When was the last time you bought something online? Last month? Last week? Yesterday?
Online shopping has become a staple of the way consumers purchase items they need or want for their everyday life.
If you are a retailer and haven't invested in eCommerce, you are missing out. But this article isn't necessarily about touting the benefits of selling products online (although we will touch on this fact in just a second).
What we are here to discuss is not just why, but how your retail brand can deliver the best experience for your customers by creating a website that delivers on all of your brand promises.
At the end of the day, there are several elements that make up a successful eCommerce website design, so, in this post, we're going to show you 6 examples of killer eCommerce sites and give you a rundown on what makes them so great.
But first, let's discuss the importance of having an eCommerce site as a retailer.
The Importance of eCommerce for Today’s Retail Brands
If you haven't yet, one question that might be constantly on your mind is whether you should branch into eCommerce.
Moving from brick-and-mortar to online can be intimidating, especially if you have little or no experience with digital platforms. But that shouldn't stop you from adding an online store to your retail business.
Consider the following:
Estimates suggest that there will be at least 2.14 billion global digital buyers in 2021.
That's 26.28% of the world's population. Let's assume for a moment that this group is evenly distributed around the planet (it's not). That would mean that more than 1 in 4 people in your community are shopping online.
In reality, online shoppers are concentrated in developed countries, meaning that your local customer base is very likely to be shopping for products like yours on the internet.
What's more, since your competitors are online, this means that you are competing with national and even global companies for those same customers.
eCommerce currently makes up 21.3% of all retail sales worldwide.
If you're not selling online, run a quick calculation: what would it do to your bottom line if you added another 21% to your sales, without adding more salespeople or increasing your hours of business?
That's not to say that by selling online, you would magically increase sales by 21%. But with the right strategy, you could see significant growth.
Together, these facts lead to a single conclusion—every retail store should have at least some presence in eCommerce.
Still unsure? Calm your fears—getting into eCommerce isn't as hard as it might sound.
Since you already have a business, all you have to do is choose an eCommerce platform and create your website.
From there, it's up to your marketing and promotion efforts to make your eCommerce website design successful, just like it was for your brick-and-mortar store.
This article first appeared at Hearst Bay
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