Buying and selling products and/or services online has been coined the term “eCommerce.” In this busy world, people are always looking for the easiest ways to get things done. When it comes to shopping, there is no other easier medium than online shopping. With the increasing number of online shoppers, even the number of businesses setting up online stores has been increasing rapidly in the last five years. Through eCommerce websites people can now purchase almost everything from electronics to clothing to food to service consultations and much more.
What are people buying the most online? In 2013, a study conducted by Ernst and Young has revealed that the highest percentage of online shoppers shopped for computer related products. And the least percentage of online shoppers shopped for investments. One possible explanation for this could be the large variety of products that fall under the computer related industry, which includes laptops, desktops, monitors, accessories and in some cases can also include tablets and mobile devices. Year after year we are seeing the same trend that electronic items are the most popular item to purchase online. Walker Sands conducted a retail study in 2014 and revealed the following:
According to Walker Sands’ report, nearly 62% of the US population purchase at least one product online in a month; and only 1% of the consumer population said they never shopped online. This means that year after year, online shopping is becoming very popular and widely used. As the above chart shows, people are not only purchasing electronic items, they are also purchasing books, clothing, household items, office supplies, sporting goods, pet supplies, groceries and tools. All items that once were only available in a bricks and mortar location. People are no longer afraid to pay shipping charges and duty mainly because of the sheer convenience that online shopping brings. This list above shows that almost anything can be sold online.
If you are thinking about offering your product or service online, start by researching online to see if others are doing the same and how they are doing it. (This will help you figure out how to do it better). And after you do your research, think about all the benefits an eCommerce storefront can do for your business. The biggest benefit is the ability to expand your target reach on a global scale 24/7/365. Imagine being open 24/7/365 in your bricks and mortar store for your customers! And online store allows you to do that without the added expense and overhead that is associated with a bricks and mortar storefront.
If you are interested in the possibility of starting an eCommerce storefront, contact one of our digital marketing representatives to discuss your ideas and to see the possibilities for your online business.
