Apr 11, 2014
In a few of my past articles I have been talking about social media marketing, but today I am going to talk about another aspect of the Internet that is affecting many businesses. Today I want to spend a little bit of time writing about the current shift that is happening towards online sales and why your business should consider adapting.
The movement towards e-commerce is one that has been steady, and will only grow as more businesses adapt to the online marketplace. From the U.S Department of Commerce’s quarterly report on e-commerce the increase in e-commerce is stark to see. In 2004 only 2% of sales were online; however, 10 years later that number has jumped to 7% and is still growing. While this number may not be completely accurate because not all transactions can be made online, it does show the transition that is occurring for businesses.
However, as I mentioned earlier, not every product or service is viable to sell online. It may seem like common sense, but it is smart to look from a variety of angles on whether selling your product online is viable. Would you be able to approach new consumers that you previously could not reach? Would you be able to sell more of a different kind of product that you weren’t selling much of before? These sorts of questions will help you come to the conclusion of whether or not venturing into the e-commerce market is right for your business.
After you have decided whether or not you are going to sell your product online you are well on your way towards making other decisions. What e-commerce platform you will use to regulate your sales? Who will design the online marketplace? And much more!
I wrote this article because it is important for businesses to understand that the shift towards online sales is happening and can alter their business success when implemented properly into their strategy. We’ll be here to help you if you have any questions about whether you should implement e-commerce into your business.