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Ecommerce on Your Web Site = Increased Bottom Line
By J.Mariah Brown | July 10, 2009
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Ecommerce is the online transaction of business, featuring linked computer systems of the vendor, host and buyer. The following are the various types of ecommerce sites:
Transactional Site”The most common type of ecommerce site, transactional sites enable consumers to search through a stores merchandise, then order and pay for the products in the same transaction. Information Delivery Site”These sites act as a sale-generating tool for the site owner, as they provide information about the merchandise and information on how to proceed to purchase it, but the transaction cannot generally be completed online. This option is usually much less expensive than transactional sites. E-marketplaces”These sites are commonly known as auction sites, as they connect buyers and sellers. Merchandise is usually auctioned off, but some items are only sold at listed prices, depending upon the preference of the seller.
Regardless of the type of ecommerce that is utilized, statistical data supports the fact that the addition of ecommerce to any Web site can substantially increase profitability for the Web site or business owner, as well as effectively drive traffic to your site. In fact, the estimate of U.S. retail ecommerce sales for the fourth quarter of 2008 totaled $37.1 billion, an increase of 17.3 percent (2.1%) from the third quarter of 2008. The fourth quarter total ecommerce sales for 2008 were estimated at $133.6 billion, an increase of 4.6 percent (1.8%) from 2007.
Everyday an increasing number of Web site owners join the ranks of many to offer retail products, or at least links to such items, on their Web site. This growing number of businesses has contributed to the rapidly expanding ecommerce market and growth of online sales in the U.S., and even on an international level. According to an Interland 2005 study, 83% of small- and medium-sized businesses with Web sites containing ecommerce features were receiving monthly revenue from it.
In recent years, the popularity of businesses selling merchandise online has exploded. With a click of a button, consumers from around the world can shop your companys storefront”no matter how big or small”and instantly purchase your merchandise. But what if your company does not offer a specific product for sale?
The good news is, virtually anyone can now have ecommerce capabilities on their Web site, regardless of the type of site, size of customer base, whether an actual product is offered, and most importantly, at a minimal cost. New technology enables everyone, even small service providers to increase their bottom line through the utilization of ecommerce. For instance, a freelance writer with a Web site could choose to have a link for writing supplies on their Web site, or cater directly to meet the needs of the clients that are more likely to visit the site. If 90 percent of the writers income comes from the culinary community, it may be wise to feature cooking products, such as utensils, books, etc., on the site.
In the past, implementing ecommerce on a site would be somewhat of a difficult ordeal”even for a company with a seasoned IT staff. With free products available today, anyone with (and even without) a Web site can easily implement ecommerce capabilities at no cost, and without the traditional complexities associated with ecommerce. Income-generating ecommerce capabilities are just around the corner. Click here to learn more about this break-through technology, and how you can quickly and easily access it.
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