E-Commerce

There’s plenty of reason to develop an e-commerce website in 2019 if you haven’t already. There are plenty of stats available to back up the indisputable truth that consumers are fleeing in droves to online shopping, including:

• Global retail e-commerce sales are expected to hit $4.5 trillion by 2021.
• In the U.S., e-commerce sales represent almost 10% of all retail sales and are expected to grow by 15% every year.
• Approximately 80% of Internet users have shopped online with 50% having done so multiple times.
• U.S. shoppers spent $5 billion online on Black Friday in 2017.
• Millennials now account for nearly 54% of all online purchases.
• Mobile commerce reached $700 billion in revenue in 2017, which is a 300% growth over the past four years prior.

Despite the profitability of e-commerce, 46% of small businesses in America still do not have a website. Are you one of those who still hasn’t taken advantage of this lucrative market?

Let me, Mauricio Piña, give you the inside scoop on how you can reap the benefits of having an e-commerce website.

E-commerce Basics

Let’s run down some of the basics of e-commerce.

E-commerce is essentially any commercial transaction that takes place over the Internet. In this case, we’ll be talking about e-commerce websites, which are websites where a business and its customers can participate in a transaction for goods or services and payment.

E-commerce includes a variety of marketplaces like Amazon and personal brand stores which can be created on e-commerce platforms like Shopify. While retail is one of the most common forms of e-commerce, there are plenty of types that may meet your business needs including:

• Business-to-Business (B2B): This form of e-commerce occurs between companies.
• Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C): E-commerce between consumers that generally requires a third party to assist with the transaction (i.e eBay).

Depending on your needs, you may either choose to create a website from scratch, which allows you to design and configure to your specific needs, but which may take some time to create. Or you can use an out-of-the-box platform like the previously mentioned Shopify, which allow you to get up and running much more quickly but doesn’t allow much customization.

Where to Start

1. If you already have a business and are looking to expand into the world of e-commerce, then you’ll want to do some research beforehand to see how successful you can be selling your particular product(s).

If you’re interested in just getting your feet wet, you can start by selling only a handful of products – or even your best sellers. This can be especially beneficial if you have a huge inventory but merely want to start off small.

2. In order to sell your product online, you’ll need to have a payment platform that is PCI compliant. This means that your system is safeguarding customers’ credit card information. When evaluating payment systems, you’ll want to keep an eye on:
   • Fees that you’ll be charged for any transaction and monthly recurring fees.
   • Transaction processing time frame.
   • The payment platform’s ability to integrate with your website.
   • UX and how well customers will be able to use it for a quick payment.
3. When developing your website and executing your digital marketing plan, you’ll want to:
   • Design your website for a great customer experience that includes easy navigation, solid product descriptions, quality visuals, and an easy ordering process.
   • Don’t forget to get your website mobile optimized.
   • Make sure to include plenty of product reviews as the vast majority of consumers take reviews into consideration when making a purchase.
   • E-commerce shouldn’t revolve strictly around your website. Make sure to engage with your audience via social media, email newsletters, blogs, PPC ads, online promotions, and even real-world events when possible.
4. Your e-commerce website is only one part of your entire business. It needs to integrate well with the rest of your business, such as ensuring that items no longer in-stock are noted as such on your website. The processes that take place at your brick-and-mortar store need to align with your e-commerce website, especially your shipping processes.

Ready to take your e-commerce website to the next level in 2019? Get the digital marketing consultant services you need to get ahead of the game.

Contact the seasoned digital marketing consultant, Mauricio Piña, today at (956) 566-4998 to concoct a winning e-commerce strategy that will increase conversions and sales.