With an increasing demand for online purchasing, more and more businesses are moving towards managing their own online shop. Electronic Commerce (e-Commerce) has revolutionised the way companies are doing business, and here are just some of the ways it could benefit your business:
Convenience and ease
E-Commerce is becoming the preferred way of shopping because consumers can buy products and services from the comfort of their own home. The online shop process is quick, user-friendly and inclusive as anyone with internet access can use it. It is also available 24/7 allowing customers to shop when it is most convenient for them, and this increases the number of orders you can receive.
Overcome geographical limitations
Having only a physical store means you are limited to the geographical area you can service – with an online store there are no limits to where you can sell your products. As long as you are willing to pay the shipping costs, the world becomes your customer base. With access to online shops available anywhere thanks to smartphones, you cover any geographical locations.
Gain new customers
Physical retail is run by branding and relationships, whereas online retail is driven by traffic that comes from search engines. It is not unusual for customers to follow a link in the search engine results and land on a website they have not heard of before.
Lower costs
Online shops cost significantly less than physical shops for a few reasons:
- Advertising and marketing are less costly because organic search engine traffic, pay per view and social media traffic are all cost-effective advertising channels.
- Fewer employees are needed as the billing, payments, inventory management and other operational processes are automatic.
- Online shops do not need a physical location, so costs are saved on real estate, e-Commerce requires very few licences and permits compared to physical stores.
Provide more product information
There are limitations to the amount of information about a product that can be shown in stores. E-Commerce allows customers to view a product description as well as further details about the products easily and help them to make a more informed decision about a product.
Keep an eye on customer buying habits
One of the main benefits of e-Commerce for a retailer is the ability to keep an eye on what their customers are buying, enabling them to tailor offers to their individual requirements. By doing this you are constantly satisfying their needs and can create a relationship with the customer encouraging brand loyalty.
Interested in taking payments on your website? Talk to our team today about using Card Saver to accept payments via your online shop.
Don’t have an e-commerce website? Our team can build your online shop for you! Just contact us here to get started.
