Ecommerce which is a fancy way of saying the process of buying and selling goods and services online has become a big part of everyday life. It’s more common now that we get our groceries, furniture, and wardrobe online than going into a brick and mortar store. As a user of an ecommerce website, everything seems pretty simple and straightforward. However, attitudes change when it comes to starting your own ecommerce business. So today we can cover the basics of what is an ecommerce website.
Ecommerce Websites Work as Digital Store Fronts
Simply put your online store is physical retail in a digital space. The same assets you would need to run a store you also need to have a working online store. If you are selling a physical product you need a way for customers to see what is available for purchase. You’ll need a way to receive orders and take payments. Instead of paying rent for a building you’ll need to purchase a domain and website hosting. One of the biggest perks of running an ecommerce business is that you aren’t limited to having store hours. Your customers can place orders at any point of the day. It’s having a physical store without real-world limitations.
Types of Ecommerce Businesses
Don’t think that ecommerce is limited to physical products. You can run an online store with any business model.
Business to consumer (b2c)
Business to business (b2b)
Consumer to business (c2b)
Consumer to consumer (c2c)
Essentially you can showcase any sort of product or service that your company provides. Your website can be designed to sell physical goods, to showcase services such as educational consulting, or offer exclusive digital products like ebooks, podcasts, and software. Working with the right web development team can lead you to find a solution for any type of business model you have.
A Few Things To Consider Before You Build
One of the first things you need to do before you start is to get in place all of the products you want to be available upon launch. Websites aren’t set in stone and you can always build upwards but an organized start is the best way to get a strong foundation. It’s good to ask yourself what your best product is or to figure out who your best customers are. This can help shape your online business, persona, and user experience.
Next, try to figure out what you need your site to do for you and what your business is capable of. One company might need to have both a subscription-based service and an online store while another would just need a contact form for customers who need to reach out to them. Build your website around your strengths and weaknesses so that you can offer the best experience to your customers.
Ready to Start Planning Your Ecommerce Website?
Schedule a consultation with us to get started! We’d love to help you find the perfect solution for your business.