Ecommerce is an online sales channel where customers buy products or services directly from businesses over the internet. It’s also known as electronic commerce.
E-commerce has become increasingly popular in recent years, especially among small businesses that sell their goods and services online. E-commerce has also become a big marketing driver for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), as this new model of business allows companies to sell directly to consumers. Many businesses are now bypassing traditional brick-and-mortar retailers by selling directly to consumers over the Internet using e-commerce platforms.
It’s a convenience that many people are now finding incredibly valuable — allowing them to shop and browse the vast selection of products online without the need for lengthy trips to a physical store. With e-commerce, consumers can shop at their convenience, without ever stepping foot in a physical store. They also have the option to order online and have their items shipped directly to their doorstep.
Examples
WooCommerce
If you’re looking to start selling online, there most powerful option is WordPress. The platform offer similar features, such as product management, shipping, payment processing, and customer support.
WordPress is an open-source software platform that makes it possible to create and publish a website in minutes with little to no knowledge of HTML. WordPress is used by over 28.8% of the web, making it the most widely used publishing platform in the world.
WooCommerce is a free open source solution that works with WordPress. It’s easy to install and use, and it comes with a variety of prebuilt themes.
Magento is a proprietary solution that runs on a custom server. It includes more advanced features than WooCommerce, such as multi-store functionality, mobile compatibility, and data analytics.
Amazon
Both Amazon and eBay offer ecommerce solutions, but there are some key differences between them.
eBay
On eBay, sellers list items for sale and buyers bid on those listings. Buyers win auctions by offering the highest price. Sellers win auctions when they sell at the lowest price.
On Amazon, sellers list items for purchase and buyers search for those items using filters. Buyers win auctions when they find the item with the lowest price. Sellers win when they sell at the highest price.
Etsy
Both eCommerce platforms offer similar features such as product listing, customer support, payment processing, shipping options, and more. However, there are some key differences between them.
Etsy is a marketplace where independent artists and craftspeople sell their handmade goods. Customers browse through thousands of handcrafted items and choose what they want to buy.
Amazon is a platform that connects millions of merchants with millions of shoppers. Shoppers use filters to narrow down their choices and then make purchases.
Shopify
There are two main ways to set up an eCommerce store: using a third party software program (like Shopify) or building one yourself (using Amazon).
Shopify is a web application that allows users to build an online storefront. Users can add products, manage inventory, and accept payments. They can also customize their website by adding pages, changing colors, and uploading images.
Amazon offers its own version of a shopping cart called “Fulfillment by Amazon” (FBA), which lets sellers ship products directly to Amazon warehouses. Sellers upload their products to Amazon, and Amazon handles the rest.