ECommerce Web Design and the Stellar Business Benefits

16 Jan ECommerce Web Design and the Stellar Business Benefits

It appears that the digital shift in communication has even transcended to the purchasing and selling of goods/services! Is that even a surprise? Chances are great that you’re already well aware of the online shopping frenzy…because you do it yourself!

This past holiday season has proven to break online shopping sales, according to Martin-Wilbourn Partners. Our American shoppers demonstrated a $42.3 billion in record sales, further displaying a 14% increase since the 2011 holiday season. So, online shopping is KIND OF A BIG DEAL!

Like it or not, people are shopping online for many reasons. Much like all of the other reasons individuals are going digital, online shopping is simply convenient, immediate, and you can do it in your pajamas (need we provide any MORE reasons why it’s awesome!).

So, all this talk comes with a motive attached, right? No, we’re not trying to coerce you into anything you don’t want to do. But, we are certainly offering some excellent benefits of employing an Ecommerce website.

Take your business digital!

Or, at the very least, consider these stellar benefits of what an Ecommerce platform can do for you and your future business success:

1- No RENT!

Hellelujah!! By implementing an ecommerce platform for your business, you might be able to eventually transition into an entirely digital business. That means cutting those hideous rent bills and, further, means more money for your business.

Of course, building an ecommerce platform doesn’t always convince store owners and small businesses to completely close shop. There’s obviously something to be said for face-to-face sales; but with this PROVEN increase in online shopping, the notion to completely say goodbye to rent is pretty tempting.

2- Cross-Promote:

Since your business will have a snazzy, user-friendly ecommerce website, you can now consider the endless sales possibilities. One of those possibilities is the ease of cross-marketing your products via other sales platforms. Think of your ecommerce site as your “home base,” including ALL products and sales organized meticulously. However, you will now have a countless amount of other incredibly powerful online shopping sources, like Ebay, Etsy, Amazon, and the like. These other avenues of revenue allow you to not only market your products on their super popular platforms, but to actually make sales on them as well.

3- Content Management Systems (CMS) are EASY to Manage:

Your biggest fear about making the digital crossover might have been the “technology” aspect. No worries, seriously! With the advent of Content Management Systems (CMS), managing your business’s products, sales, and general content is super easy. Most web design companies who build ecommerce for small business owners are well aware of these fears and, specifically, choose to implement the site on CMS for that reason. Further, a simple instructional guide on the CMS will be all you need in order to actually update, change, edit, and add products.

4- Software for Easy Shipping Label Printing:

The technology associated to making sales online keeps allowing for increased immediacy and convenience, for both buyer and seller. One of these conveniences is software allowing for real time calculation of shipping rates that can be easily and immediately printed from the admin panel of your site. The software is streamlined, offering automatic tracking information for each shipment. Further, it can provide direct rates for shipping carriers and directly integrates UPS/FedEx for faster and more efficient processing. What a PLUS, right??

5- Innovative Convenience for Food Industry Vendors:

Now, restaurants are finding that they can go beyond simply offering menus on their website. By integrating a simple CMS ecommerce platform, individuals are now able to place food orders online and pick it up at their convenience. This not only entices website goers to make the decision to purchase your food (since they can quickly and immediately place orders), but they can also cut out the 20 minute wait for food to be prepared. Convenience is at the very core of this benefit, and it certainly is an innovative factor.

6- Easily Integrate Social Media:

Your social media marketing campaign is your biggest cheerleader in regard to promoting your business. Now, your ecommerce business has the potential to operate as a “storefront” for online shoppers, but also serve as a hub for marketing via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, and various other social media networks. Managing these other sources and offering plugins on your site is the best way to offer accessibility and convenience to your customers.

7- Guided Selling:

Just because face-to-face communication is not occurring, doesn’t mean the luxuries of that particular kind of retail can’t still occur. With the beauty of questionnaires, individuals can articulate their needs and budgets regarding the sale. Then, the results will guide them toward their most compatible purchase. The ecommerce platform now offers the same immediacy of in-store communication and, arguably, more.

8- Increased Sales with Product Suggestions:

Keep your customers as informed as possible by offering product suggestions. Based on their search queries, you can recommend similar products that they might be interested in and missed in their search, while increasing your order likelihood.

9- Beautifully Designed “Space” that Doesn’t Get Tampered With:

Just because you forego a physical storefront doesn’t mean that your store shouldn’t have a beautifully designed space. Your website, or ecommerce platform, can be given an innovative, gorgeous look and feel, that’s also super user-friendly and enjoyable to use. Think of the Apple website for a moment. This ecommerce site is a terrific example of a beautiful digital space, that also completely resonates with the aesthetic integrity of the company at large. Now imagine your ecommerce platform as a perfectly organized store, minus the chaos of other shoppers, clutter, and misplaced items. The shopping experience has not disappeared at all, rather been amplified with more efficiency and satisfaction.

10- Immediate Gratification:

Is there really anything better than this? We think not! Immediacy is at the very core of the entire ecommerce shopping experience. Want to view a specific item and find out product details? Want to see similar items? Want to see all of the products a company sells without even travelling to the store? All of these elements of convenience are offered immediately. And, fortunately so! Because our culture wants what it wants, and wants it yesterday!

Just like anything, ecommerce websites come in various shapes and sizes. In the respect that you’d want to pristinely design your storefront, you can also design your ecommerce site. In the respect that you’d want to offer convenience and the highest quality customer service in your physical store, you can also provide these standards on your ecommerce site. And, perhaps, you can even offer these STELLAR BUSINESS BENEFITS with more ease on your ecommerce platform.