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Updated Oct 30, 2023

Entrepreneurs, Take Note: 5 Trends in Online Purchasing Habits

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Jennifer Dublino, Contributing Writer

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Many of today’s retail options are online only or have an online component. Entrepreneurs in both the e-commerce and brick-and-mortar spaces must understand how this shift affects consumer expectations and loyalty so they can target and serve customers effectively. 

As online retail continues to grow in popularity and strength, entrepreneurs must stay aware of current consumer purchasing trends and understand what these tendencies mean when pinpointing their target audience

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The best e-commerce platforms to attract online customers

Much goes into an excellent e-commerce platform, including easy setup, attractive and varied templates, inventory management, shopping carts, payment gateways, shipping and marketing tools. Here are some of our choices for the best e-commerce platforms and shopping cart software. The right platform can help you capitalize on consumer purchasing trends. 

  • Shopify. Shopify provides unlimited bandwidth, storage and inventory items, allowing you to make the customer’s experience fast and convenient. It has a powerful payment and checkout process with built-in security features to address consumers’ privacy concerns and give them peace of mind. In addition to the usual credit and debit cards, Shopify is compatible with PayPal, Stripe and Authorize.net, giving customers a range of payment options. Read our Shopify review to learn more.
  • Volusion. You may not have heard of the Volusion e-commerce platform, but its easy and intuitive website builder will get your e-commerce store up and going in no time. It has affordable plans starting at $15 per month and it integrates with Amazon and eBay so you can sell through multiple channels. Volusion offers payment processing, or you can choose from various compatible third-party payment processors. 
  • Shift4Shop (formerly 3dcart). Shift4Shop gives merchants a shared SSL at no additional cost, as well as unlimited bandwidth and storage. It has over 50 templates that can be customized, is compatible with more than 100 payment gateways, and its checkout works seamlessly on desktop and mobile devices. The advanced SEO tools, robust marketing capabilities, and real-time shipping rate information this platform offers can help you reach and convert more customers.
author image
Jennifer Dublino, Contributing Writer
Jennifer Dublino is a prolific researcher, writer, and editor, specializing in topical, engaging, and informative content. She has written numerous e-books, slideshows, websites, landing pages, sales pages, email campaigns, blog posts, press releases and thought leadership articles. Topics include consumer financial services, home buying and finance, general business topics, health and wellness, neuroscience and neuromarketing, and B2B industrial products.
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