There was some interesting insight last week into SMEs, technology and the internet, from Easynet Connect which ran a survey looking into whether SMEs are making use of the technology available to them to help them enter new markets and/or reduce costs.

One of the points that came out of this piece of research is that there generally seems to be low awareness of on-demand SaaS (Software as a Service) technology solutions among SMEs and in particular, how these can reduce technology costs.

SaaS solutions are growing in popularity in the ecommerce sector. Whereas 5 years ago, there were relatively few providers, the ecommerce website software market is now increasingly competitive and prices have been moving downward. SMEs no longer have to shell out thousands of pounds to get an ecommerce website built for them from scratch, the ready to use SaaS solutions available via the web are now a cost effective alternative. Although the quality varies (in terms of functionality & features) and there are different pricing structures (for eg. some versions offer tiered pricing according to size of product catalogue) and some are easier to administer than others -  there is nonetheless plenty of choice. We’ve put together our own ecommerce website software Comparison chart on the main products available in the UK market - you might find it useful if you’re looking to start a website shop or upgrade to an updated, more cost effective solution.

eCommerce Software Providers