E-commerce: Trends, platforms and best strategies

  E-commerce is a useful model for those who have businesses as well as the benefits of working online.

Several studies, particularly the 2016 Report on the State of Payments by Beaufort, which monitors the e-commerce and payments sector in the Arab world, show that with internet buyers growing in the Arab region, the proportion of buyers has increased by 14% in 2014 accounts, a positive sign that e-commerce continues to grow among the Arab world's population.

Egypt continues to lead the region's 18 million internet users, who are going to take advantage of online shopping services, and the UAE leads the region, with 70% of the country's online buyers, and given the number of online buyers relative to the number of Internet users in the UAE, Kuwait is the first with 82% of its population shopping online.

But do you know what e-commerce means? Learn about setting up your own trading system, and looking for ways to stand out from other stores online.

Follow us in this text to answer all the questions related to the subject.

1. What is e-commerce?

The word e-commerce is an abbreviation for electronic commerce, which essentially describes online trade.

This type of business has gained strength and support in recent years when consumers noticed that the Internet is a safe environment to buy.

It is important to agree that e-commerce is an online store, but not every online store can be considered e-commerce.

There are also several other e-commerce models such as the marketplace, which we will talk about in the next paragraph.

To make it clearer, online stores are considered e-commerce when they sell products belonging to the same company, for example, an online Disney store.

2- E-commerce or the market?

Different from e-commerce, the marketplace market acts as a virtual interface for many companies. In another talk, the products available there do not belong to the same company but are only displayed on the same platform.

The market acts as a payment broker but is not responsible for the guarantee or delivery of the product.

For many entrepreneurs, this model works well, as you don't need to buy a domain and other costs that are part of e-commerce preparation, enough to include products in the selected platform and promote them.

Another benefit of selling in the market is that you use the company's power in the market to attract buyers, which is much simpler than people finding your business in e-commerce.

Let's say someone's trying to buy casual shoes, it'll be very easy for them to find them on Brands com when the search is going instead of going to your store.

On the other hand, you don't have the independence to determine how your product will be displayed to buyers.

The market may be the best choice for those who trade general products, avoiding competition and setting up your own domain, while e-commerce represents some advantages for those who have a product that belongs to a specific market sector, and would like to talk to a more specialized audience.

But nothing prevents you from having a product that belongs to a specific sector and wants to sell it in a market.

Your online trade model depends on how much time and money you have.

Types of e-commerce

There are several business models for those who want to work through online sales, whether for those who choose e-commerce or those who choose to offer their products on the market.

B2B I (Business to Business) style

This concept applies to companies that prepare e-commerce activities to sell products to other companies. It is usually used to sell raw materials in a car parts shop, for example.

Concept B2C I (Business to Customer)

Model B2C is the model of companies that sell to the end consumer, representing the majority of e-commerce patterns. Nike e-commerce is an example of B2C e-commerce

C2B (Customer to Business)

It is a reflection of the traditional business model, where consumers place their service at the disposal of companies. A platform for free translators is a good example and is based on this type of relationship. Workana website

C2C (Customer to Customer)

Finally, we have the C2C concept, which deals with the model of consumer relationships, which is common in dialogue and marketplace forums such as OLX or the open market (a site dedicated to people selling their used goods).

4- The advantages of owning an e-commerce

Below, we show you some of the benefits of setting up a virtual store to sell products.

Flexibility in time

As we mentioned at the beginning of the text, e-commerce represents the perfect balance between having your own business and having more time available, where you can set up your virtual store while you're at home, avoid congestion while going to work and back, and avoid all barriers that are common to those with physical work.

Authority

When you set up e-commerce, you are free to decide which chart is most suitable for your product, and your target audience's interests, as well as not having to pay commissions to others.

Low investment costs

The benefit of having an online business is that you don't need to worry about costs for electricity, rental property, and workers' salaries.

Initially, you just need to buy Domain (domain) and contract an Internet server (modem). The good news is that both options have reasonable annual packages and pay about $50 to start.

There are also several templates ready for your store available online, which means you don't need to afford programming and design work, provided you choose the right tool for you!

Growable sales

To perform a sale in a physical store that takes a period to reach the person, follow up while he evaluates the products, offer him benefits, and eventually pay. In the Online Store, the purchase process is more dynamic, and you can achieve a lot of sales from the same ad, especially real-time sales.

In the case of physical products, the more you want to achieve sales, the more investment you need to build a warehouse for you, but if you choose to trade through digital products, that product may generate a return while it is available for entry and use.

The disadvantages of owning an e-commerce

As in any business, having e-commerce also has its own disadvantages, especially when talking about physical products. It's important to weigh everything to make sure the beauties are worth investing in. Maybe it's good for you to look for other models of business.

Create a warehouse

One of the main problems with e-commerce is the need for a product repository to meet buyers' demand, for two reasons: you don't yet know what products are on sale, and you probably don't have

the physical space in your home to store everything.

But don't worry, as there are some options to overcome this problem, the first of these options is to sell the products deposited, put different people's products and display them in your store, in exchange for a commission for every verified sale, in this way, you don't need to invest in setting up a warehouse for you.

Another alternative is to sell only recommended products, such as tobacco and leather, which are leather accessory stores such as belts and contracts. These stores manufacture products in a custom manner at the request of buyers. In this case, the production of these required materials begins only after proof of payment by the customer. An example in the Arab countries is the Egyptian website that designs clothes for you according to your personal interests.

High competition

• In the same way, you're looking to create your own e-commerce style, there are thousands of people who have the same idea, so competition should be one of the first factors to consider before investing money in an online store setting.
• What kind of products would you like to offer? Are there other e-commerce activities that offer something similar? Can you offer products better? Study your market well before then, to offer solutions that are truly outstanding and add great value to buyers.

Deliveries

The logistics of deliveries can be a real nightmare for the buyer, especially since this factor was one of the reasons for the delay in e-commerce in the Arab region, and you don't want to give the impression that you are late in delivering orders in your e-business, right? We'll talk more about this point.

5- A detailed step-by-step explanation to create your own e-commerce system

Creating e-commerce is very serial, as in the guide we've set up on how to create a blog. Here are the detailed steps:

Buy Domain (range)

As in any site, the Domain's choice of what should relate to the product you will sell in your e-business must be a simple and easy-to-remember name.

A domain purchase must be made via Godaddy or name.com, if you have a site within which you can create a path for your store, such as www. zzzzzzz/store

Choose an e-commerce tool

If you don't have technical knowledge of software, we recommend you very much use e-commerce tools.

• In addition to the many customizable capabilities available, these platforms include all the functions you need to get started. There are services such as those offered by Muslim Arts and Surf Five, a benefits site that offers smart solutions for creating an online store. You can study all of these sites and decide which option best suits your needs.

• A very good tip for you is to find groups on Facebook on the subject of e-commerce, so you get to know the opinions of other people who use these services and so you can make a decision based on more facts and knowledge. (Soon we will have a post here in the blog, dedicated to talking about online store setup platforms here in the blog, always follow us!).

Choose the payment style

With the same e-commerce tool, you can set up payment options for your products including credit card payments, invoices... Etc. we remind you that it is important to provide as many payment possibilities as possible for you your customer, provided that these methods do not adversely affect your profits or logistically affect your business.

Choose product type: physical or digital

Choosing the product you will sell can be the first step in the e-commerce preparation process and can be the last, but it is certainly one of the most important stages, affecting distribution and logistics.

Physical products are the most common option, the kind of market we are more accustomed to, and they are consumer goods that last for a long time or do not last, such as books, food, clothes, and shoes. etc

Other products are distributed online and are usually educational content such as e-books, online courses, software, and subscription services.

Moreover, logistics are simpler, in the case of digital products, sales are viable, and there is no limit to the number of trades you can make, as putting your product up doesn't depend on a warehouse, while available for sale, it can generate revenue for you.

On the other hand, these products are more vulnerable to piracy, fraud, and large online distribution. Therefore, you should be more careful in distributions. Some distance learning platforms such as Hotmart Club have some techniques to prevent this type of work, but piracy is a common crime, so it is becoming more difficult to eliminate it.

Take care of the logistics.

• One of the factors that makes people feel insecure while buying online is the fact that they do not carry the product home with them immediately after they have paid, except for the aforementioned digital products that can be used and accessed from the moment the payment is proven.
• The biggest challenge for an entrepreneur who wants to have their own e-commerce is to develop a logistics distribution business system that is practical for recommendations, if there is a warehouse for sale, and if the warehouse is available, how many units are available?
• In addition, you can think of the best options for transporting goods. Smaller e-commerce activities use mail, as it is a reasonably priced service that reaches all parts of the country, but depending on the level of demand it may be useful to think of alternative delivery methods such as carriers.

Additional advice: Create e-commerce on your Facebook page.

You don't need to pay Facebook to add and trade your product, to add a store section to your page follow the following steps:

1. Click on the store section of your page, if you don't find that directory, click Settings, on the top left end, and then on the page editing option, and in this list choose the Add Directory button.
2. If you agree with trade terms and policies, click Follow, for security issues, your Facebook password may be requested again.
3. Choose the message-to-buy option so that customers can contact you when they are interested in a product, or finish your purchase at another location to send customers to another page to continue your purchase, here, click Continue.
4. Choose the currency you want to use in your trades, which will apply to all your products and can only be changed if you delete the store section and set up a new store.
5. Click Save.

By completing this step, you can start entering your products.

6- Trends to be always watched for

In the coming years, the electronic market may undergo changes to suit the needs of consumers. Learn about some trends and how they can adapt to them.

Responsive e-commerce day by day

Although the majority of people enter the Internet using mobile devices, many virtual stores are not well adapted to smaller screens, as in a smartphone. The trend is for this reality to change in the coming years, with responsive design being one of the elements that greatly affect the user's experience.

New ways to pay

There are some international companies like Apple, Amazon, and PayPal trying to test new ways to pay for their products. The idea in short is that the consumer does not need to use credit cards and can use a thumbprint or any other type of identification to complete the purchase. The aim of this change is to increase credibility completely and reduce fraud that can be associated with a credit card.

Consumer behavior analysis

This item is no longer a trend, as it is part of the fact that works through online sales. Some equipment, such as Google Trends, which shows higher-than-instant searches, and Google Analytics, which reveals visitor behavior on your page, can provide you with valuable information about your audience and help you attract many customers.

Points programs

Currently, many companies work through this pattern, in which the customer is rewarded every time he makes a purchase, and can switch accumulated points with new products or services. "Competition" for points motivates new consumers to continue buying and can serve as a strategy to "restore" old customers.

The relationship between Online and Online

E-commerce for physical products strives to develop methods that create a more integrated experience for consumers.

Every time stores offer their online store with great models and always provide the best consumer experience, for example, Safecom Fashion and Fashion, for men and women, where offers a lot of shopping options, allows for price fixing, sizes, and colors desired by the consumer, allows the consumer to see the piece from all sides and many other facilities and provide all the latest updates on newly arrived goods and this quest never ends to secure the best user experience.

Special applications

Some e-commerce businesses develop special applications to make it easier to browse customers and make purchases more flexible. Through this equipment, the buyer can enter payment information, judged on the need to fill out this data every time a new transaction is completed. This channel is also useful in delivering content to buyers in an ongoing manner.

Chatbots Chatbots

Robots are conversational interfaces that help your audience with specific tasks that can be resolved through questions and answers. Smarter robots investigate what a customer is looking for from using keywords to showing complementary services, making them excellent tools for customer service when the problem is easy to solve.

Take the opportunity to read our integrated publication on the subject.

Tips for increasing sales through e-commerce

It may sound tacky, but the price isn't always the primary incentive to buy. Believe me, if the product offers the product high value and helps the customer solve a problem, he never cares if he pays too much for it.

On the other hand, a bad buying experience can damage your relationship with the customer. See some tips that can help you reduce upcoming customer objections and thereby increase sales.

Let you have a simple and smooth list.

If the consumer needs to browse a lot across your site to find the items they're looking for, they can back off buying. Your list must be clear and intuitive to facilitate the search process.

Put premium products on your site

Having a list of best-selling products, well-evaluated products, consumer choices, and other sections helps reduce consumer search time and improve your page experience.

Create funded advertising publications

More than 60% of consumers are looking for online guidance before buying. Set up posts across social networks and contact digital influencers to talk about the product.

Work to taste the description

The more information you provide about the product, the safer the consumer feels to make a purchase. Basically, if you work through digital products that can't be switched.

If that's the case, you should make it clear that you are selling a digital product and that the delivery will take place exclusively online, if possible use images that help embody your product, as someone who reads a tablet.

View buyers' rating

Product evaluation is a catalyst for increased sales, so look at them in your business. It should be noted that the number of written evaluations has a significant impact on the purchase decision, more than the degree obtained by the product, according to the Picard Institute.

Follow market changes

Things change rapidly online. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the market and essentially learn about key developments in your sector, watch the competition to see how it relates to your target audience and focus on the pains that are ignored by the big shopkeepers. These alternatives may have a quick financial return if the competition is small.

Create high-value content

To achieve more sales, you need to have a multi-channel strategy that includes social networks, email, and blogs. But it's not enough to be in all the media.

Encourage sharing your page on social media

• Social networks help generate tremendous traffic on your site, raising awareness and culture of your brand awareness brand, a phenomenon through which other people get to know your brand.

• A simple way to encourage interactions is to put social media sharing buttons on your site. We also suggest that you do tests to discover the best times to post on your page, in this way more people are more likely to interact with that content.

Talk clearly about consumer rights

Despite the weakly growing electronic market, insecurity continues to be a factor preventing many consumers who have bought online. To overcome this obstacle, put in one place all policies that preserve consumer rights, such as:

Switch or replay policy

It may sound strange, but consumers feel safer buying when they know they can ask for refunds for a purchase or product change if the item is not fit for their needs.

privacy policy

It is a document explaining how the data provided by the buyer (name, email, payment data) will be used by the site. By approving it, the consumer admits that it grants this information of its own volition.

Repeated questions

This section is also known as FAQ common questions and includes the most common issues your audience has about your store, products displayed there, payment terms, and other information. It serves as a support service for less complex requests, but it's helpful to put your email address to communicate with you about questions that have not been fully clarified in this document.

Conclusion

If you intend to create e-commerce you have seen in this publication the first steps to start.

But it's important to know that to be out of the market, you need to go a lot differently from "normal" and constantly study the market to provide a high-value service for your audience.