E-commerce which is also called internet commerce or electronic commerce is the buying and selling of goods and services via the internet. Online business is at its peak at this time. Sales via the internet are booming and have the potential to become even higher in the upcoming years.
In order to benefit from this rapid rise in online business the most important thing to have is a proper and professional e-commerce website. Businesses that sell products or services should not just be considering an e-commerce website designer if they, for some reason, do not already have a website for their e-commerce business but they should also hire an e-commerce website developer for regular and consistent updates to their e-commerce web design.
Growth in E-commerce Over the Last Few Years
Before getting into the process of your e-commerce business, it is important to know some basic information about the world of e-commerce and how it has grown over the last few years.
This growth has been especially rapid over the past 5 years, from 2015-2019. Research shows that around 19% of the sales revenue in China in 2016 was from online sales.
Websites like Thought Media have increased the ranking of online businesses so much that many people now prefer to shop online from home rather than visiting retail shops in person.
Further statistics show that in 2017 retail sales worldwide from e-commerce websites rose up to US$2.3 trillion.
Moreover, revenues from e-retail are estimated to grow to US$4.88 Trillion in 2021. Online shopping is by far one of the most popular online activities in the world.
In 2018, e-commerce sales grew by almost 18% in the United States of America.
Why are E-Commerce Websites Important?
Now that you know how much e-commerce has grown in the past few years, let’s discuss why these e-commerce websites are important. What aspects do these websites have that make them so vital to a business?
First and foremost, e-commerce websites have a feature of product and inventory management. One might think that if your business is only e-commerce and does not have a physical store, it is easy to hold inventory, however, that is certainly not the case.
Even if your business relies purely on e-commerce web design, it is extremely important to manage and control inventory levels. It can cost a lot of money if there is any sort of problem with your business’s product and inventory.
Although it may seem daunting e-commerce websites also, in a way, make it easier for your business. Unlike a retail shop, an e-commerce web page can be designed in a way that clearly lists all the products or services that your business offers. This will make it easier for existing and potential customers to navigate through your e-commerce web site design and increase your business’s revenue and profits.
Customer management also become a lot easier with an e-commerce website. This is because, you and your employees don’t have to handle many customers in person, but rather, just handle all customers from a single space.
Another great benefit of e-commerce websites is that shipping and payment processing is a new and fast way to handle customers. Although it may seem hectic at first, shipping and payment is actually a very easy process. Furthermore, online payment makes the chances of any bargains reduce!
How to Choose a Reliable E-commerce Website Developer
One major factor when considering an e-commerce website design developer is to make sure that the individual or company is experienced in the field of e-commerce.
The e-commerce web developer or company should be well aware of all the new technologies that come up in the e-commerce web design world. These may be related to factors that help increase visitor traffic to your website or those that give more of a professional look to your website.
A concept that is extremely important in all types of websites and e-commerce businesses is the concept of search engine optimization (SEO). There are various techniques that allow SEO technologies to be used and thus, improve visitor traffic.
Another factor which is vital when deciding on an e-commerce web designer or company is that they provide ongoing support for your website. Thought Media is a website design company that provides support for your e-commerce website even after they have completed designing your website. A form of ongoing support may be that Thought Media provides a website hosting subscription which enables your e-commerce website to be viewed on the internet.
While keeping all the above-mentioned factors in mind, here are 5 significant steps to designing an e-commerce website.
An Initial Needs Analysis With Thought Media Will Determine Which E-commerce Platform is Best to Utilize, or If a Bespoke/Custom E-commerce Solution is More Optimal.
The first step when designing an e-commerce website is to get an in-depth analysis by Thought Media to determine which e-commerce platform is best suitable for your business. It can be either a Bespoke E-commerce solution/Custom E-commerce solution.
In general terms, a Bespoke E-commerce platform is one that gives you faster innovation benefits, no worries about security, no external agency ties and, lower costs.
This, however, may vary from business to business as a Bespoke platform is made specifically for your business. Thought Media may determine this by conducting a short analysis over the phone.
During the Needs Analysis, Thought Media Will not Only Prepare a Proposal Detailing Suggested Solutions but also Determine the Main Objective or Focal Call to Action of the E-commerce Website
When conducting the first step, known as the needs analysis, Thought Media will also prepare and propose to your business a detailed plan that suggests any solutions that your existing or new e-commerce website may require.
Moreover, if your business is new to the e-commerce world, Thought Media will also determine the major objectives that may be suitable for your e-commerce website.
Next Thought Media will cover integrating existing customer data or establishing new lead capture/sales funnels
Next, Thought Media will research all the data and information about your business’s existing customer data. This may involve some long-term customers and their preferences for products and services.
Thought Media may also establish new sales factors in order to generate new lead captures and sales funnels if your e-commerce website is new.
Next Thought Media will detail methods of inventory management and order handling (either for product or service)
Again we are back at the topic of inventory and product management. Like we discussed above, Thought Media will make it easier for you or your employees to handle any orders and inventory that your business has.
After Thought Media has designed your website, it is likely that they will enable easy and accessible features for your business.
Next, the decisions pertaining to the shipping provider and payment processor. Thought Media works closely with payment processors to establish
Lastly, we have the step of payments and shipping. Thought Media works very closely with payment processors in order to establish a relationship of trust. Payment and shipping is a risky process as any problems can lead to not only financial loss for your business but also a loss in your customer's trust. This is why Thought Media works closely and carefully to ensure your business and its customers see no harm.
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