has become an important part of sales and customer service for many businesses, of all sizes. By offering just a small portion of your inventory for sale online, you will generate new sales, recurring sales, and keep your business open 24/7.
Don't want to sell online? Think about this - An investment of under $1,000 to produce a few basic web pages containing your information about your business, your location and hours, a contact form and contact information can help people find you and lead to new sales as well as repeat sales. Include your web site address in your advertising, and you can post "online specials" on a regular basis.
• --There are some out there. Many times business owners get stuck in the middle between the requirements of the website, and the hosting services needed to support it. The company you choose should be able to design your site and host it as well. If the design firm can't host the site, think of how difficult it may be to find a hosting company that will meet the requirements of the designed site. Selecting a firm that can provide you with both will save you time, frustration, and possibly even money. Some design firms offer discounts on packages when you choose to have them both host and design your site.
• --Ask the company you are considering doing business with if they can show you examples of similar sites they've previously designed and hosted. If the company has done a site for your type of industry or business previously, chances are they may be able to provide you with what you will need for your site.
• --A website and hosting quote can be just that...A website and hosting quote. A quote doesn't necessarily mean that your idea of what you want to accomplish is going to be what you get from your finished product. A good example of this occurs when a designing company can't provide you with a payment gateway or merchant account in addition to your shopping cart. You may have a great looking store online that doesn't take credit cards. Find out upfront if you will need to seek out other solutions in addition to what the company is doing for you.
• --In this day and age especially, the old adage "You Get What You Pay For" rings true. All those Do-It-Yourself tools and instant ecommerce sites aren't going to get you where you want to be online. Professional services are always distinguishable on the Internet. Your Do-It-Yourself site...well...everyone who happens to visit your site will know you did it yourself.
• --Does the company you're talking to answer the questions you asked? Do you get technical answers to business questions or vice versa? Or does the company actually pay attention to what you're trying to do online and show you how they will accomplish it for you? If not, you're talking to the wrong group of people. Step away, and try other companies until you get what you need.
Conducting business online doesn't mean you have to shell out tremendous amounts of money to reap the benefits of the Internet. The Internet is geared towards helping those businesses with marketable products reach a much larger audience then they previously could achieve. As a business owner you want to receive the . If you don't choose the right provider you can end up with the best price and the lowest possible service. So use these tips and choose wisely. Either way you'll definitely see the results.
To better understand what E-Commerce is all about, think about it...Want to buy a CD for your spouse? Send a greeting card and chocolates? A car perhaps? Buy a concert ticket or better yet, an airline ticket to London, reserve a hotel room, or do business with your suppliers?
Then go online. It's that simple! It's all about doing business online - the E-Commerce way.
E-Commerce is about setting your business on the Internet, allowing visitors to access your website, and go through a virtual catalog of your products / services online. When a visitor wants to buy something he/she likes, they merely, "add" it to their virtual shopping basket. Items in the virtual shopping basket can be added or deleted, and when you're all set to checkout...you head to the virtual checkout counter, which has your complete total, and will ask you for your name, address etc. and method of payment (usually via credit card). Once you have entered all this information (which by the way is being transmitted securely) you can then just wait for delivery. It's that simple.
E-Commerce is not about just online stores, it's about anything and everything to do with money. If you pay via cash, check, or credit card, E-Commerce is about to make an introduction into your life. All major banks like Bank of America and Wells Fargo now give their clients accessibility to their bank accounts via the web. Even now you are able to order and reserve your request for a movie at the local video store and are able to browse through various titles (all online). Even if you are feeling hungry, access the local restaurant and order dinner via your computer.
In short, by implementing E-Commerce, you save money, are online 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week, no traffic jams, shopping crowds, carrying overloaded heavy shopping bags etc. Just more business, the easy way.
In the world of e-commerce, we know one size does not fit all. If your business is to produce and sell a single widget, and you accept only one form of payment, your e-Commerce needs are not the same as a company selling thousands of widgets and accepting many different forms of payment. Why should you pay the same price for e-Commerce as the big guys?
Renaissance Media Group is an e-commerce solution provider. We provide custom-programmed solutions. We will help you find an online sales solution suited to your retail needs and the size of your inventory. We can customize your solution to the look and feel that you want.
Optimization vs. Advertising
It is of course, possible to pay to have your site appear in a prominent position, and this is always a strategy that is worth considering. The costs, however, especially for those companies in competitive or crowded markets, can be prohibitive.
A site with effective search engine optimization is a little like a store with a good high street position. Truly effective search engine optimisation, however, brings greater benefits than this. When done effectively search engine optimization levels the playing field. A potential customer will be able to find your website/store just as readily as a major competitor. If you've taken the time to create a positive online environment for your customers you'll reap the benefits.
Search engines: 81%Link from another site: 59%
• Source: Forrester Research Inc.
Unfortunately, many online businesses fail to address the importance of search engine optimization. Counter intuitively the first visitors to see your website's content are the search engines. If optimized poorly or not at all few, if any, will ever see your website. If you don't use the right keywords, all your efforts are in vain. Search engines rely on visible content for their ranking determinations, so keyword-rich body text is one of the many keys to maintaining a favorable ranking.
Many people assume that submitting their web site to lots of search engines will automatically increase traffic to their site. This isn't the case. Here's the proof - when someone conducts a search on a search engine for a keyword related to your site's products or services, does your page appear in the top 20 to 30 matches - or does your competitor's? |
