If you think about opening your virtual store this article is important so that you reflect some points and know if you are at the right time for this!
E-commerce is for those who enjoy commerce, not technology
If you think that e-commerce, just because it’s digital has to do with simply technology you’re wrong! Like any trade, you will have to know how to buy, sell your fish and relate well to your customers. Think of a great successful marketer, you must know some, he simply understands technology? I bet he must have a very good persuasion ability, a very good understanding of finance, and an excellent buying technique. For basically this is what makes a virtual store be successful: if you are not, you must learn to be a good marketer! Our advice is to not ignore the power of brochures. If you want a try, you can hire a cheap brochures printing service online.
Whenever I come across a project for a virtual store in a large company that wants to extend its sales channel to online I ask a question: will e-Commerce stay with whom? The IT team or sales, marketing? Nothing against any of them, but they must be synergistic. Leaving the virtual store with only the IT team is a big mistake, and not involving them in any decision-making process – yes, many of them will be technological – you can shoot yourself in the foot. For this, it is important that these departments are aligned with a goal: to make a good virtual store to meet the needs of their customers.
Understand the costs – indeed – of a virtual store
A lot of people still have that great myth that a virtual store is something simple and the cost is “far less than any other offline business.”The big balcony here is to understand that when you open a virtual store, you are not benefited by customers who are passing in front of your physical store, so you need to publicize it the media channels to capture these customers. Any purchase of media or disclosure requires an investment, and this should be weighed.
Once you’ve invested to capture customers and sales, you have at least that customer’s email address. How many stores have you bought and sent you an email thanking you for the purchase and asking how was your shopping experience after a few days? How many gave you a discount coupon to keep you loyal and get you to make a second purchase?
After the customer has purchased with you, and you have often had the cost of capturing it for a paid media, you have the obligation to work for him to come back and buy from you again!
You will be exposing yourself
Like any business, you are exposed! That is if you are not efficient your customers will not complain simply by calling you or sending you an email. So be prepared operationally; promise less and deliver more! If you still do not have a notion and preparation, instead of promising to deliver in one day, commit to four, and deliver in two, you will make your client happier and possibly even have him/her expose you positively to a compliment on social networks. Of course, you must work to be efficient and decrease this “slack” that you will put.