With the growing popularity of the internet and advances in technology, more and more people are turning to the web for a variety of purposes. The internet is no longer limited to searching for information or connecting with people, but it has also become a platform on which you can buy and sell products.
What is an eCommerce website?
eCommerce websites are online portals that help facilitate transactions of goods and services – basically, it’s a website that allows your business to sell products and services to your online audience.
These days an increasing number of customers prefer making most of their purchases online and in such scenarios, having an online presence with an eCommerce website is essential.
Let’s see a couple of reasons why you should have an eCommerce website:
A wider audience
An eCommerce website will give you the opportunity to reach out and offer your products and services to customers all over the world, regardless of the distance, time zone. The global market offers a lot of opportunities, and with modern shipping methods, Reaching out to a global audience will offer your business better overall sales and growth.
Open 24/7
A website is open all hours, meaning that customers will enjoy round-the-clock convenience of being able to purchase what they want and when they want it – which sounds amazing when compared to a regular brick-and-mortar shop. Whether it’s a Sunday or national holiday, your eCommerce store is always open.
The ability to grow your brand faster
Building your own eCommerce store can help to increase brand awareness and buyer confidence – increasing the chance of people returning to your website to make future purchases. This means that you will have better conversion rates which in term, increases the profitability of your business.
Easier and better Marketing
Having your own eCommerce website allows you to make use of search engine optimization – if optimized correctly, your website will appear on the first page of Google when customers search for various products.
Having your own website means that you can also use social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter to advertise your products and brand. This increase of visibility combined with the ease of buying products from your website can guarantee sales which wouldn’t be possible with a brick and mortar shop. These social media platforms also provide a way to build trust – customers can leave reviews and ratings, making it easier for future visitors to trust your brand. You can also use social media platforms to engage your customers with different announcements, offers, you can advertise a new product line or a special sale that will happen at a given period.
Convenience
Nowadays, customer are appreciating the convenience of online shopping more and more – rather than spending hours searching in physical stores, people are now buying products and services over the internet during breaks at work, before and after school, in harsh weather conditions, all those times when it would be difficult to make a trip to the shop on the street. The internet has made it easier for everyone, including busy parents with pushchairs and wheelchair users to shop around and make decisions on purchasing without the hassle of being in an environment that is not fully accessible.
It is also easier to set up an online store than to start a traditional brick and mortar store. With the available website management and development platforms such as Magento, Woocommerce, Shopify – you can have a custom eCommerce website developed in no time!
Less overhead costs
We can say, without a doubt, it’s much cheaper and easier to sell your products and services on eCommerce platforms as online business owners don’t have to take in consideration the high expenses of shop rental, security measures, utility bills and a large team of staff. Cutting all of these costs from the equation will allow you to sell your products at more competitive prices – increasing the chances of your business succeeding.
It comes with less risk
You can have increased profitability with less risk – you will most likely need a smaller workforce with reduced chances of shoplifting, rogue workers and damages to goods that can often happen in a brick and mortar shop.
Better personalization
With an eCommerce website, you can provide personalized services to your customers, such as order tracking, delivery confirmations and product recommendations based on their purchase history.
The ability to influence purchases
Potential buyers will go on to the Internet to shop around and make decisions on what they want to buy and where do they want to buy it from. Showcasing your products on your website will increase the chances of a sale to happen as you will be showing a variety of similar products to what they were looking for. You can also advertise complementary products on your website- increasing the chance of an additional sale to occur.
Final words
Setting up an online store can give you a competitive edge over those who have not yet embraced the world of eCommerce, in an age where customers are constantly looking for the quickest and easiest ways to purchase what they need while at the same time maintaining their busy lifestyle.