In the current "corona-economy", business that previously could get by without eCommerce are learning the hard way on how important eCommerce can be to your business. COVID-19 has shut the doors of many brick and mortar shops leaving mostly just businesses with well-built, monetizable websites to find any success at all.
Can You Sell Online?
There are three main categories that you can create eCommerce revenue from. If you have anything that fits these categories, the answer to the heading question is, yes.
Products
If you sell products at all, there is an eCommerce market for you. This is the simplest, most obvious form of eCommerce and most people think of this category when it comes to selling online.
A product can be something you make, manufacture, and sell. It can also be a resold item. If you have a gift shop, a restaurant or any other business with a product - this means you have a product that can be sold online.
Services
Services are also another main form of eCommerce. Wapiti is an example of a services eCommerce business. While we do provide "digital products", those are sold as services to our clients.
Other service businesses that could utilize the power of eCommerce are: lawyers, CPAs, consultants, and more. If you provide services, there is a great chance you can harness the power of eCommerce to increase your business and clientele.
Teaching/Training
The final category for eCommerce is in the eLearning arena. This is less obvious to most but is a great form of eCommerce. If you're an expert in your subject matter or industry, you can easily monetize your expertise by using an online Learning Management System (LMS) to sell courses.
At Wapiti, we're experts at creating and integrating LMS's with our client sites. If you're looking for a way to get started, we can help. Just contact us to learn more.
Should You Sell Online?
Yes.
I honestly thought about leaving at just the "yes" above. It's really that simple. No matter what your business is, you should find a way to sell online to help your business increase reach and sales. It also helps when you find yourself surviving a pandemic.
How To Get Start Inexpensively
When it comes to eCommerce (as for most things on the internet), you get what you pay for. There are a couple exceptions I list below.
Wapiti
I need to plug Wapiti here. This is one of our key strengths. We can build full-featured, custom eCommerce sites for our clients at a much lower rate than other high-end agencies. We leverage years of experience, systems, and processes to ensure our raters are low and competitive. Seriously, reach out and ask to learn more. We may be able to surprise you!
Shopify
Generally, we're against online site builders. Shopify is an exception when using it in conjunction with a Shopify partner (hey, Wapiti is one of those!). While Shopify does provide a great do-it-yourself platform, it also allows for external integrations that can deliver power to your eCommerce platform.
Do It quickly!
Technically, your eCommerce should already be running to combat the current climate. If it isn't, you need to start NOW. The longer you wait, the less relevant your site will potentially be and the more money you'll lose in the process.
Conclusion
All businesses should find a way to sell online. Wether you sell a product, a service, or knowledge, there is an opportunity to find success through eCommerce sales on your website. Now, more than ever, it's important for most businesses' survival to have a great looking, well functioning online sales venue.
