E-Commerce is the buying and selling of goods or services over the internet. Internet sales skyrocketed during the pandemic. Estimations state that by 2023, e-commerce will make up 22% of global retail sales. Your online store operates on the same principles as a physical location. The difference is, your customers can shop from anywhere at any time.

When creating a successful online shopping experience, your site should be easy to navigate, virtually appealing, and optimized for mobile devices. 20 Killer Tips to Create a Successful Online Store Choose a website or e-commerce platform with a simple, streamlined check-out or booking process. Your check-out process shouldn’t be cumbersome. Too many steps or clicks to completion might turn off your customers or lead them to abandon their carts.

Your products and services should include a detailed description to match each listing. Include high-quality images to entice customers. The quality of photography can impact a product’s perceived value. However, it might not be in your budget to hire a professional photographer when you’re just starting. Here are 14 Product Photography Tips to Make You Look Like a Pro to help improve your DIY skills if you decide to be a pro isn’t in your budget.

Pros of E-Commerce:
>An online shop has relatively low overhead compared to a brick and mortar shop
>It operates no staff or set hours so customers can access your business 24/7
>Your reach extends beyond your geographic area
>It is easy to track your sales and shipments
>You are privy to customer data such as email addresses
>It can survive a pandemic
>It is easier to scale up an e-commerce business than a business with physical limitations

Cons of E-Commerce:
>Increased risk of fraudulent activity due to theft and hackers
>Some customers don’t want to shop online. They see it as a loss of personal touch. They want to touch the product, talk to a person, or try on a garment before purchasing. Some may be nervous about using their credit card online or prefer to pay in cash. 
>Increased competition. Depending on your industry you may have multiple competitors with similar products whether it’s polymer clay jewelry, ceramics, or screen printed t-shirts. This is why it is so important to stand out based on the quality of products, great customer service, or your brand’s unique style.
>Costs. No, you don’t have the same overhead as a physical location does but you do have internet costs, website hosting fees, payment processing fees, marketing costs, and packaging and shipping costs.
>Because of Amazon, customers are now programmed to want fast, free shipping.

Thank you for following along with The Big Bad Business Blog. Check out this on demand webinar offered by the Mississippi Small Business Development Center Grow with Google: Sell Online with E-Commerce Tools. Do you have an e-commerce tip that you’d like to share? CLICK HERE to tell us about it and sign up for The Big Bad Business Newsletter!