E-Commerce: Advantages of Opening an Online Store

Has the thought of starting your own online store ever crossed your mind?… perhaps it’s been lingering in there, waiting for that perfect moment to spark into life!

Of course, we can’t get in your head and guess your thoughts. But what we do know is that this thought has run through the minds of many. So, you’re definitely not alone!

If anything, you might just be onto something!

Now, quickly, before you’re back to the scrolling news feeds on socials, let’s take your genius idea to life! Or… at least, entertain it.

What is e-commerce?

When you hear the word ‘’e-commerce’’, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Money, Freedom, Control? Have we hit on the right ones?…

… Well, if we have, we’re off to a good start! Because that’s what e-commerce really is. It’s a mechanism that allows individuals to release themselves from the chains that bind them. Whatever that may be; office, coworkers, pay, traffic, workload, each to their own. It basically allows us all to do what we love to do, which is to customize and decorate products and sell them to someone who appreciates our work.

It’s simple as that!

What are the advantages of e-commerce?

Advantages, are there any of those? You bet! Running a store in cyberspace offers a multitude of benefits. Let us run you through some of them.

1. Twenty-Four Seven (24/7) Customer Service Without Working Around the Clock

Arguably, the best benefit of having an online retail store is that you could be anywhere at any given moment.. doing whatever you please… and still have sales rolling in.

But, just to be perfectly clear, it does not mean that you don’t have to put in a little work to get yourself there.

You’ll need a killer website to pull it off; snappy response times, sharp product pics, and a smooth checkout process.

Have it built out and you too could be lounging on a beach somewhere, sipping a fancy drink while the notifications keep popping up with each sale dropping in.

2. International & Cross-Cultural Reach

An online store knows no bounds! It’s anywhere and everywhere at the same time! Now, we know it could be hard to wrap your head around this idea, especially if you’re coming from a brick-and-mortar setup.

But, stick with us here and we’ll try to explain this to you.

Imagine the internet as a vast digital landscape with no boundaries — there’s no start or end to it. And guess what? You can have a piece of it! All you have to do is purchase your very own address (web domain) in this digital landscape and you’re off to the races.

Now you have a shop that’s open 24/7 and stretches across the whole world. Anyone, from anywhere, can come to your shop and purchase what you have for sale.

3. Scalability

Another HUGE advantage of an online store is how scalable it is. This is just a fancy way of saying that your online store could grow faster than a physical one.

To give you a practical example, if your business takes off and all of a sudden you experience an influx of sales from new customers, you won’t need to relocate to a larger space or hire extra staff right away. Your online sore can easily accommodate that influx.

To drive the point home, here’s one more relatable example. Long lines at the cash register — consider it a thing of the past. With an online store, you can process a multitude of transactions simultaneously.

Now, we’re just getting warmed up here… think for yourself how a digital store could make it easier for you to do business.

4. Online Stores Are Cheaper to Open & Maintain

One of the beauties of ecommerce is that it is cheap to open and run, too. You can get started for next to nothing! All you need is a laptop and access to the internet — you’re pretty much in business!

Then, when you have built it, you can keep going for, again, next to nothing. That is to say if you run your venture from the comfort of your own home.

You’re essentially paying for what you’re already paying. Your internet connection, laptop, and living space — something you’d have regardless, right?

The expenses that sustain your everyday life could be shared with your entrepreneurial dream. This way, you risk absolutely nothing but your time.

So, just be resourceful and take advantage of the things you already own. Let them fuel your entrepreneurial dream!

5. Focus On What You Love (And What’s in Your Control)

You can’t do everything by yourself. But you can do the things that you LOVE the most. So, why not outsource the rest?

You see, when you make the switch from physical to digital, you get to call the shots. Hate being on your legs all day and talking to strangers? You no longer need to do it!

Working long hours and sometimes into weekends to keep up with the demand? Have we got good news for you — ecommerce is like a virtual extension of yourself — it can work around the clock without your presence throughout the entire year.

So, you better start thinking about what you’ll do with all that free time on your hands!

Okay, but in all seriousness, ecommerce is more than just a site! It’s your ticket to a global marketplace that goes beyond geographical boundaries, time zones or physical constraints.

For one-on-one help simply call 800-891-1094 or live chat with one of our pros!