E-commerce continues to grow year after year. During the last decade, the purchasing habits of the American have changed considerably. Many people today buy products or services on the Web, using Internet payment, from their computer or other mobile devices. Electronic commerce is therefore a particularly promising market. However, launching your own e-commerce activity is not something to be taken lightly! I invite you to read this guide to acquire some basics and to get started.

What is e-commerce?

Electronic commerce refers to the act of selling a good or a service by electronic voice, via an Internet network. It is a business model that can be used between several companies, but also between a company and an individual. Electronic commerce is simply a process of buying and selling, through a computer or a Smartphone. If the choice of the object or the service ordered is made remotely, the payment is also made online, by electronic transaction.

How does e-commerce work?

In practice, the online consumer follows almost the same purchasing process as when he goes to a physical store. He looks for information on a product and compares its price via a search engine. At the same time, he can also be seduced by an additional item or service, and thus make a compulsive purchase. As soon as he places his order, the e-merchant of the online store takes care of the logistics and delivers the freshly purchased product to his address. Electronic commerce is a distribution channel, currently booming. Simple and quick to use, it allows you to shop at any time, without even having to move. Many customers are thus seduced by the possibility of finding any product, at any time, from any place.

What are the different types of e-commerce?

Frequently, when it comes to e-commerce, most people instantly think of peer-to-peer commerce (B2C).However, distance selling can take a whole host of other forms. These can be commercial exchanges between two companies (B2B), online auctions, Internet banking services, or even online reservations (such as for the purchase of concert tickets, plane tickets or hotels, for example).Likewise, e-commerce encompasses both purchases made from a computer and those made from another mobile device, a more recent process also known as “m-commerce”.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of e-commerce?

If e-commerce has taken such a boom, it is quite simply because e-commerce provides many advantages, not only to the buyer, but also to the merchant. Moreover, with platforms like Wiz shop, creating your own business on the Internet has never been easier. It only takes a few minutes to create your own store, and no special computer knowledge is required to get started.

The advantages of e-commerce

• A great openness to the world: Unlike a physical store that only reaches local customers, e-commerce can extend the marketing of its products well beyond the borders of our country, which represents many more potential customers for the merchants!
• A constantly open store: While physical stores have limited hours, an e-commerce remains open all the time. Again, this is a great opportunity to increase your sales.
• A much smaller financial investment: E-commerce has much lower operating costs than physical stores. To function, they do not necessarily need staff or premises. This is what allows them to offer particularly competitive prices, while showing very good profitability.
• Simplified logistics: It is also much easier to manage your stocks from an online business than in a physical company. Inventory management is much less tedious there, which again reduces operating costs and inventory costs for e-merchants.
• A better customer file: Collecting information about customers through e-commerce is also easier than in a store. Acquirers are better able to provide their address, telephone number and contact details in general; only when they find themselves in front of a saleswoman in a physical store. This information then makes it possible to set up much more targeted and therefore more effective marketing actions.
• The ability to work anywhere: Finally, an e-commerce manager can work from anywhere in the world, as long as he has an Internet connection.

The disadvantages of e-commerce

However, like any lucrative business, e-commerce also has a few drawbacks:

• The obligation to be very competitive: On the Internet, and via the “shopping” tab of search engines, it is particularly easy to compare the prices of the same product between different brands. Consumers are very well informed and do not hesitate to compete. This tends to reduce the margin of Folio3 ecommerce solution provider  businesses, which can sometimes hamper their profitability.
• Lack of human interaction: Even if most electronic businesses can be reached by email or telephone, many consumers regret a lack of contact when shopping on the Internet. Getting personalized information online is much more complicated than in-store.
• The need to deal with technical problems: To run your online business, you will need a good technical infrastructure. Bugs will be your worst enemies! These must remain exceptional, at the risk of damaging your business. Unlike open source platforms, with a Seas platform like WiziShop, the technical aspect is entirely managed by the e-commerce solution. You have a team constantly at your disposal to avoid this type of problem.
• Create a site with WiziShop to avoid technical problems – Free 15 Days Test
• Fear of Computer Hacking: Computer security is crucial when running an e-commerce. One of the major drawbacks of e-commerce is the fear of falling prey to hackers.
• Shipping time: E-commerce can also hold back the most rushed customers. While they have the option of having the item they want immediately by going to the store, they are subject to delivery delays when ordering online.

How to effectively get started in e-commerce?

If e-commerce is particularly buoyant today, it is better to prepare properly for the launch of your business to ensure its success. I cannot advise you enough to take the following steps:

• Ask yourself the right questions before you start: Do not think that opening a business on the Internet is an easy solution! If the investment is less important, the competition, on the other hand, is much greater. Take the time to have the necessary perspective to find the growth market! Make sure you come up with the right idea, while having enough motivation and time to devote to your new activity.
• Find an original concept: To stand out, I also advise you to find an original and differentiating concept. Put yourself in your customers’ shoes for a moment… What would be the reasons that would push you to buy on your own merchant site rather than from another electronic commerce? Offer them quality products at attractive price offers. Make it a point of honor to secure their data and their shipments. Show yourself responsive and attentive. Find the right balance to be competitive, yet profitable.
• Do a market study: Just because it is not a traditional or physical business does not mean that you are exempt from doing a complete market study! Before you start, find out about your potential customers, your competitors and your suppliers. Try to identify the niches in which you could position yourself to specialize. Finally, define with precision the profile of your customers and their consumption habits.
• Create your domain name, logo and site: Once the concept is clearly in place, find a powerful and easy-to-remember domain name for your site. It must be available and original, without being too long. Really take the time to think about it, because it is a very important point for the success of your e-commerce. Your logo should also be well thought out, while immediately revealing your industry. From then on, all you have to do is create your site. For this, Wiz shop offers a complete and easily accessible solution, while offering you many different and ergonomic designs.
• Take care of the administrative procedures: At the same time, do not forget to manage the administrative and legal procedures inherent in the creation of an electronic commerce, such as the choice of your status, the opening of your professional account, the drafting of your articles of association or even the implementation of your business plan, to convince potential investors.

As soon as you register for the solution, WiziShop offers you a complete e-commerce training that allows you to effectively get started in e-commerce! Week by week, it guides you in the configuration of your e-shop and in the development of your turnover. To ensure e-commerce success and generate sales, many entrepreneurs stick to the famous “5P rule”: product, price, promotion, place and business plan. In other words, to get off to a good start, take a step back from these different elements. Find the attractive product and offer it at a competitive price and promote it well with an effective marketing and digital marketing services Australia. Make a place for yourself on the net so that your e-commerce is noticed before your main competitors.