7 Reasons to Add Ecommerce to Your Business

Posted by Karen Erdelac on Oct 22, 2015

e-commerce businessEcommerce is a growing marketplace, expected to be up about 14% this year, yet 72% of small storefront businesses are not selling online. It may be overwhelming to think about setting up a website, adding ecommerce functionality, and learning to integrate social media and other online marketing tools, but there are many benefits to being one of the 28% of small businesses that are selling their products and services online.

Here are seven reasons to add ecommerce to your business:

1. You will reach new markets.

Ecommerce helps reach new markets in at least two ways: it expands your reach to include those who could never shop at your physical store location, and it allows people a way to check out your products before coming into your store. There are many ways to market your sales site online, including blogs (your own and other people's), newsletters, Google ads, and more.

2. Your website is your showcase.

It's easier and more convenient to check out a business online than it is to do so in person or even over the phone. People like the anonymity of the web - no one is going to ask them to buy something directly. It's easier to say, "I'm just looking," or "no thanks" on a website than it is in person. Make sure your website looks good and is easy to navigate.

3. Mobile and ecommerce continue to grow.

Mobile is the biggest growing sector of ecommerce, growing at more than twice the rate of ecommerce as a whole. As a comparative, retail sales overall are expected to grow only about 6%.

4. Linking up with social media.

Social media sites are getting into the ecommerce market, with many adding shopping buttons to their ads and pages. Social media is an effective marketing tool for ecommerce, but may increasingly attempt to cut out the middleman and serve as ecommerce itself.

5. 24/7 Availability.

Not many small stores stay open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week due to labor costs, but your website can take orders just as well at 2 a.m. as at 2 p.m. 24/7 availability helps you make sales from insomniacs, shift workers, and others whose off-hour shopping options are usually limited to certain grocery stores and Walmart.

6. Makes Shopping Easier.

No longer do your customers have to make time to get ready, possibly get kids ready, and drive to your store to shop. Ecommerce works especially well for parents of little ones, the chronically ill, and those with extremely busy schedules, but even for the average consumer, it's easier to shop online than at a store.

7. You can track everything.

Google Analytics and other programs make it easy to get lots of information about your customers and their sales habits, which helps with marketing and sales projections.

For help with the costs of expanding your reach, Quikstone Capital Solutions provides merchant cash advances to qualifying businesses.

Apply Now

Topics: Funding Your Business, Growing Your Business, Retail, Ecommerce