E-commerce is a must for small businesses and entrepreneurs, but you’ll soon realise that it’s important to find which e-commerce platform fits your business niches. An E-commerce website is not only important for big businesses but is also crucial for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). In fact, it can be the deciding factor between a successful online business and one that fails.
Why should you choose other platforms to build an eCommerce website for you?
There are many reasons why SMEs should choose other platforms to build their e-commerce websites. Here are some of the most important ones:
- Cost-effectiveness: Building an e-commerce website from scratch can be a very costly affair. However, by using a 3rd party platform, you can save a lot of money as these platforms come with pre-built templates and features that you can use for your website.
- Time-saving: Building an e-commerce website from scratch can be a very time-consuming task. However, by using a 3rd party platform, you can save a lot of time as these platforms come with ready-made solutions that you can use for your website.
- Flexibility: 3rd party platforms offer great flexibility when it comes to building an e-commerce website. You can easily add or remove features and functionality as per your requirement. This is not possible if you build your website from scratch.
- Scalability: As your business grows, your e-commerce website will need to scale up accordingly. This is possible with 3rd party platforms as they offer scalable solutions that can grow with your business.
The benefits of having an eCommerce website
The eCommerce website is the online face of your business. It is a platform that allows you to showcase your products and services to a global audience. Having an eCommerce website has numerous benefits, some of which are listed below:
- Increased visibility: A well-designed and optimised eCommerce website will rank higher in search engine results pages, thus increasing your visibility online. This, in turn, will lead to more traffic and potential customers for your business.
- Access to a larger market: An eCommerce website gives you the opportunity to reach out to a larger market beyond your local geographical area. You can sell your products and services to anyone in the world with an internet connection.
- Reduced overheads: An eCommerce website eliminates the need for physical storefronts and office space. This can lead to significant savings on overheads such as rent, utilities, and staff costs.
- 24/7 operation: An eCommerce website never closes! Your customers can purchase from you at any time of day or night, 365 days a year. This means increased sales and revenue for your business.
- Automated processes: An eCommerce website can automate many of the processes involved in running your business, such as inventory management, order processing, and customer service. This frees up your time to focus on other aspects of your business.
- Improved customer service: An eCommerce website provides a platform for you to offer excellent customer service. You can use live chat, email, and social media to communicate with your customers and address their queries and concerns.
- Increased sales and revenue: Ultimately, the goal of having an eCommerce website is to increase sales and revenue for your business. An optimised and user-friendly website will convert more visitors into paying customers.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that e-commerce has revolutionized the way businesses operate. It has made it possible for businesses to reach a global audience and conduct transactions without having to meet in person.
Even though many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) still view e-commerce websites as an unnecessary expense, it can be a great way to reach a larger audience for your business. It is important to consider all of the factors involved in building and maintaining a website before you make the decision to go ahead with it. With careful planning and execution, an e-commerce website can be a valuable asset for your business.
(The article is authored by Ankur Patel, Managing Director, Orange Technolab Pvt Ltd and the views expressed in this article are his own)
