E-commerce– Setting Up a Site for Your Business

E-Commerce – Setting Up a Site for Your Business

With the growth of the internet came the growth of online shopping, or e-commerce.  Today, almost every business has a presence on the internet – a website where you can learn about the products and services they offer as well as, in many cases, purchase these goods. Many existing companies have opened up websites where their goods can be sold while other websites were developed solely for the purpose of creating a new Internet-based business.

E-commerce makes this all possible by providing a means for a business to have a virtual storefront, a place where they can show their goods and services, sell them and receive payment as well as a place to offer customer support. No longer do you have to have a physical store somewhere that customers can walk into.  With the internet, a well-designed website is all that you need to sell online.  This cuts down on expenses in many ways.  You can avoid office rent payments, signage, local taxes and in some cases even employee taxes.

This knowledge has lead to a lot more people wanting to start an Internet-based business. E-commerce tools have matured and become more useful while at the same time becoming less expensive and easier to use. Technology has further created efficiencies in managing customer support, returns, and other related administration. Startup money can then be used more for products and marketing, rather than for renting prime locations and hiring lots of employees. This makes it easier for more businesses to start up. Of course, this means that there is also more competition.

When setting up an e-commerce based business, you should first test market your idea. Make sure that people will actually buy what you are planning to sell over the Internet. For example, while people will buy clothing through a website, personal electronics are much easier to sell because people are less concerned about whether they will fit or if the color in the picture matches the actual color of the item. If you are certain your idea is a good one, the next step is to build your e-commerce site. You will need the help of an experienced development team to not only craft a beautifully designed site, but also one that functions flawlessly. Consumers today are spoiled by their experience shopping at sites like Apple and Amazon. If your site doesn’t work as well as those sites, you are likely to get complaints and lose sales.

At the same time, you need to focus on the mechanics of conversions and selling. It’s one thing to put a product online for sale. It’s another to create a compelling consumer experience that makes people want to buy. A great e-commerce site evokes trust and confidence in its visitors. If you want your investment to pay off, your e-commerce site needs to do all these things – have a compelling product, be gorgeous to look at, function flawlessly, employ techniques that motivate people to buy now and be marketed in a way that drives people to the site. This takes more than a single talented person to pull off. You need a team of professionals. NDIC is that team. Email us or give us a call. (805) 962-8565 x2.