TechCulture Staff We sat down with Kenneth Cruz, Sales Director of eCommerce at Shift4Shop. Responsible for managing and developing strategic partnerships and channel sales, Kenneth has over 12 years of industry experience and is considered one of the top leaders in the eCommerce industry. Kenneth has held senior sales, strategy, and management positions across various leading payments and eCommerce technologies.
Kenneth, thank you for joining us today. Tell us a little bit about Shift4Shop.
My pleasure! Shift4Shop is a complete out-of-box solution that provides anyone the ability to create an online store for free. The platform is completely scalable, catering to any and all business types from small, medium, and large/ enterprises size businesses.
Fascinating, what inspired you to join Shift4Shop?
The Shift4 brand has a long history of being one of the leading providers of integrated payment processing and technology solutions here in the US. Being able to contribute and join the team led by our founder and CEO, Jared Isaacman, and executive team is quite a journey to be part of.
It sure sounds like it does! How does Shift4Shop differentiate from competitors?
Shift4Shop is a true freemium end-to-end robust platform that includes hosting, domain, SSL, themes, support, and much more with no limitation or credit card required to build and launch your online shop.
Interesting, as I feel the genuine freemium model is hard to come by these days, especially those that don’t require a credit card to sign up. What are some major retail trends for eCommerce?
Lockdowns, quarantines, panic buying, and supply chain interruptions left consumers with no other choice but to turn to eCommerce to get the things they need for everyday life. The user experience and convenience of home delivery are a top priority.
Dropshipping is one of the easiest ways to launch an eCommerce business. Simply create an online store, import products into your website, start promoting and selling! Once you get your Shift4Shop online store up and running, consider carrying staple items, like food and beverages or household products, that people need to buy – again and again. It’s a great way to get repeat business.
Very interesting, as it is great to get an inside perspective! What advice would you give to a new business owner/ entrepreneur looking to build an online business?
First thing’s first, you need to pick the right eCommerce platform. There are many e-commerce solutions available out there, but make sure to consider cost, flexibility, SEO, and native functionalities like shipping, payments, taxation, email marketing, inventory management, fraud, and reporting. The worst thing any new start-up can do is outgrow their solution.
Excellent advice! Kenneth, thank you so much for your time today. Where can readers learn more about Shift4Shop?
Thank you for having me! You can learn more on our website at shift4shop.com.
