E-commerce is here to stay and now is as likely a business model for small business as any other. It allows your small business to offer goods and services quickly and efficiently over the Internet. Whether you’re doing so now or plan to do so in the future, here are some basic points you’ll want to remember:
Trends
When e-commerce and social media meet. Not only are e-commerce sales on the rise. Social media use and time spent online are as well. The results are inevitable. A trend toward social commerce has begun and businesses everywhere are following suit. Is your small business taking advantage of the possibilities offered by e-commerce and social media combined? WSJ
Usability issues for commerce sites. One of the biggest issues small businesses faced with e-commerce Websites, as with any online presence, is usability. Is your site easy to navigate? Is it easy to make purchases once there? The answers to these questions can be critical if your online business is to succeed. Fortunately, sometimes customers can show you the way. MyWifeQuitHerJob.com
Topics
Can small local competitors get the best of Groupon? In this interview on the growing online coupon site’s entry into the Chinese market, a point is made about the difficulty global operators in this business may have understanding local markets and besting local competitors. Will companies like Groupon truly dominate the global market or is there room for small local competitors who understand local niche markets better? Bloomberg
Google seeks a bigger e-commerce slice. The tone of this piece is clearly a bit alarmist suggesting that the search engine’s focus on developing e-commerce sites of its own and keeping more visitors from leaving the main site spells doom for small business e-commerce. But will a move by the search giant into e-commerce also spell opportunities for small online commerce partners? Huffington Post
Tools
Amazon and other affiliate programs. Amazon and other affiliate programs can make getting starting in e-commerce much simpler by eliminating the need to set up your own e-commerce site, handling all delivery and return issues and freeing you of the need to even carry stock. But not all these programs are created equal and some downsides remain. ScottFox
E-commerce order processing and fillfillment. Companies like Dydacomp are taking a new approach toward providing technology geared for e-commerce solutions. Dydacomp announced recently plans to seek e-commerce partners for its Multichannel Order Manager. We believe many businesses creating e-commerce tools will find willing partners among e-commerce entrepreneurs if earnings are there and the price is right. PR Newswire
Tips
Getting started. One of the hardest parts of getting in on the e-commerce revolution is just simply getting started. It takes more than just a great idea or great product to be successful. There are many steps in the process of simply getting your Website live so you can start making sales. Fortunately, there’s plenty of advice out there and we’ve highlighted one great recent post to get things in motion. PCMag.com
Four ways to boost sales online. A variety of factors may impact the success or failure of your e-commerce Website, but clearly some steps you take ranging from technology to content to customer service will increase the likelihood that customers will buy from you online. Here are some tips that may improve your results. smallbiz technology
Conclusions
Are you missing out on e-commerce sales? There are many reasons to consider online selling for your business and this may even be the case with established companies that already do business offline. One reason is the unparalleled growth of online sales even in a world where the rest of the retail sector continues to be hit by a bad economy. How are your sales numbers and how would they be with a sales presence online? Fox Small Business Center
Could e-commerce growth mean bricks and mortar is on the decline? For every winner there are losers and data increasingly suggests that as online retail continues to grow, bricks and mortar retail is feeling the results. What should this mean for your small business planning? If you have a bricks and mortar retail presence, have you established a Web presence as well? What do these trends mean to you? Dun & Bradstreet’s Small Business
Thanks for all the resources on how to build my own e-commerce. Now I just need to get over my procrastination problem and GET STARTED!
That is true, E-commerce is here to stay and more and more people are getting more comfortable shopping online.
I have a lot of friends in Facebook that are either directly selling some products or just promoting products. More people are taking advantage of Social media.