 


  • Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in Computer Science and Engineering
  • Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA)
  • Diploma in Web Designing


While coding and web development are indispensable in e-commerce web development, having business proficiency is also advantageous, making business-related degrees particularly relevant, like:

  • Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
  • Master of Business Administration (MBA)
  • Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com)


Courses or Boot Camps


Coding boot camps and online courses are a viable option for those with time and financial constraints or those who wish to pursue e-commerce web development later in their careers. These short-term, intensive programs provide the necessary skills within weeks to months. The courses offer practical learning opportunities and focus on the most pertinent software and skills. They might not, however, provide as much thorough career support as regular degrees. However, you can always pursue companies looking to hire e-commerce expert.


What Skills Does an E-commerce Expert Need?


Besides technical skills, what demarcates an online shop developer from other developers is an added sense of business acumen and a focus on AI, Data Analytics and SEO to improve the website, its user experience, and sales. The relevant skills are given below:


Hard or Technical Skills


Relevant Languages and Frameworks 


First of all, e-commerce web developers are still primarily developers. They must master programming languages to build and maintain robust online stores, ensuring smooth functionality, accuracy, readability, and ease of modification. Key languages and frameworks tailored for e-commerce development include:


Front End Languages/Frameworks: 


  • HTML: Structures content on e-commerce sites like product listings and navigation.
  • CSS: Styles elements to create visually appealing layouts and enhance UI.
  • JavaScript: Adds interactivity and dynamic features like shopping cart functionality.
  • jQuery: Simplifies HTML traversal and event handling, improving user interactions.
  • React.js: Builds user interfaces with reusable components for interactive product catalogues.
  • Angular.js: Develops dynamic applications with real-time updates for complex e-commerce functionalities.

Back End Languages/Frameworks:


  • Python: Provides readability and simplicity for managing server-side logic and transactions.
  • C++: Handles performance-intensive tasks for high-load e-commerce platforms.
  • SQL: Manages databases for product information, user data, and order histories.
  • Node.js: Enables scalable server-side development for real-time features and instant updates.


Digital Marketing (SEO): 


How will your online store run well if it doesn’t receive any customers? With more than 24 million active e-commerce sites right now, it's easy to get lost. Search Engine Optimization is crucial for improving your e-commerce site’s visibility in search engine results, driving organic traffic, enhancing site ranking, and increasing conversion rates.

 

Data Analytics:


The work isn’t over after you’ve built the site. Using data analytics, you must analyse customer behavior, sales patterns, and market trends to make the best possible data-driven decisions. Developers use analytics to enhance user experiences, optimise marketing strategies, and boost sales. Tools like Google Analytics are crucial in such a field.

 

Artificial Intelligence (AI):


Seen those chatbots at the bottom right of every other online shop or marketplace? Using AI, these chatbots and virtual assistants improve customer interactions and automate repetitive tasks. Implementing AI in e-commerce can improve customer support, personalise shopping experiences, and streamline operations. 

 

Security (SSL, Encryption): 


Security is paramount for protecting sensitive customer information and facilitating payments, to ensure trust in your e-commerce platforms. SSL certificates and encryption methods help secure data transmission and safeguard against breaches. 

 

Responsive Design:


Responsive design ensures your website adjusts easily to various screen sizes and resolutions across desktops, laptops, and mobiles. This maintains accessibility and user experience and gives a consistent interface.

 

Application Programming Interfaces (API):


Different software components and third-party services interact with each other using APIs. E-commerce developers use APIs to integrate payment gateways, shipping services, and other functionalities.

 

Proper Testing:


Your e-commerce applications must be functional, reliable, and secure. This involves identifying and fixing errors through unit testing frameworks and debugging tools. Thorough testing across different environments is essential for a stable user experience.

 

Business Proficiency:


You are ultimately building up a shop, so an understanding of business concepts, such as profit and loss, economics, and market trends, is crucial. This skill helps in aligning technical solutions with business strategies.


Soft Skills


Creativity: 


An e-commerce expert needs creativity to design engaging user interfaces and solve complex system or business problems. Creativity enhances UI/UX and helps develop new, useful solutions for online shopping platforms.

 

Empathy:


Across business, empathy is extremely crucial. It helps create user-centred designs and addresses customer needs effectively. By empathising with users, a developer can anticipate pain points, improve UX, and build solutions that resonate with the audience. 

 

Business Acumen:


Business acumen involves understanding e-commerce metrics, market trends, and customer behaviour. This knowledge helps in making informed decisions that align technical development with business objectives.

 

Communication:


Of course, communication! Communication skills are key for collaborating with designers, stakeholders, and team members for project alignment, clarity, and effective problem-solving. 


Attention to Detail:


Being detail-oriented is vital for ensuring accuracy in coding, debugging, and meeting project requirements. Attention to detail helps maintain high code quality and precise user interfaces.

 

Adaptability:


With new languages, trends, and features coming in every now and then, adaptability is essential for staying relevant in the ever-evolving e-commerce landscape. 

 

Analytical Thinking: 


With analytical thinking, developers can analyse complex problems, design efficient solutions, and optimise web applications. 


Career Options for E-Commerce Web Developers


Once you're prepared to be an e-commerce web developer, there are several paths you can take. You can start your career as an employee, freelancer, intern, or even launch your agency based upon your aspirations, skills, and goals. Here are some key options to consider:


College Placements:


College placements are a direct entry point into the e-commerce industry. Many colleges and institutes partner with top e-commerce companies, offering students the chance to interview for positions before graduation or post-graduation. Companies like Flipkart, Amazon, and Myntra are always looking to hire electronic commerce developer from top institutes. 

 

Online Job Portals:


Platforms like LinkedIn, Naukri, Indeed, and Glassdoor feature numerous job postings for e-commerce web developers. You should create a professional profile highlighting your e-commerce development skills, upload your resume, and apply for relevant positions. These portals also give insights into company reviews, salary expectations, and job descriptions.

 

Networking:


Building a strong professional network can lead to referrals and exclusive job opportunities from the best companies looking to hire online store development expert. Connect with industry professionals and HR managers from e-commerce platforms for potential job openings. You can also join e-commerce development communities on platforms like GitHub and Stack Overflow to expand your network and find opportunities.

 

Recruitment Agencies:


Specialised recruitment agencies can match you with job openings in the e-commerce sector. Register with agencies focusing on tech roles, as they often have access to exclusive e-commerce job openings that are not publicly advertised.

 

Company Career Pages:


If you aim to work for a specific e-commerce company, regularly check their website for job openings. Many companies list their vacancies on their career pages. 

 

Freelancing:


Freelancing offers flexibility and diverse project opportunities. Websites like ZoopUp connect e-commerce web developers with clients looking for specialized services. Zoopup focuses specifically on web development and IT roles, providing a targeted marketplace for your skills. Hundreds of clients in web development are looking to hire e-commerce development expert here, with varied opportunities in different sectors.

 

Starting an Agency:


Want to have your own business? Consider starting an e-commerce web development agency. With challenges like client acquisition, project management, and team building, it’s a challenging yet rewarding option, offering the potential for significant growth.

 

Internships:


Internships provide hands-on experience in e-commerce web development and can lead to full-time employment. Many e-commerce companies offer internships to students and recent graduates, allowing them to work on real projects and learn from experienced developers. 


Top E-commerce Content Management Systems


As an e-commerce developer, you can either use a top online store CMS platform like WooCommerce or Shopify or build your own from scratch. A ready-made CMS offers quick setup, ease of use, and extensive support, but may lack the flexibility and customisation of a custom-built platform. On the other hand, creating your own platform provides complete control and tailored functionality but consumes significant resources.


As for the market share, a few key players like WooCommerce and Shopify rake a large part, but many choose to go their own way. Here, we describe the top 4 most used e-commerce CMS platforms globally.


WooCommerce


WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin that leads the market with a 36.68% share. Being open-source, it offers extensive scope for customisation and a large library of themes and plugins. Its flexible product management and built-in blogging capabilities only add to its appeal. 


Pros:


  • Highly customisable
  • Large community and support
  • Seamless integration with WordPress
  • Free to start


Cons: 


  • Requires more technical knowledge
  • Hosting and security are the user’s responsibilities


Uses: Suitable for businesses already using WordPress or ones needing a personalised platform with extensive plugins and themes.


Shopify


As one of the most-favoured CMS platforms globally, Shopify powers 10% of online stores worldwide. It takes care of server maintenance, hosting, and software updates. Shopify also offers multi-channel selling (Facebook, Instagram, Amazon), integrated payment processing, and an extensive app store for added functionalities.


Pros: 


  • Easy to set up and use
  • Wide range of themes and apps
  • Excellent customer support
  • Strong security features


Cons:


  • Levies transaction fees unless using Shopify Payments
  • Allows limited customisation compared to open-source platforms


Uses: Ideal for small to medium-sized businesses looking for an easy and scalable system, without having to manage server infrastructure.


Squarespace


With a 14.49% market share, Squarespace is a designer’s favourite and is known for its elegant design templates and user-friendly interface. It includes an integrated blogging platform, comprehensive design customisation, and built-in SEO tools.


Pros:


  • Beautiful, professionally designed templates
  • Intuitive drag-and-drop interface
  • All-in-one platform including hosting


Cons:


  • Limited e-commerce features compared to other platforms
  • Higher costs for advanced plans


Uses: Best suited for small businesses and creatives who prioritise design and ease of use in building their online stores.


Wix


Wix commands a 6.44% market share and is renowned for its simplicity and ease of use, offering a drag-and-drop interface for creating websites, including e-commerce sites. It offers an app market for extended functionality, mobile optimization, and built-in SEO tools. 


Pros:


  • User-friendly drag-and-drop builder
  • Wide range of templates
  • No coding required


Cons:


  • Limited scalability for larger stores
  • Fewer advanced e-commerce features


Uses: Ideal for small to medium-sized businesses looking for an easy and visually appealing site with basic e-commerce functionalities.


Conclusion


With the rapid increase in digitisation and internet connectivity, the e-commerce industry is poised for sustained growth for at least the next 50 years. In 2023, more than 1 in every 5 units of global retail revenue (20%) came from online sales, and this proportion will exceed 25% by 2028. As ⅓ of global consumers became online shoppers last year, the future seems brighter than ever for online store development. India too looks set on its path of online shopping transformation; 6% of India’s retail sales in 2023 happened online, and the volume is set to grow at 11.45% CAGR for 2024-2029. 


Technologies like AI, machine learning, IoT, and AR are reshaping the e-commerce landscape. AI and machine learning drive personalisation and intelligent shopping experiences, IoT creates responsive platforms, and AR offers immersive user experiences. All these features are already creating more jobs in the sector.

So let’s get started, embrace the journey, invest in continuous learning, and step into a fulfilling and successful professional future, for the future of e-commerce web development is not just promising; it's limitless.


Frequently Asked Questions


What does an e-commerce web developer do?


An e-commerce web developer creates and maintains online stores and websites, that are designed for online transactions with user-friendly interfaces, secure payment gateways, and various functionalities to enhance the online shopping experience.


What educational qualifications do you need to become an e-commerce web developer?


Qualifications include degrees in Computer Science (B.Tech), Computer Applications (BCA), or Web design, with business degrees like BBA or MBA being advantageous. Coding boot camps and online courses also provide essential skills.


What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a ready-made CMS versus building a custom e-commerce platform?


Ready-made CMS offers quick setup, ease of use, and cost-effectiveness but limits customisation. Conversely, custom platforms provide complete control and tailored functionality but require significant investment.


What skills are crucial for e-commerce web developers beyond technical proficiency?


Beyond technical skills, they need business acumen, creativity, empathy, communication skills, attention to detail, adaptability, and analytical thinking to comply technical solutions with business goals and enhance user experience.


How is the future of e-commerce web development shaping, and what may influence it?


The future is incredibly bright, with sustained growth driven by AI, machine learning, IoT, and AR, which enhance personalised shopping experiences, create responsive platforms, and offer immersive interfaces, increasing demand for skilled developers.




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drishti
drishti
Create : Jul 27,2024

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