By 2022, global e-commerce is expected to be worth $22 trillion. That’s a whole heap of cash! You may be wondering how you can get in on this action.
The good news is that it’s easier than ever before to make e-commerce websites. What’s more, your small business needs one. Restricting yourself to traditional retail cuts you off from a huge swathe of potential customers.
Knowing how to build your own e-commerce website needn’t be complicated. Most website hosts offer dedicated e-commerce options for business users.
But enough about the how, let’s get on to the why. Why do you need e-commerce in 2020?
Ready to learn more and earn more? Then read on.
1. E-Commerce Websites Give You Additional Marketing Opportunities
Web e-commerce doesn’t just get you more customers, it gets you their contact details. This means that you can start running direct marketing campaigns aimed at existing customers. You know that they like your products, so keep them coming back!
Once you have your customer’s emails, you can send out all manner of communications to do just that!
You can send coupon codes and announce discounts exclusive to your e-commerce customers. You can tell customers about new products and services via newsletter. You can run competitions and give away store credit to improve customer loyalty.
It is also possible to track customer’s purchases. This way, you can algorithmically recommend different products to them. If they like this idea, then BAM — you’ve got another sale!
Communication is king for getting customers back. E-commerce websites make that a lot easier.
2. Attract More Customers
If you run a brick and mortar store, your customer base is limited to your local area. It’s unlikely that you run a mail-order operation in this day and age. We’re willing to bet that almost all of your clients live within a few miles of the store.
With e-commerce websites for your business, this needn’t be the case. Add web e-commerce options to your site and use the magic of SEO (search engine optimization) well enough, and you’ll get customers from all over the globe!
By recruiting a consultant or agency to run your SEO operations, you won’t even need to run ads. Let’s take a look at how SEO works. You tie your business to a certain commonly-searched selection of keywords, and your store will appear in Google’s rankings.
It’s as simple as that.
Knowing how to add e-commerce to your website doesn’t just benefit existing customers. It gets you whole new ones.
3. Your Customer Service Options Include
With brick and mortar stores, your customer service options are limited. Many stores effectively rely on people coming in or occasionally phoning the store phone. That’s it, as far as contact options go.
When you build a website, you get an email address, which is another great vector for customer service. When you add e-commerce to the website, you can add great features such as live chat. If the customer wants to know something about the product, you can be there to tell them.
Customers who feel attended to are less likely to drift away to a competitor. They will buy the product with you, and they will be more likely to return.
A happy customer is a repeat customer. Give them more avenues to contact you.
4. Wave Goodbye to Closing Times
E-commerce websites never shut. There’s never a time where the server has to dash away to grab some lunch or is ill. When you use web e-commerce, your business is permanently open.
This means that it can be permanently making you money. It’s important not to assume that this means more work for you: it doesn’t. You can turn off live chat when you close the store, never taking your work home with you.
When you open up the shop in the morning, you can take a look at any orders that have come in. Then all you need to do is ship them off. Easy as pie, right?
Being able to buy from you 24/7 is a huge positive for the customer. It means that they can get what they want at any time. It means that you can make more money.
Everybody wins.
5. You Can Personalize Your Site
Selling on eBay or Amazon Marketplace is one option you can pursue, certainly. But the customization options there are limited. You can’t truly make your online store your own.
If you build e-commerce websites of your very own, you have complete creative control. You can change the design, change the prices, change the color scheme, and everything else at will. There is no limit to what your store looks like.
We’re sure that you take great pride in your store’s appearance. The same should be true of your e-commerce stores. The customer will appreciate the human touch that only custom e-commerce websites have.
6. You Get More Options For Your Store
Your online store and your physical store don’t have to be two separate spheres. The best shopping experiences come from when both of them are expertly melded together.
Let’s take a look at one possible example. Maybe a customer wants to buy an item online but doesn’t want to pay for postage. Here, you should offer a pickup service, letting them collect the prepaid item from your store.
Due to the fact that the customer has already researched the product online, they won’t take up your time. They’ll come in and get it: that’s it.
Don’t Fall Behind: Get Online
There’s no excuse for small businesses to not be rocking e-commerce websites in 2020. They’re an essential part of running a small business in the modern era. As we’ve shown, they can also help bring in more cash, more customers, and more opportunities!
If you’re wondering how you should build your own e-commerce website, then get in touch with us! Our experts are ready and willing to offer you any advice that you may need. Good luck and happy working!
