An eCommerce website can be one of your biggest assets, especially in the modern commercial environment. The pandemic forced everyone to rely on online resources to keep going and it has changed the way people shop and conduct business. People who weren’t comfortable with online shopping before have not adapted to it. That means small businesses can no longer afford to neglect this platform. They need to make sure they have a dedicated eCommerce website to sell their products and/or services effectively.
If you have ever shopped online, you know that these websites can be fairly expansive with hundreds of dedicated product pages. Developing such a website requires a lot of skill, experience, and fineness. The developer also needs to have experience with platforms like Shopify, Woo-Commerce, Magento, Prestashop, Big-Commerce, etc. YTS can develop websites that will take your business to the next level and we explain why you may need such a platform as a small business.
1. They’re Affordable
Let’s get the question of money out of the way first. Many small businesses are reluctant to invest in an eCommerce website because they are worried about the money involved. Building websites isn’t as expensive as it used to be. The initial investment may intimidate you, but the long-term returns can make it worth the expense.
eCommerce websites can be as big or small as you like. You can choose different technologies, and plans, and discuss your options with a web developer to come up with a sound plan.
2. Access
eCommerce websites offer a great deal of accessibility. You will reach people who can’t come to your shop or live too far away from your store to buy directly. This also increases the number of sales and expands your customer base significantly.
Many small businesses start with a local customer base and keep growing. Some end up being international businesses shipping items worldwide. Their products even reach remote areas easily, which means they can earn more money with their investment while building a strong brand presence online.
3. Scalable
eCommerce websites are highly scalable, which means they can easily grow with your business with very little investment. When you need to expand a traditional brick-and-mortar store, you need to buy or rent property, invest in furniture and equipment, hire new people, and spend a lot of money to get the new location up and running.
Websites are easier to scale and don’t require as much money. The developer will just add a few more pages and transfer your website to a bigger server. You can also take advantage of cloud computing to expand your website as much as your business needs without spending money on physical assets. This is the biggest advantage of an eCommerce website for a small business. You can start with a small investment and build up as your company grows.
4. Power of Digital Marketing
Digital marketing is one of the most powerful marketing strategies available today. You can use different strategies like content, SEO, paid ads, social media marketing, etc, to build a large customer base. However, for digital marketing campaigns to be successful, you need a dedicated website.
The website is often the center of your online presence. It is where all of your content, products, services and company-related information is. A strong website with an equally strong digital marketing setup will help you reach more people and earn more money.
5. Mobile Commerce
Did you know that people look for product information online even when they are in a store and looking at the product with their own eyes? If you don’t have a website or an application, third-party sites become the primary sources of information on your product. Sometimes, people will look at the product in your store but buy it from platforms like Amazon because online shopping is more convenient.
That’s why having an eCommerce website, especially one that is responsive and suitable for mobile, is essential. If people do search for your product or services online through their mobile phones, your website will be the first thing they see. They can then use the website to place an order and get the item delivered to their doorstep. Mobile commerce has seen a big surge in recent years and small businesses can’t afford to ignore it.
6. Operate 24-7
Consider how long you can keep your brick-and-mortar store open. In most cases, 10-12 hours? You may still need to shut it down during the holidays or another (god forbid) pandemic. What happens then? Your products are sitting on the shelves and you’re not earning money. With an eCommerce store, you’re open 24/7. Whether you’re asleep or our vacationing, your products are selling and you’re collecting orders.
You just need to make sure your backend can keep up with the demands generated by the website. You can run your business 24/7 without working 24/7. You will hit those impulse-buy customers that order in the middle of the night because they are tired, awake, and just want to get something good.
7. Spend Less
Yes, creating and maintaining a good eCommerce website costs money but you also end up saving some money. An eCommerce website can supplement your workforce and handle most of the tasks a sales team will do. For example, a good product page can convince hundreds of customers to buy a product. A sales rep will have to do the same thing repeatedly to hit those numbers.
Hiring people and paying them to do a job is a constant, recurring expense. While you may still need employees to handle the workload, you may not need as many if you have an eCommerce website. You can still grow your business without hiring more people.
8. Brand Presence
Developing a strong brand presence and reputation is easier if you have a website. You can go to people’s inboxes to remind them of your presence. You can use social media to start conversations, run campaigns, and interact with prospective customers.
Establishing a strong brand presence is necessary if you want to survive in a competitive business environment. Even the small business world has become much more competitive now. At-home companies with eCommerce websites now ship their products all across the globe. Their sales are made because of the power of branding and social media reach.
9. Accelerate the Sales Process
Online sales are quicker and easier, which increases the chances of a customer buying a product they have had their eye on for a while. If you can make a purchase just at the click of a button and get a product delivered to you at your doorstep, you’re more likely to buy it. For a small business, this has always been a barrier.
Large commercial chains make things easier for their customer. Their products are cheaper, they have more stores, they have a bigger collection of products, etc. Small businesses have a smaller inventory, fewer stores, and can be a little more expensive. eCommerce can help you overcome those barriers.
As you can see, eCommerce is an excellent investment for small businesses. If you want to know more, discuss the website in detail with an experienced developer. They will recommend solutions that suit your requirements.
