Everything you need to know to start selling online

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Emerging e-commerce technologies are eliminating the barrier to entry for traditional brick-and-mortar businesses into the digital world. Selling online is no longer seen as a passing trend and is now a consolidated business model that offers a range of privileged opportunities to the current era of digital consumers .

But starting an e-commerce project requires not only a set of available resources, but also in-depth planning of the business model. Taking the leap into this digital wave is a common challenge for almost all companies. Most do not have the knowledge to do so or are unable to identify the right time and the appropriate strategies to start selling online.

What do you need to know before you start selling online?
With the change in behavior and consumption habits, driven by the pandemic crisis that has shaken the economy and businesses, it is essential to adapt models and start investing in digital strategies . But how?

Bet on internal knowledge

Before launching an e-commerce project , it is important to have a solid jamaica whatsapp number database of the brand and the resources available. Analyze the financial aspects, logistics operations, customer service processes, or existing systems and tools that can be used.

Study the market and opportunities for your business

Every business is unique and needs a personalized strategy. Before you start selling online, it is essential to understand the opportunities that exist in this business model for your specific brand. While competition is the biggest challenge for online businesses, digital technology drastically boosts brand visibility, erasing the geographical boundaries that once existed.
Create a plan to start selling online

Regardless of the resources available or the type of product/service to be marketed, it is important to define some essential points:
Define your target audience
Create an ideal customer profile
Deliver a differentiating value proposition
Determine roles in the team
Study the logistics processes

Choose the ideal e-commerce model for your brand

In addition to having in-depth knowledge of the company and the market, it is important to know the various business model options for e-commerce. These options vary according to the company's objectives and the type of customer. There are several online business models , but these are the most common:

B2B (Business to Business) : this model is carried out between two companies;
B2C (Business to Consumer) : companies sell directly to consumers;
C2C (Consumer to Consumer) : this model involves transactions between two or more consumers, through marketplaces such as OLX or CustoJusto, social networks or other buying and selling platforms.

Choose the best sales channels

Starting to sell online is not just about creating an online store or website. This is just one of the steps. The online project should start with defining a business model and the most suitable sales channels. At this stage, it is important to know where potential customers are and what resources are available to invest in certain channels.

These are some examples of sales channels:

Exclusive online store
Online store and physical store
Catalogue Sales
Marketplaces
Rental
Subscription
Implement communication and customer attraction strategies

From social media to email marketing, there are countless digital strategies and tools that help promote brands and attract potential customers. To do this, consider several aspects:

Build trust through brand image and communication
Provide the best possible experience
Anticipate consumers’ steps
Value customer feedback
Provide ongoing support and support

Don't leave logistics management on the back burner

An inefficient logistics process has a very negative impact on sales results. To avoid these poor results, logistics management must involve the integration of information between systems, transport, stock, packaging, storage and shipping.

It may not be obvious, but the logistics process is present throughout the consumer purchasing cycle: from the availability of the product in stock to the delivery process.

The main mission is to find a balance between the outputs (sales) and inputs (purchases) of materials . Therefore, invest in efficient planning and ensure that the available stock is capable of meeting customer needs, thus avoiding unnecessary costs with excess stock or loss of customers due to lack of items.
Create a business plan to start selling online
There really isn’t one structure that works for every business. And the options for starting to sell online are endless. The biggest challenge is deciding whether to sell through a single sales channel or to go for a multichannel or omnichannel strategy. To make that decision, study your sales processes, target audience and analyze what best fits your business model:

A single sales channel : On the one hand, the Marketplace offers faster business launches and outsourcing of logistics, on the other hand, the online store offers greater independence, greater personalization of the experience and greater capacity for scaling. You can choose one of the options or choose several.

Multichannel : You can choose to sell on multiple channels simultaneously, online and offline.

Omnichannel : This model is based on the integration of communication media with sales media. The omnichannel process offers a consistent experience with all sales channels connected to each other.

What tools streamline online business management?

In businesses that are already established offline, it is common to have management software that helps control all operations related to the company's management. When the business takes off online, it is important to ensure a fully integrated process: from updating stock and prices, to managing orders and invoicing.

It is essential to understand that omnichannel is no longer a trend, it is a reality and a necessity . There is now technology that allows you to sell on multiple channels simultaneously, through a single platform that centralizes all logistics and sales operations. PRIMAVERA's e-Commerce Connector simplifies your company's logistics management and sales control , and online sales management is done in an integrated manner in a single backoffice, regardless of the channel.

Even though it is still too early to know the true impact of the pandemic, it is certain that in order to survive, businesses must reinvent themselves and adapt to changes . Make your work easier. Invest in omnichannel and customer satisfaction and adopt the right digital sales channels that help with the online sales process.