Our progress since the first attempts at e-commerce in the early 1990s, when the internet was still in its infancy, has been remarkable. For example, today’s online stores, which can be built in a matter of hours, are far more sophisticated than the stores that took months to create just a few years ago.
It has never been easier to set up an e-commerce website than it is right now. You can have anything from a simple store setup with manually generated buttons on payment services such as PayPal and Google Checkout to a completely customized design with custom functionality that is tied to your business model and everything in between.
There are e-commerce news sites, forums, mailing lists, communities, open-source software, proprietary software, out-of-the-box solutions, custom solutions, and more information than one person could consume in a single lifetime.
With all of the advancements in e-commerce over the past 20 years, many people are more in the dark than they have ever been before. However, a deluge of information is available on various topics, including software, platforms, SEO, social media, and other related issues.
When it comes to making sense of all of the conflicting ideas out there, who should you listen to, and how can you possibly make sense of everything? This book was written as a guide to assist people in answering many of these questions and putting themselves in the right direction when it comes to e-commerce. It is divided into three sections:
Whenever possible, I will refrain from addressing specific technologies or software packages. These change far too frequently for me to write anything meaningful about them in any depth. Consequently, this book would be rendered obsolete in six months if I did so.
Which software to use (whatever it may be), how to hire developers, how to use social media (even as new sites emerge as the “next big thing,” search engine optimization techniques that are always relevant, and how to increase sales will all be covered in this presentation.
The skills you should gain from reading this book include the ability to evaluate various e-commerce solutions objectively, the ability to hire a competent developer if you require assistance with your site, the ability to leverage social media regardless of which new social media outlet appears, and understanding how to use the well-written copy in conjunction with sound SEO techniques to drive traffic to your site and convert that traffic to sales.
Furthering your education in this field is something I strongly recommend. In the world of e-commerce, there is no “magic bullet” that will automatically generate large profits and high conversion rates for you. Maintaining awareness of emerging technologies, learning about your customers, evaluating your competition, and refining product lines are all constant requirements.
Different Types of E-Commerce Websites
Every e-commerce website does not sell the same type of product. As a result, not all e-commerce websites have the exact requirements and objectives. Therefore, this is not an exhaustive list, and in fact, many of the most successful e-commerce sites develop their revenue model and market niche for their products.
Traditional
This is a typical e-commerce website in the traditional sense. It’s the first site that comes to mind when someone mentions the term “e-commerce.” The sale of tangible, physical goods is the focus of this type of website. The following characteristics typically distinguish a traditional e-commerce website:
Product categories and subcategories are usually included intangible, physical products.
For each product, there is a product details page. In addition, product specifications, an image gallery, and customer reviews are typically included on this page.
A shopping cart’ is a container that stores items that customers want to purchase until they check out.
Users can enter their billing and shipping information during the checkout process.
Taxes and shipping fees are typically collected at this point.
If a purchase is made on the site, the owner is notified and responsible for fulfilling the order, either automated or manually.
Virtual Products are those that are created virtually.
A significant difference between the virtual products e-commerce site and the traditional e-commerce site is that it sells virtual products. Virtual products, such as music, images, videos, and e-books, are sold through this type of website. The following characteristics typically distinguish this type of site:
One that looks and functions like a traditional online shopping site.
2. The shopping cart and the checkout process are also similar in this regard.
3. Because no tangible goods are shipped, shipping and tax charges are typically not included in the checkout process.
4. Fulfillment is automatic, with the customer typically receiving an email containing a link to download the virtual item in question.