Shopify: E-Commerce in a box.
It has never been easier for anyone with something to sell to create and launch an online business. There are over 120 e-commerce platforms available for an aspiring entrepreneur to use for creating their own business online.
One of the most well-known, and arguably, the most widely used e-commerce platform is Shopify.
Shopify is quick and easy to set up and get started. It has the most flexibility and tons of features that make it the complete e-commerce platform. As they say… it’s ready to use, right out of the box. And, it’s affordable!
Having said that, the e-commerce world is one of the most competitive wholesale and retail venues there is. Simply having a storefront is not enough to achieve success as an online business owner. As is true in any form of commerce, the consumer needs to be aware of your company and your product.
Branding is a term used to describe the act of making you, your company, and your products known to the consumer—branding helps drive traffic through your front door.
Chelsea & Rachel Co.: Marketing & Web Design.
In the e-commerce industry, branding is just one of many skills that digital marketing agencies such as Chelsea & Rachel Co. specialize in.
Just as brick-and-mortar business owners have always relied on marketing agencies for expertise in promoting a product or service, so should today’s online entrepreneur: today’s digital marketing evolved from yesterday’s advertising experience. In fact, many of the skill sets and marketing strategies are much the same…it’s just a matter of utilizing a new medium and striving to keep up with technology.
Yet, as it is in a brick-and-mortar business, things don’t always work out as planned. Even the best of designs and strategies are subject to mistakes and plagued with unforeseen problems.
Murphy’s Law rules the internet! If it can go wrong, it will. As sophisticated and technical as the internet is, that is also its curse.
What can go wrong?
Unless you’re a jack-of-all-trades, you need help keeping your store on Main Street open for business. You employ a maintenance person to make sure things in the building function as they should and you consult with marketing experts to promote your business.
An online store is no different. Even the best of the platforms need professional TLC and monitoring.
Just some of the issues that can cause your business website to struggle and not bring in the customers as you had planned are:
Website appearance—is it attractive and interesting? First impressions are everything. If the appearance of your website is unattractive, almost 40% of your visitors will click off the site within seconds and will be gone, not to return.
Poor site navigation—is the site complicated and unfriendly? The user experience (UX) is a crucial element in the success of your online business. In fact, UX is a specialty on its own and a lot of attention is given to this aspect of your website.
If a prospective customer has difficulty navigating your landing page and subsequent web pages, it will only be a matter of seconds before they leave your site. And statistics show that more than 85% of them will never return to your website.
Product details—thorough product descriptions are critical. 88% of shoppers state that a full description of the product(s) is extremely important. They want to know exactly what they are buying.
Product selection (choice) is another key area. Nearly 75% of online shoppers rate it as an important aspect of their online search experience.
Some of the other problems that often arise and will affect your online success are; digital payment failures; site security issues, and an unclear return policy.
By no means is this a comprehensive list of the problems that an online business owner can encounter. Truthfully, it’s not even a partial list. It’s just a fraction of the things that can, and often do, go wrong.
Of Special Interest: Website Design.
Two particular problem areas were intentionally addressed above and are deserving a little more discussion.
Site appearance and navigation go hand-in-hand. They are both a function of web design. And if done correctly, they are instrumental in the overall success of your business.
Web design is another one of the critical specialties that owners should seek professional help with. There is a discipline specifically for the creation of web pages and studies are done on an ongoing basis to determine what is working and what isn’t.
Understandably, the drawbacks mentioned above can be avoided with effective web design. Maybe not so obvious is that a well-designed website can lead to conversions. Conversions, in short, are sales.
Websites that convert.
As an example; there is a law known as Hick’s Law, named after a British psychologist. It states that the time it takes for an individual to make a decision is directly proportional to the (number of) choices available: the more choices to look at—the longer it takes to make a decision.
As it applies to web design, offering too many choices can give the shopper too much time to think. Provide a unique and smaller selection and they are more likely to choose quickly and make a purchase— that is, convert. In other words, don’t overload your presentation with too many choices.
Another website concern is with loading speeds…how quickly does your webpage load? One study, by the Aberdeen Group, showed that a one-second delay in loading a webpage resulted in a 7% reduction in conversions. That’s brutal, but just one of the many things to consider.
These are just examples of the thought and science that goes into web design. It truly takes an experienced professional to be on top of the ever-changing strategies of webpage design.
The bottom line is that it is all about creating a design that converts—turning a shopper into a customer.
E-commerce might be simpler if it weren’t for the internet!
For the most part, these concerns are not always common knowledge to the average entrepreneur. But this is not meant to say that business owners are incapable of creating and operating an online store.
But, to be candid, the internet is not one continuous, gently flowing entity. It is disjointed and made up of hundreds of components and features that do not intersect at any single point. No one person knows all there is to know and the magnitude of it demands specialization.
All of this has a direct bearing on how e-commerce functions. Simply, it has to play by the rules of the internet. And it’s the rules of the internet that make e-commerce interesting, to say the least.
Even using a friendly platform such as Shopify, which takes most of the worry out of setting up an online business, one can benefit from expert collaboration. Because even simple mistakes can be costly in the long term.
Check us out!
Shopify experts Chelsea & Rachel Co. are specialist in creating, promoting, and monitoring your online business, whether you’re a start-up or an existing business that needs a little help meeting expectations.
Or, you’re a small business owner and you are weighing your options on taking your business to the internet. Whether it be wholesale or retail, there is a place for you in e-commerce and Chelsea & Rachel Co. can help you claim that spot. Check out wallaroohats.com for an example of what they can do for you.
Before moving ahead…here’s a thought to ponder for just a moment: with U.S. online spending predicted to increase 14.8% for the 2018 holiday season, to a record $124.1 billion, it just might be time to get your business into the game.
Everyone can use a little help from a friend.
This article has looked at just the tip of the e-commerce iceberg when it comes to having a successful online business. Taking on a partner to help navigate the stormy seas of the internet and an online business is something every entrepreneur should consider.
Not only for the start-up business but also if you are already established online and are not realizing the success you had hoped for. Then, a partnership with Chelsea & Rachel Co. is the solution.
What they can do for you.
They can get you started on the right foot with creative web design and a sound digital marketing strategy.
Likewise, having this extensive experience in design and marketing, and additional skills in analytics and optimization, they can fix whatever problems are keeping you from fulfilling your dreams and expectations.
With 120 e-commerce platforms out there, it’s certain that no one knows them all. So, a marketing agency that specializes in the top performing platform means you can be assured that Chelsea & Rachel Co. know their business. You can rely on their experience and knowledge of Shopify and in their ability to get your business in the game—competing successfully.
It’s what they do, every day. Take a look at eatbobos.com for another example of a successful e-commerce website administered by Chelsea & Rachel Co.
Some stats to encourage your decision.
According to statista.com, online B2C (Business-to-Customer) retail sales for 2018 will be $2.36 trillion worldwide. (Sales are predicted to reach $4.5 trillion in 2021)
The U.S. accounts for about 14.5%, or $340 billion, of this total. That’s a bunch of money! Yet e-commerce is still growing at the rate of 23% from year-to-year.
Ironically, in view of these almost staggering numbers, less than half of U.S. based small businesses are online.
The Internet Awaits…
If you are a current business owner thinking about taking your business to the internet, or a fledgling entrepreneur wondering if it would be worth the effort, these statistics should be encouraging. Not only is there room for you on the internet, but there is also money yet to be made in e-commerce.
But now, being an informed entrepreneur, you can begin a partnership with a marketing agency that can increase your chances at success and can guide you to a profitable experience.
Shopify, Chelsea & Rachel Co., and you—the perfect e-commerce team.
Click on Contact in the upper right-hand corner; call or send a message and begin your journey to success.
