Even before the pandemic, e-commerce excited entrepreneurs for the potential growth and development it inspired in both local and international markets. Despite some of them having reservations about e-commerce, it was in the shadow of closed businesses, Covid-19 movement restrictions and the rise of Tik Tok, that revealed and cemented what had only been theoretical: that buyers and sellers could rely on e-commerce for many of our needs. E-commerce continues to grow as we return to a semblance of normalcy, thanks to the proliferation of online sales platforms. In this article, we dive a little deeper into how e-commerce platforms can benefit traditional businesses.
Summary of how traditional businesses benefit from e-commerce platforms:
- Connects you with customers beyond your geographic location
- Lowers operating costs
- Introduces your brand to new customers
- Conduct your business operations 24/7
- Facilitates information distribution
E-commerce Platforms Connect You With Customers Beyond Your Geographic Location
E-commerce platforms allow business owners to sell their products or services to people outside their geographical location. This is in large part due to continuous improvements in the logistics industry, as well as the growing number and development of digital collaborative tools. Better logistics enable faster delivery, while improved digital tools allow services to be conducted online.
E-commerce Platforms Lower Operating Costs
Traditional businesses that use e-commerce platforms will find operating costs cheaper than conventional brick-and-mortar establishments. The advent of automatic checkouts, inventory management, billing and other processes has reduced the need for a large pool of staff. In addition, since most transactions are handled online, physical stores no longer become a necessity – thus saving money on rent and other miscellaneous costs such as furniture.
Furthermore, advertising and marketing costs on e-commerce platforms are generally more affordable and cost-effective compared to traditional media channels such as TV, radio, newspaper ads and magazines. Online platforms have the added benefit of tools and features that allow you to measure and adjust your campaigns for better results.
E-commerce Platforms Can Help Introduce Your Brand to New Customers
Search engines such as Google, Duckduckgo and Bing have made browsing the internet seamless. A simple word search will bring you a host of results related to your query. For businesses on an e-commerce platform like Carousell, having a listing automatically makes your products and services findable on a search engine. This has the benefit of putting your products and services in front of customers who may have never heard of your brand before.
E-commerce Platforms Allow You to Conduct Business Operations 24/7
Many business owners wish they could leave their stores open beyond normal working hours for a chance at making more sales. E-commerce platforms make this possible. As a business owner, you could respond to inquiries (using automatic replies if you wish), schedule deliveries, or just rack up orders until you are ready to send them out to customers. Being in operation 24/7 also provides more convenience for your customers.
E-commerce Platforms Facilitate Information Distribution
Traditional business owners will recognise a common trend among most customers: the need for more information. E-commerce platforms allow you to provide more information than is possible through standard buyer and seller interactions. This can be achieved through images, videos, user reviews or articles that customers access online. Even better, most manufacturers already supply this information, so you don’t need to create it yourself.
Are You Ready to Take Your Business to New Heights?
Carousell makes it simple for businesses to transition to the digital realm through a surplus of power tools and features that position them right where customers are looking. Start your digital journey today by booking a free consultation with our experts. You can learn more about how Carousell can help address your business needs, how our seller tools work, or how others have achieved success on Carousell.
