The world of eCommerce is always changing, with new trends and innovations consistently finding a foothold in the industry. As these changes become standard practice, it is important for your business to take note, so as to remain ahead of the competition.
One of the more recent eCommerce trends is the emergence of web-only companies, which now account for more than a billion dollars in revenue.
Why Only Operate Online?
There are a number of reasons to consider running your business without a brick-and-mortar location. The biggest of which might be the ability to sell your products at lower prices, thanks to an absence of an actual retail location. Being able to offer a lower price is especially important if you want to compete with a site like Amazon, which is able to offer tremendously low prices on many products.
Additionally, a web-only brand has the potential to reduce inventory-related problems. The beauty of this situation is that your goods can be shipped directly from the manufacturer, which not only lessens inventory errors, but helps you avoid having to mark up your merchandise.
Most of all, operating your business online gives you all kinds of freedom to expand and flexibility that wouldnt have been possible otherwise. Your brand can have a global presence and you can consistently tailor your web store(s) to match current trends and incorporate emerging tools and technologies.
Of course, this doesnt mean that operating a business online does not come without challenges. With so many companies eyeing a piece of the eCommerce pie, competition is fierce and it is difficult for many brands to separate themselves from the rest of the pack. And finding reliable manufacturers is obviously incredibly important to your business success.
With this in mind, it is vital that you market your company well. Owning an online business can often feel like being a needle in a never-ending stack of other needles, all looking to stand out. Offering high-quality products at low prices is great, but your best asset will be branding yourself well (which includes building a viable mobile presence).
Tools for Online Success
If this is still a route you want to go with your company (and rest assured, the benefits to this strategy can be great), you will need the right eCommerce tools in place to help bring you success:
- As an eCommerce site, it is important to extend your reach, which means you could end up with multiple sites or a presence on a site like eBay. In order to easily manage these stores, youll need an eCommerce system that will connect them together for simplified management. For instance, Magento users are able to integrate their stores with eBay for accurate inventory processes, product information, sales data, and more.
- When operating online, many companies will need to work with a drop shipping supplier. Doing so will give your business room to grow without having to worry about the space to hold merchandise. The right kind of eCommerce system will help make your companys relationship with a drop shipper run much smoother (i.e. preventing inventory errors, out-of-stock issues, etc.)
Finding the Best eCommerce Solution for Your Business
If you are considering building a web-only brand, you will need to find an eCommerce solution that best suits your business. That means a web-based connector would be the ideal option. Of course, not every eCommerce connector is built the same way. Most will connect your eCommerce systems, sure, but there is so much more to your online business.
Through the use of the cloud, you can utilize an eCommerce connector that also links together every other aspect of your company, including your point of sale, accounting, and ERP systems.
As you build your brand online, you will need to do everything in your power to separate yourself from the competition. A reliable eCommerce connector, providing accurate data and inventory across your stores, will do just that. Customers remember a good shopping experience, and in such a competitive online landscape, a positive first impression is of the utmost importance.
Not every business is suited for operating entirely online – it will take plenty of research into your particular industry to determine if it is the right move for your company. But if you decide to go for it, and you have all the right eCommerce tools at your disposal, you will be put in a great position to succeed.
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