How SaaS-Based Applications Are Transforming eCommerce Businesses?
SaaS — the term is increasingly becoming a buzz in the eCommerce industry.
But what is SaaS and how it is transforming businesses across the globe?
Today businesses exist in a fast-moving and volatile market, and SaaS applications are the marketing technological innovations that are helping small to mid-sized businesses in keeping up with the big fishes.
The reason behind the constant interference of SaaS in scaling businesses’ growth is that the applications are financially feasible and makes tracking customer journey very effective. With so much happening around we can say that SaaS is one of the largest movements in shaping the eCommerce businesses around the world.
What Is SaaS?
SaaS is an abbreviation for Software as a Service. It is basically a web-hosted software that is licensed to a user on a subscription basis and is considered to be a part of cloud computing.
So what can be considered SaaS software?
The software can be anything ranging from an office management application to unified communication systems. So we can say applications falling under Software as a Service includes a vast array of business solutions.
Now that we know what is SaaS application let’s see some of the key benefits that have impacted the eCommerce industry.
Key Advantages of SaaS-based Applications
→ Low-Cost
SaaS applications are financially accessible which means you don’t have to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars on primitive hardware. In the traditional hardware you have to buy a system that controls the source code, then set up a server, and sometimes, install more software. On the other hand, SaaS applications are centrally hosted and require only a one-time setup.
→ Integration & Scalability
As you know SaaS applications reside in a cloud computing habitat therefore they can be easily integrated with other SaaS software. As a result, the scalability of your eCommerce business becomes an easy goal.
Do you know what’s the best part?
SaaS providers offer another server when needed that allows you to add more users to resolve any technical issues. Also, the integration of SaaS applications gives you the power of universal tracking that helps in tracking contact behavior across multiple marketing channels.
→ Instant Upgrades
The best part, SaaS users get accessibility to software upgrades instantly. Also, the upgrades are very cheap compared to traditional licensing software. As a result, as a user, you’re often forced to buy and upgrade your current plan for better features and security.
→ Perform Concepts Proof
Using SaaS-based applications is very easy because they have all the best practices and samples implemented. Also, any SaaS-based user can easily perform concept proof very easily and test the functionality of the software.
So this was all the basic and important information on SaaS-based applications and how their benefits are impacting eCommerce businesses across the globe. Now let’s see some top eCommerce applications that have changed the game, especially for small businesses.
Top 5 SaaS-based eCommerce Applications
Okay, let’s crunch some numbers together. eCommerce revenue is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2022–2025) of 11.58%, resulting in a projected market volume of US$5.88tn by 2025.
While eCommerce industries are completely driven by customer needs, SaaS eCommerce platforms have been highly instrumental in managing and scaling online stores. Now let’s have a look at some of the top eCommerce SaaS-based platforms that have been game changers.
1. BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a platform that provides a comprehensive set of eCommerce tools that help you in achieving your business goals. With BigCommerce, you can easily set up your eCommerce business that too with zero coding knowledge.
It comes with an easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor and access to fully customizable themes to design and beautify your storefront. It is a complete eCommerce solution that lets you enable digital wallets, create coupons, boost merchandising, and build an SEO-friendly online presence.
2. Shopify
Another very popular eCommerce platform, is Shopify. After WooCommerce and Squarespace, Shopify is firmly placed in the third position with 11% of the total eCommerce market share.
Just like BigCommerce, Shopify offers a bunch of customizable themes with a drag-and-drop interface that requires zero coding and designing skills. Interestingly, the eCommerce SaaS-based platform provides access to both HTML and CSS for easy customization of the page content.
Personally, I love Shopify’s onboarding wizard that makes adding products and setting up payments in just a few clicks.
3. HubSpot
We saw two platforms that allow business owners to create and host their websites on the Internet. But what about delighting your customers?
Don’t worry there’s a SaaS-based application to cater to every aspect of eCommerce.
HubSpot is a CRM platform that has all the tools and integrations you need for managing marketing, customer service, content management, and sales. With HubSpot, you can efficiently scale the growth of your business without compromising the inbound methodology.
Must Read: Why Go HubSpot? It’s Time To Upgrade Your Business
4. Printify
Printify is a print-on-demand network that helps merchants in making and sell custom products in a simple and easy way. It is a merchandising SaaS-based platform that offers different options for printer locations, prices, and fulfillment time.
The application allows the user to add a design to a product and the process is completely hassle-free due to its mock-up generator. You can preview your designs live and play with the tool until you find a suitable design.
5. Slack
Slack offers an incredible chat tool for businesses, which can be used for internal messaging and video conferencing. Using Slack is very convenient, you just need an active internet connection, install the application on your device and begin using it. Since Slack is a web-based SaaS application, therefore, the security and software are managed by Slack directly.
So these were some of the top SaaS-based eCommerce applications that help in boosting productivity and scale the growth of your business. Now, let’s see some of the common questions that revolve around the co-existence of eCommerce and SaaS applications.
FAQs on SaaS-based eCommerce Applications
What makes SaaS-based applications so crucial for eCommerce businesses?
SaaS-based eCommerce applications offer a complete software package that includes tech support, hosting, backups, updates, etc. Also, in modern applications, you get all tools needed for managing your sales and marketing efforts.
Are SaaS-based applications good for B2B businesses?
The answer is yes, B2B businesses can go enterprise plans for achieving their goals. It’s a myth that SaaS applications are a good fit only for SMBs only. The enterprise SaaS eCommerce software applications are designed to handle large catalogs and high-volume orders.
Are there any one-size fits?
There are no one-size fits-all-solutions and henceforth, the applications and platforms are open for customization. This means SaaS-based applications often come with a headless development approach where the users can easily customize the front end and backend easily.
Do we need any technical expertise?
Well, the answer is quite subjective. The SaaS eCommerce platforms often come with a drag-and-drop interface for customizations that require zero coding knowledge. But it might happen that you might need some technical expertise for integrating your applications or adding custom features.
In such situations, you can always find agencies that can do the job at the tip of their fingers. Also, if you require any eCommerce/HubSpot services or help with HubSpot implementation you can always connect with team MakeWebBetter.
With this, we come to the end of our short article on how SaaS applications are transforming the eCommerce business. It would not be wrong to say that all in all SaaS applications have opened whole new possibilities for businesses.
With these platforms, small companies can market their brand to the right audience and skyrocket their sales, on the other hand, larger companies can streamline productivity and better the collaboration between their teams. And all this can be achieved with software and an Internet connection.
