E-commerce agency – what does it do and how do you choose one?

Buying products or services from an online shop is a very popular way to purchase selected goods these days. What’s more, there are consumers who shop exclusively online. If you sell products or services, it is therefore imperative that you consider incorporating e-commerce into your business. An e-commerce agency, on the other hand, will be helpful in implementing and running online sales.

In this article you will learn:

What is an e-commerce agency?
What does an e-commerce agency do?
How to choose an e-commerce agency?
Why should I work with an e-commerce agency?

Definition of an e-commerce agency

An e-commerce agency is a company that specialises in designing solutions and providing services in the field of e-commerce. The scope of activities carried out by each agency may vary – depending on the specific business profile and the needs of the client. However, the main goal of an e-commerce agency is to effectively introduce a company to the e-commerce industry or to optimise existing e-commerce sales.

An e-commerce agency is a specialised entity in the e-commerce sector that offers a wide range of services related to the design, implementation and management of online shops and other online sales platforms. The activities of this type of agency are multidimensional and include elements such as market analysis, marketing strategy, user interface design, search engine optimisation (SEO), content management, as well as data analysis and conversion optimisation.
E-commerce agency definition

E-commerce agencies work with clients at various stages of the online purchasing process, from the research stage to the finalisation of the transaction and analysis of the results. Thanks to their expertise, they are able to adapt to a variety of market needs and client requirements, using the latest technologies and analysis methods.

Scope of e-commerce agency services

The scope of services of an e-commerce agency may include, but is not limited to:

design and creation of online shops – when you start working with an e-commerce agency, you can commission it to, among other things, design and create an online shop; in this case, the agency will take care of both the selection of a suitable platform (such as Magento or Shopify), UX/UI design, as well as the implementation of all the functions necessary for the proper functioning of the online shop,
assortment management – an e-commerce agency can also help you effectively manage your sales assortment, such as selecting and listing those products or services that your consumers are most likely to reach for,
content management – the services of an e-commerce agency may also include activities in the field of content marketing – specialists can help you e.g. to create and manage content published on the blog and to create product and category descriptions; remember that properly planned content marketing is a very good way to reach a large number of potential customers and encourage them to use the offered products or services,
search engine optimisation (SEO) – an e-commerce agency may also conduct search engine optimisation (SEO) activities – thanks to them, it is possible to increase the popularity of a shop in the organic search results; in this context, agencies may, inter alia, analyse the activities of the competition, select appropriate keywords, optimise the content and structure of the website, and build a database of links,
paid advertising campaigns – in order to make online shops more visible, it is worthwhile to invest also in paid advertising campaigns on paltforms, such as Google Ads campaigns or Facebook advertising – planning and execution of such campaigns is also handled by selected e-commerce agencies,
other online marketing activities – an e-commerce agency may also conduct other online marketing activities, e.g. activities in the area of e-mail marketing (communication with consumers by e-mail, newsletter creation), influencer marketing (selection and cooperation with infuencers) or relationship marketing (examples of which include affiliate and loyalty programmes aimed at gaining loyalty and attracting customers back to your online shop),
analysis and reporting of results – the scope of services provided by an e-commerce agency includes analytics and detailed reporting of the effects of conducted activities – this way you will gain a full insight into the results achieved in cooperation with the selected agency.

Choosing an e-commerce agency

If you want to use the help of experienced specialists to ensure the growth of your online shop, you must first understand your needs and clearly define your business goals (the SMART method, among others, will be helpful here). It is also worth analysing your financial possibilities – the choice of an appropriate e-commerce agency should also be adjusted to the amount of funds you want to allocate for this type of cooperation.

Once you are fully aware of your financial situation and know exactly what you want, you can start looking for the right e-commerce agency. What should you pay particular attention to? First of all, take a look at what the companies offer and check the range of services they provide. Choose the ones that implement the activities you are interested in. Then, take a look at the agency’s portfolio – verify which companies have worked together and what results they have achieved. Reviews and testimonials from the agency’s previous clients will also be extremely valuable. All this information will give you a comprehensive view of how the agency works and how it carries out the tasks assigned to it.

Choose the company that best suits your expectations and business profile and arrange a meeting. During the conversation, carefully explain your needs and ask about all aspects of cooperation, such as reporting methods and billing methods. If the offer meets your expectations, agree on detailed terms of cooperation. Keep in mind that during the cooperation, you should systematically monitor the agency’s activities and, if necessary, report the need for any optimisation.

Advantages of cooperation with an e-commerce agency

E-commerce offers a multitude of opportunities – including reaching a wide range of consumers and significantly increasing sales results. To sell online successfully, you need to have the right knowledge and experience in the field of e-commerce – in some cases, it is better to use the help of an agency that specialises in e-commerce. The main advantages of working with an e-commerce agency include: