The transition from traditional to digital sales no longer seems like something futuristic – online stores and marketplaces are all around us. The industry is getting better every day, with an increasing range of products, new categories of goods, and the receipt and delivery of orders being gradually automated.
The pandemic had a significant impact on the takeoff of Internet commerce, which acted as a protective trend. This takeoff led to a significant strain on data networks and a shortage of Internet capacity. However, companies that were able to diversify into online and offline businesses found themselves in a favorable position compared to traditional businesses.
A couple of decades ago, no one could imagine ordering groceries online and having them delivered in less than an hour. But the coronavirus pandemic has changed the way people think about shopping and forced retailers to change the way they operate in a short period.
The Covid-19 pandemic hit the luxury sector hard, with sales dropping about a quarter in 2020. Automakers and physical retailers of luxury goods were particularly affected, but e-commerce, on the contrary, took off, strengthening the position of multi-brand online retailers.
Marketplaces are not only displacing traditional stores from the first places in the rankings but are becoming their full-fledged substitute.
The world leaders of online commerce are going even further. For a glimpse into the fast-growing eCommerce store, check out https://www.youtube.com/@temu, where you can view some of their amazing products. They are not only encroaching on classic retail but are also looking at manufacturing. Amazon owns more than 80 labels, and the Asos site has six of its brands.
According to various statistical agencies, in 2014, the global online commerce market was estimated at $1.3 trillion. In 2021, it reached almost five trillion dollars, and in a couple of years, it will be close to seven trillion dollars. E-commerce accounts for about 18 percent of all retail sales, and the global online market is growing by 25 percent annually.
Shopping on the Internet solves several problems at once and integrates seamlessly into the lifestyle of a modern person. Firstly, they save time. Secondly, it saves money, as prices can be compared in a browser or app window. Thirdly, there is no need to expend effort: store couriers will bring your purchases themselves and bring them to your doorstep – all that is left is to unpack them. Fourthly, it’s also safe.
Today there are a huge number of platforms and mechanisms that allow you to create your online store literally in minutes, without any prior experience or the right connections. Let’s take a look at the most popular tools for creating an e-commerce business.
Shopify
Shopify is the leading e-commerce platform that allows entrepreneurs to create their online stores. It is easy to use, and it’s perfect for entrepreneurs who want to launch their online store without any hassle or large financial outlay.
The Theme Store from Shopify offers professionally designed free and paid themes for various industries, which can then be customized to fit your brand.
There are great app stores where you can choose from over 1,400 different apps to customize the functionality of your store.
If you’re setting up an online store for the first time or just need help with technical issues, this is one feature you’ll need — Shopify provides phone, chat, and email support. Shopify is SaaS (software as a service), so you don’t have to worry about things like hosting or maintenance.
Social media
An even easier tool for online commerce is social media. Today both Facebook and Instagram offer business accounts, and you can create your mini stores. The share of commerce through social networks grows every year because sometimes we don’t even notice that we click on the link of a particular store, flipping through the feed with updates from friends.
Payment solutions
If a few years ago it was quite difficult to trust any company to cooperate in online payments, today this side of the market has become more transparent and clear. There are dozens of reliable online payment service providers working with Visa, MasterCard, PayPal, Google, and Apple Pay. Installment payment services like Klarna have also become incredibly popular. It’s completely free for the buyer and allows them to split their purchase into four payments without overpaying for it.
Delivery
When it comes to delivery, today everything is automated as well – from the largest postal companies to courier companies – you can follow your parcel in real-time and have complete control over the process, being safe and confident that the buyer will receive his purchase on time.
