Business and E-Commerce: from the Past to the Future
What do increasingly more owners of small and medium businesses
know about having a Web presence? Enough to know that they need
one.
According to a 2000 survey, only 55 percent of small business
owners found having a website to be cost-effective. Their
optimism showed, however -- 65 percent considered the Internet
important to the future of their business.
Those 65 percent were right. In a 2005 survey, almost 86 percent
of respondents said that their websites were cost-effective.
Almost all participants -- 94.7 percent --considered their
websites useful in contributing to their business's development.
Website and web hosting costs have decreased since the first
survey was done. During the same time, more people have come
online. The future of e- commerce has arrived.
How e-commerce has affected small and medium businesses
The age of online information
In growing numbers, consumers use the Web to research and order
purchases. Even purchases made offline are often the result of
decisions made online. Having information online makes
comparison shopping much easier than going from store to store.
With the next supplier only a click or two away, online
consumers comparison-shop a lot.
Websites provide space for detailed product and service
descriptions, comparisons, photos, price options, and reviews.
Information can be updated in a few minutes for the world to
see. Since businesses without a website aren't included in the
online research and selection process, they lose potential
customers. They also lack the opportunity to promote changes to
their product or service offerings to the world immediately.
The safety and convenience of ordering online
When e-commerce was new, the public didn't have confidence in
it. Was it safe to enter credit card numbers as long as the lock
symbol appeared in the corner of the screen? Could goods and
services be ordered with the same expectations as when ordering
offline? People came to realize that as long as precautions are
taken, the answer was yes. Convenience won over, and businesses
with websites reaped the rewards.
The global marketplace
The ability to sell globally was once reserved mainly for large
corporations. Now, businesses of all sizes can have websites and
can serve people in different countries. Your competition might
not be just in your city or town any more -- potential customers
may buy from a source thousands of miles away instead of from
you. But if your business is online, you aren't limited either.
You can serve customers from anywhere.
The global marketplace has led to more specialized services and
products. A worldwide audience increases the pool of possible
customers for specialty items.
The cost and ease of setting up a website
A custom-designed website isn't in everyone's budget. However,
website builders such as Site Studio have made websites
affordable for almost all business owners. Because no special
knowledge is required, anyone can set up a site and enter and
update content themselves. E-commerce is not just for businesses
with big budgets any more.
The tracking and advertising options
Website tracking tools allow you to see exactly which keywords
or links brought visitors to your site, what pages they visited,
and how long they spent on each page. You can also find out what
keywords are attracting people to other sites. You can use this
knowledge to fine-tune and update what you offer.
Online businesses can advertise online with ads containing links
to their sites. The path from advertisements to customer visits
is shorter when customers just need to click on a link and don't
need to drive to your store. The possible advertising spots
range from eBay to directories.
The customer service factor
When businesses are reachable by email, they can provide service
Today's Popular Articles
online faster than in a bricks-and-mortar store. Customers can
have their questions answered without having to go to the place
of business in person or make phone calls and possibly be put on
hold. Also, the shorter chain of command compared to larger
businesses means that questions can often be answered more
quickly.
How to make your business grow online
A website is the starting point of e-commerce. If you already
have a bricks- and-mortar store, think of your website as a
second store location, one that people anywhere can visit.
Follow these steps to help your business grow:
Website content and maintenance
Check that your website is free of errors in content and
functionality, such as broken links.
Provide content that's more than an online brochure. Have
detailed product and service descriptions, reviews, comparison
charts, answers to common questions, and clear pricing.
Customer connections
Give your customers fast, courteous, and helpful service.
They'll remember it.
Keep your website and business name in front of your customers
by having an opt-in mailing list. Send out a regular newsletter
and special offers.
Website promotion
Promote your site online and offline. Use a range of marketing
methods.
Study the competition. What keywords are they using? What new
developments are there in your field? Update and add to your
content often, and be the first to offer a new product when you
can.
About the author:
About the Author: Lois S. is a Technical Executive Writer for http://www.websitesource.com and http://www.lowpricedomains.com with
experience in the website hosting industry.
- Invest Wisely in Yourself and your Business
One of the most amazing things about consumers is that... - Avoiding the Scams: How to Find a Business Opportunity That is
Article:... - Should I Invest in Real Estate While Running an Internet Business?
Of course you should. I practice this for quite a while and I never looked back. I think this is the perfect combination. You get the best of both worlds. Did you know that 90% of all millionaires made their fortune with real estate and 10% with the...
2 Users Online