E-Commerce, an introduction

E-commerce or selling online plays a great role in how products and services are bought. Selling online could be a great way to increase profitability while keeping a low overhead. If setup correctly, it is also a way to streamline administrative tasks and develop relationships with customers and partners.

The Benefits of Selling Online

Selling online has many advantages over the traditional selling methods:

•  Lower marketing costs. Less need to advertise locally (print advertising) and

•  better return from marketing to a broader audience.

•  Low set-up and operation costs. Less rent, less staff.

•  Increasing sales opportunities by selling to a larger audience.

•  Providing customers convenience of buying from anywhere, anytime.

•  Quicker payments from online transactions.

•  Using online store as a database for inventory and sales.

•  Easier tracking of customer buying trends for marketing purposes.

Online selling works best provided you have:

•  products or services that are clearly defined and can be sold without personal interaction.

•  fixed prices and competitive shipping rates.

•  products or services that you can guarantee to deliver within a specific period of time.