Seven reasons your business needs an eCommerce website

With online sales now accounting for more sales than the high street, eCommerce websites are an essential business tool. Whether you have a new business that you want to launch online or a traditional shop that you’re looking to expand, an online store is now one of the most important elements for many companies.

Over the 18 years Matrix has been building websites, we’ve seen the shift from standard websites to eCommerce as more and more businesses look to capitalise on the opportunities eCommerce offers.

If you’re still on the fence about whether to take your store online, our web design and marketing teams have compiled their top seven reasons why a good eCommerce website will boost your business.

Allow shopping 24/7

With many brick and mortar businesses utilising traditional opening hours, customers who were at work during the week were often left with little choice but to shop online. Having an eCommerce website means that your business doesn’t close when your staff goes home for the day. Your customers can shop anytime and on any day of the week.

Reach customers further afield

Aside from the occasional shopping spree, most people aren’t willing to travel too far to shop. There’s a reason “…near me” is one of the most popular search terms on Google! Having an eCommerce website increases your potential customer base from the surrounding area to the whole country and beyond. Ecommerce websites can easily be built to accommodate nationwide (and even international) orders.

Sell through social

Online selling has exploded in popularity over the last decade, so it’s probably no surprise that online advertising overtook traditional print methods in 2019. eCommerce websites allow you to integrate your online shop with social media platforms so people can buy directly from your Facebook or Instagram page – all handled through your store! You can also make the most of online advertising by promoting specific products or services. On social media, this lets people make purchases with just a few clicks.

Maximise customer value

People are making more purchases online than ever, but the number of online buyers hasn’t gone up as quickly. That’s because people are making more purchases per person. If you’ve ever bought something online and later seen adverts for similar products, chances are the company you bought from is running some type of remarketing advertising. Remarketing allows you to maximise your customer value by encouraging people to make multiple purchases.

Sync your inventory

There are plenty of eCommerce options that allow you to link your inventory to your website. This means you don’t have to worry about taking orders for products you’ve run out of. You can also let your customers know to order quickly when stock is running low.

Adapt to the changing external environment

The recent COVID-19 lockdowns were like nothing we’ve ever seen before – and hopefully won’t ever see again! People have been forced to change their habits and it’s likely we’ll be feeling those effects for some time. Many shops were forced to close and have only recently been allowed to reopen. Online stores however have remained isolated from the effects of lockdown. With a well-built eCommerce website, making changes is easy so you can adapt your online presence to changing circumstances as often as you need to.

Low cost

A good eCommerce website does require an initial investment. However, the costs for managing it once it’s up and running are minimal. An eCommerce website also allows you to run dynamic online advertising that pulls images and data straight from your website. This means you can create adverts that adapt to the customer who’s seeing them, without having to make a different variation for all of your products.

If your business needs to establish itself online, or if your current online shop isn’t delivering the results you’d hope, get in touch for a free website review and quote.