If you’re looking to build your e-commerce website, using custom websites instead of pre-built templates is better. With tailor-made e-commerce websites, you can achieve flexibility and scalability that just isn’t possible with template-based websites. 

You wouldn't even think about templates once you start working with personalized e-commerce websites. But having a good e-commerce website-building team right by your side is crucial. 

It is true that custom e-commerce business website building demands more investment, time, and expertise. But, in the long run, having a custom e-commerce website offers better control, flexibility, and scalability.

Ultimately, you’ll have to decide whether the benefits of building a custom e-commerce website outweigh the convenience of an out-of-the-box solution.

Let us explain why you should go with personalized e-commerce websites.

Reasons You Need a Custom E-Commerce Website

1. Customizable product listings

You can give customers a personalized experience by allowing them to customize the products they buy. Customers should be able to make use of the custom e-commerce website. 

Some of the top clothing e-commerce stores allow users to choose custom sizes, colours, graphics, fonts, etc.

With so many customizations available, each variant of the same product would have different pricing. A custom website would allow you to show different prices to users for each customization. 

A template-based e-commerce website couldn’t provide the same level of customization for products. If you’re offering a product with many customization options, a tailor-made e-commerce store is better.

2. Comply with industry-specific rules

Each industry has its own rules and regulations. Not all products are the same. Some products require refrigeration, such as fruits, dairy products, meats, liquids, etc. 

Each shipping provider has its own rules about specific items. Some shipping providers, like USPS, ban the shipping of airbags and gasoline domestically and some other products internationally. 

If you’re working in an industry that ships products that are hard to ship, having a customized e-commerce website is a good idea. 

You can show available shipping providers based on the product a user wants to buy. The same level of customization is not possible on ready-made websites. 

3. Website can scale with you

As your business grows, you’ll need a website that you can grow accordingly. If you get more visitors than your current website can handle, you can quickly scale up according to your needs. 

Moreover, it’s easy to shape and shift design whenever you want. If you’re expecting to receive a surge of traffic soon, you can plan ahead of schedule and make sure your website doesn’t go down when needed. 

4. Freedom of Creativity

Your website should be able to highlight your brand identity. One of the biggest reasons for choosing a custom e-commerce website is that you can customize every element.

With a custom e-commerce website, you have complete creative freedom to express yourself. 

Template-based websites often have limitations on the level of customization you can do. There are pre-defined places where you can add content and images. But what if you don’t want to add anything there? You have no option. 

With a custom e-commerce website, the power is entirely in your hand. 

5. Better speed and performance

A good e-commerce website development provider like Fastor can write clean code with incredible performance. Templates usually offer visual bells and whistles that slow up your website and even hurt the SEO efforts.

A professional e-commerce website development team can create code that makes your website look visually pleasing and fast enough for users all over the world. 

An e-commerce website has vast content such as products, images, videos, and written content. So website owners absolutely need to make sure that the website opens in a jiffy. 

The issue with slow-opening web pages is that the user won’t wait that long. According to reports, users want web pages to load between 3-5 seconds. Slow website loading speeds cause users to abandon the website and search for alternatives. 

6. Better user data security

You don’t know the code behind the templates that you buy. They could have vulnerabilities that could risk your website and user data. An e-commerce business, by its nature, should comply with PCI DSS (Payment Card Information Data Security Standards).

The best way to prevent fraudsters attacks is by building a custom e-commerce business website. If there’s a vulnerability in a pre-built template website, fraudsters can easily access payment information, personal email IDs, identity information of your users, and so much more. 

Not just monetary loss, this type of theft can also result in reputational damages. An e-commerce development team can create a secure website that keeps sensitive information from prying hands. 

7. Customize coupon codes

Almost all the ready-made templates offer coupon code features, but most are very limited in functionality. Yes, you will be able to add coupons on your website and display them up front, but you can’t customize their use. 

Let’s say you want to allow shoppers to use the code on a specific product category or a specific number of items. Or, if you want to exempt the use of codes on some specific products, you can do so with custom e-commerce business websites. 

On a custom website, you can add or remove as many or as few rules as you want about promo and coupon codes. 

8. Accommodate website based on customer needs

Every business has a different type of user base, different methods of selling, and different experiences offered. Some brands ensure the customer is done shopping as soon as possible. In contrast, others try to provide a unique and personal shopping experience. 

With a custom e-commerce website, you can create a shopping experience that suits your products, industry, and, most importantly, your user base. 

9. You’re looking to grow

There comes a time in every business’s cycle when it hits a wall. In the e-commerce industry, “the wall” is the limitation of an out-of-the-box e-commerce solution. 

You’ll realize there are so many things that the solution can’t do. Things that are crucial for your business. 

When you’re looking to grow your average revenue per customer, repeat buyers, and overall revenue, having limitations isn’t great.

Once you’re in this position, you realize that having the flexibility and scalability of a custom e-commerce website is needed for growth. 

10. Connect to inventory or vendors

When your business grows, you need to maintain numerous products in stock. This can only happen if you’re in constant communication with vendors. So you can re-order the products that you need. 

Unlike templates, a custom e-commerce business website can connect with your inventory management system and your vendors. By doing this, you can save time on ordering inventory manually. 

You can customize when to place an order, order limits, and much more. You wouldn’t want to run out of your best-selling product suddenly, would you?

Final Thoughts

Similar to most e-commerce businesses just starting, you feel that a ready-made website template is a good choice for you.

But that’s just not the case. You can invest in a custom e-commerce business website from the get-go. You can customize your store however you want, scale up and down when needed, and offer a branded shopping experience. 

Before you finalize an e-commerce platform, just ask yourself whether or not the platform will grow with you. Your business will keep on growing, and at one time, you’ll hit a wall with templates. Customized e-commerce websites have no such limit. 

FAQs

1. What is a custom e-commerce website?

A custom e-commerce website is an online platform built completely to meet the needs and goals of a business. It is built from scratch and is customized heavily to provide a personalized shopping experience for customers.

2. How does a custom e-commerce website differ from a template-based one?

Custom e-commerce websites are built to match a business's specific requirements and branding, while template-based websites often have limitations in design and functionality. Custom sites offer greater flexibility and scalability.

3. What are the benefits of having a custom e-commerce website?

Custom e-commerce websites are better than out-of-the-box solutions. Some of the most notable benefits of custom websites include: 

• Unique branding
• Tailored user experiences
• Improved security
• Enhanced SEO capabilities
• Ability to adapt and grow with your business.

4. Can a custom e-commerce website improve user experience?

Yes, custom websites can be designed with the customer in mind. An e-commerce website development solution like Fastor can design user-friendly interfaces, leading to a more intuitive and enjoyable shopping experience and potentially increasing sales and customer loyalty.

5. Is a custom e-commerce website more expensive than a template-based one?

Initially, custom e-commerce development may have higher upfront costs. However, it can provide a better return on investment.

It offers increased performance, lower maintenance costs, and better revenue potential, ultimately helping you grow your business.

6. How can a custom e-commerce website improve security?

Custom websites often have better and more robust security measures tailored to the business's specific needs. A secure code reduces the risk of data breaches and ensures the safety of customer information.

7. Can a custom e-commerce website integrate with other business systems?

Yes, custom websites can be designed to seamlessly integrate with various business systems such as inventory management, CRM, and accounting software, eliminating the need to do everything manually.