eCommerce

Transacting or facilitating business on the Internet is called eCommerce. Ecommerce is short for “electronic commerce.”​ ecommerce revolves around various methods of buying and selling online. Any form of business transaction conducted electronically is eCommerce. 

Types of Ecommerce

Ecommerce can be classified based on the type of participants in the transaction:

• Business to Business (B2B): B2B ecommerce transactions are those where both the transacting parties are businesses, e.g., manufacturers, traders, retailers and the like.

• Business to Consumer (B2C): When businesses sell electronically to end-consumers, it is called B2C ecommerce.

• Consumer to Consumer (C2C): Some of the earliest transactions in the global economic system involved barter — a type of C2C transaction. But C2C transactions were virtually non-existent in recent times until the advent of eCommerce. Auction sites are a good example of C2C eCommerce.

Specialized Forms of Ecommerce

On some platforms, ecommerce has shown the promise of explosive growth. Two such examples are:

• Mcommerce: Mcommerce is short for “mobile commerce.” The rapid penetration of mobile devices with Internet access has opened new avenues of ecommerce for retailers.
• Fcommerce: Fcommerce is short for “Facebook commerce.” The immense popularity of Facebook provides a captive audience to transact business.

At the consumer level, online retail has become synonymous with eCommerce.

The Three S’s of Ecommerce

• Storage Space:
  Some Ecommerce site builders put a cap on your sales, so choose one that offers you the inventory space and bandwidth to fit your needs. The best Ecommerce platform will let your online shop sell online without limitations. Why would you ever want to limit your sales?

• Safety Protocols:
  Choose a program that offers fraud protection and Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption. This is for the protection of you and your customers. SSL technology makes it possible to send online payments securely and is a must-have on all Ecommerce sites.

• Site Design:
  Your Ecommerce solution should have a user-friendly interface. The best Ecommerce sites and functions of each tool should be clear and it should be easy to select your desired options. A top-notch site builder will make it easy to build your online store.

  An extensive FAQ and customer support team can make a world of difference.

  Also, remember the needs of your customers. Imagine that you’re shopping your own online store. Well-designed menus, filters, and sorting options will minimize the amount of time it takes to find a product and purchase it. Remember, you have about 3 seconds to get the customer where he wants to go, or half of them will just leave.

  Consider also the “look” of your site. Many Ecommerce site builders offer professionally-designed templates that are both pleasing to the eye and can improve a customer’s overall shopping experience.

  Just like in a physical store, a cluttered and disorganized e-shop display will leave customers frustrated, empty-handed, and heading for the exit, while a streamlined and enjoyable buying process will encourage purchasing.

Ecommerce site builders

An e-Commerce site builder is a program that lets you build, customize, and run an online store. A complete Ecommerce solution will come with the tools to walk you through the entire process: hosting, design, pricing and payment options, marketing tools and reports.

These are the signs that you’ll be using the best eCommerce platform available. First, consider how much you’ll sell. If you anticipate heavy traffic, a solution that offers lots of online storage space, inventory, and bandwidth is ideal.

Next, decide on the level of customization you’d like, to ensure you’ll have the best platform for your brand. Many Eshop site builders offer attractive templates ready-to-use, while others come with HTML for more seasoned web designers.

Check for must-have features such as payment security and sales reports.

Also, be sure to provide enough payment and shipping options for your customers, and look closely at tools such as the ability to create discounts, loyalty programs, or gift-wrap options on your website.

Not all website builders will offer the same options. Some charge a monthly fee and/or a percent of sales, some may charge for extras, or they can be completely free. Some require very little technical skills, while others can be quite complicated and require a high degree of programming skills.

Some offer extensive sales reports, handle complex internet taxes on sales, shipping calculations, and keep complex inventories. Others are lacking in some or many of these important aspects. All of these considerations will affect how you sell online and ultimately the success of your online store.

You want a program that is easy to use and has solid support available. A well-designed builder should be simple yet effective. The less time you have to spend figuring out the program, the more time you’ll have to run your business.