E-commerce can be described as the buying and selling of products through computer networks. These transactions are usually done online, but they may also be done through the electronic exchange of data. However, with the global increase of internet usage, companies are advised to go online and set up eCommerce websites to keep up with competition.
When in a developing country, e-commerce retailers face various opportunities to expand their business. According to the World Trade Organization, the advancement of technology will lead to more users of mobile and online services, which will lead to a larger e-commerce market in such countries.
Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) make up a large part of the e-commerce trade, and it is a good idea for any local business to set up an eCommerce website to engage with the global market. Here are a few tips to make your eCommerce business succeed:
- Fast Hosting
It is of primary importance to ensure that you employ a fast hosting services for your e-commerce website. The longer the visitors to your site wait for the site to load, the greater risk there is that they will leave your site and visit your competition’s website.
- Security
Make sure that your website has the best security available. You want your customers to know that their information is safe with you, and that means that your website needs to be protected from hackers. Added to this, PCI compliance is essential, although other accreditations will also serve you well.
- Regulation Compliance
Comply with online regulations. Failing to meet these regulations will result to a damaged reputation; not to mention regulatory sanctions.
- Visual Designs
Visual designs are important in the e-commerce trade. Your customers will want to have a good look at your products before they will want to buy anything, so be sure to upload spectacular shots of all your products to your website. Even though you need to add high quality images to your website, you need to make sure that the image size is not too big, otherwise your website will take too long to load.
- Efficient Payment Method
Find a payment method that is simple, secure and reliable. Visitors to your site won’t purchase items on your site if it is difficult to pay for the goods, or if they suspect that their payment details are not protected.
- Payment Providers
Stay updated with the latest offerings from payment providers. Companies such as GoCardless can offer you money-saving packages that are also efficient. It’s important to offer the popular payment methods for your customers to choose from.
- Invest in Software
Invest on pricing software. With the online market becoming more and more competitive, pricing your products at a competitive rate is a challenge, especially for SMEs. An example of a company that provides efficient pricing services is Upstream Commerce. You may avail their pricing optimization software on upstreamcommerce.com
- Transparency
Be transparent about extra charges. A major turn-off for customers is buying from a retailer only to find out huge postage surcharges. To avoid this, you can either include the postage surcharge in the original pricing, or post ahead that postage is free.
