Advantages of E-Commerce
LOW COST
It is costly to open a store. You must pay rent, furnish the facility, obtain the necessary equipment, and engage staff to work there. The entire cost will vary depending on how much space you require and where you wish to operate your business, but it will cost you at least a few thousand dollars to begin with, followed by rent and other continuing expenses.
SPEED AND FLEXIBILITY
It takes time to open a physical store. You must choose a location, complete the commercial lease process, and open the store. Construction time, or at the very least the time to decorate and prepare your place, may be required.
If you choose a hosted solution, you may have an e-commerce website up and running in a matter of days. Of course, a custom-built website will take longer.
You may update your product offerings, display, and marketing materials on an e-commerce site almost instantaneously. In a physical store, you’ll have to physically shift items around, which takes longer. An e-commerce site is incredibly adaptable, allowing you to respond to changing customer wants as well as changing corporate demands.
Finally, an e-commerce business allows you to be flexible. You can work from anywhere with an Internet connection as the owner. You might not even need an office; you might work from home!
DATA
In 2016, data reigns supreme. All of the websites we visit on a daily basis collect a lot of information about us in order to figure out how we use the internet, what sites we visit, and what we buy. If you run an e-commerce website, you’ll be able to track how long your consumers spend on your site, what they look at, and how they make purchases. This gives you a clear picture of what motivates them to click “Buy” and what keeps them from doing so.
You may utilize this data to improve the purchasing experience for your site’s visitors and increase the possibility that they will become customers. In a physical store, getting that information is far more difficult. There is no record of what each customer looked at or how much time they spent with a product before purchasing it.
E-Commerce Disadvantages
NAVIGATION
Your objective is to provide a nice experience for all of your visitors while also making navigating simple. You’ve lost a sale if your customers can’t figure out how to utilize your site or can’t find what they’re looking for. Consider your website’s structure and how your products are organized. You want your users to be able to find what they’re seeking for as quickly as possible.
SIMPLICITY
You want your website to be easy to navigate and understand, so keep it simple. The fewer clicks your clients have to make a purchase, the easier it is for them to do so and the more likely they are to complete the transaction.
STABILITY
Your website must be stable, which means it should not crash or take an eternity to load. Ensure that your website is technically sound so that your consumers do not run into a virtual brick wall. To ensure that the transactional components of your cart and payment sections are seamless and smooth, test their operation. If your cart continues crashing or your consumer can’t enter their payment information, you won’t be able to make a sale.
SECURITY
Data breaches and hackers have received a lot of attention recently. Take a peek at the Target repercussions. When it comes to doing business online, the sad reality is that your site could be hacked. When making an online purchase, customers want to feel safe and certain that their financial information will not be leaked or compromised.
On your website, make a clear declaration about who has access to your customers’ information. Then do what you said you were going to do. Protect client data and personal information by taking the necessary precautions. This involves resetting your site’s passwords on a regular basis to prevent breaches and continuously checking your reports and data for any security issues. You can defend your site by keeping watchful and proactive, which in turn protects your customers and develops trust and loyalty.
Because some of this is fairly technical, you may want to employ a webmaster or an outside firm to audit and manage the security of your custom site. This is costly, but a security breach can cost you your entire company. If you’re using a hosted solution, make sure to keep in touch with your hosting provider to resolve any potential security issues.
CREDIBILITY
Business is all about people and relationships, no matter what industry or market you’re in. Because there are no face-to-face ties in the e-commerce industry, building those relationships can be more difficult. Unlike a “Main Street” seller, you can create relationships through your company’s website and online marketing strategies. In your website and internet marketing, strive for professionalism and credibility.
Obtain customer testimonials so that customers can identify with the experiences of others. If a customer contacts you via email, answer as soon as possible. Join a best-practices organization like the Better Business Bureau and display its badge on your website.
Customers have many options when purchasing online, so you must provide them with an exceptional experience to ensure that you stand out.
Reference:
E-Commerce: Advantages and Disadvantages