It may be strange to a lot of people, but the idea of eCommerce has been thrown around since the late 1970s. The idea obviously took a while to truly take flight but when it did, boy did it soar. The idea that transactions could be made in the comfort of your home and with the tip of your finger was one that greatly appealed to millennials (those born between 1982 to 2002) because of the ever-tightening time restraints on daily life.
The idea that you can potentially gain access to thousands of different stores in order to get the best deals and the highest number of choices was also another selling point in eCommerce. This brilliant idea was centered around user experience and the ease of making transactions.
Buyers want to be able to make their purchases securely and without having to step out of the comfort of their home. Sellers want to be able to handle as many transactions as they can securely and to keep records of these transactions with as little error as possible. And to evoke this sense of comfort and security, one needs to focus on user experience.
One needs to make the ordinary processes that an in-store buyer usually goes through seem effortless. These processes can be narrowed down to selecting, paying, and receiving.
The selection process is one that is rather simple to streamline for a user. This article suggests 4 steps which all fall under the theme of keeping your product catalog organized and easy to navigate. With in-store purchases, buyers tend to browse through multiple stores and kiosks in search of what they’re looking for.
An often under-appreciated feature that eCommerce websites have is the search bar. With the search bar, users no longer have to browse aimlessly in order to find what they’re looking for. Even those who don’t have a specific item in mind can use search filters in order to shortlist several items that they think they would want based on their chosen parameters.
eCommerce websites also make it easy for sellers to keep track of their inventory — each transaction is recorded accurately and the catalog is automatically updated to reflect item availability.
But before you can even begin to think about processing transactions, your eCommerce website needs to have the proper payment software in place. This not only allows buyers to make payments instantly, but it also ensures that the money is safe and secure. It is this sense of security that both sellers and buyers mutually benefit from. This builds trust which, in turn, translates into loyal customers.
With in-store transactions, buyers would need to stand in line in order to make their purchases. Those who are handling the transactions can only handle one at a time; this can quickly turn into a chore. On the other hand, eCommerce websites are able to process thousands, even millions of transactions simultaneously. These websites allow buyers to bypass having to stand in line and to pay for their item without the long wait.
Finally, buyers want to be assured that they’re going to receive their item on time and in good condition. This can be a little trickier than the two previous processes because this involves a third party — the courier.
But this shouldn’t discourage business owners from the eCommerce environment. Proper communication is key here. Both buyers and sellers will want to be able to track their package and to be able to make an accurate estimate of when their item will be delivered.
If you need tips on how to select the right courier service provider for you, this article is one great source of information.
