E-Commerce: Revolution of the Digital World
The COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed consumption habits around the world and accelerated the rise of e-commerce. During the pandemic, people enjoyed wearing their pajamas, drinking coffee, accessing the products they wanted in seconds, making contactless payments and shopping with a wide variety of products in the magic world of the internet. This transformation contributed greatly to e-commerce becoming more widespread and important throughout the country.
If you have gathered the courage to start a business from scratch and want to start your own business online, you are at the right place! How is e-commerce done? What should be the first steps? Do questions like these come to your mind? Don't worry, we will guide you step by step. Are you ready? Now let's start exploring the magical world of digital shopping!
What is E-Commerce?
E-commerce is a broad term that covers commercial transactions over the internet. E-commerce, also called 'electronic commerce' or 'virtual commerce' in Turkish, refers to the process of selling products and services through a website or other digital platforms. In this process, buyers and sellers can make transactions with just a few clicks, without visiting a physical store. While e-commerce expands the boundaries of trade from the national level to the international level, it makes this concept, which shows the origin of products as an important factor in traditional trade, more flexible in the digital world. So, instead of asking questions such as where the product comes from, who produces it, what is important when shopping online is which website you prefer and the quality of the product!
What are the advantages of e-commerce?
Reaching Large Audiences : Thanks to the Internet, you can reach customers all over the world. Now "local" borders are just on the map, the world is your virtual marketplace!
Being Open 24/7 : Your online store continues to operate even when everyone is sleeping. Customers can shop day or night, and you can manage in your pajamas!
Cost Savings : Renting a physical store, decorating, hiring employees... What about setting up a website instead of all of these and keeping track of the work while drinking your coffee?
Unlimited Product Variety : There is no limit to the products you can offer to customers in e-commerce! You can offer your customers anything from a baby diaper to spacecraft. Even while taking a coffee break, in front of the computer!
Personalized Shopping Experience : You can offer customer-specific shopping experiences with "What we chose for you" suggestions. You can even organize a birthday celebration for those who want. Who says virtual shopping can't be personal?
Data and Analysis Opportunities: You can observe the development of your business by monitoring customer behavior. Seeing what products are popular and what hours you see the heaviest traffic can be exciting, like something out of a sci-fi movie!
Easy Payment and Delivery Options: Credit card, money order, even cryptocurrency... Payment options are diversified. Moreover, so are the shipping options! Give your customers the freedom to choose, and maybe eventually your shopping package will land from the air by drone! Yes, you heard right, your shopping is now in the sky!
Flexibility and Easy Management : You can manage your product stocks automatically. Flexible working hours, flexible stock management... As management becomes easier, life becomes more beautiful! Here is the flexibility of e-commerce, always with you!
What are the Disadvantages of E-Commerce?
Lack of Intimate Relationship: When shopping on e-commerce platforms, buyers cannot personally discuss the product with the seller or get recommendations as there is no chance of communicating with the seller face to face. This can make the shopping experience cold. For example, it may be difficult to get detailed information about a product or to make the right decision by trying the product.
Lack of Physical Contact: When purchasing products online, it can be difficult to get a full idea of the material quality, texture or actual dimensions as it is not possible to see and touch the product in real life. However, many e-commerce companies have developed precautions against this disadvantage and offer unconditional returns and exchanges.
Security of Personal Information: When shopping online, the security of sensitive personal data such as credit card information is of great importance. There is a risk of this information being compromised on unreliable or unprotected sites. However, reliable e-commerce sites protect users' information by using advanced security measures and encryption technologies, so the shopping experience can become safer.
Fake Websites and Scams: Some fake websites can deceive consumers by posing as a real e-commerce site. In this case, users may experience loss of both monetary and personal information. Consumers can minimize these risks by choosing reliable and well-known e-commerce platforms.
E-Commerce Types
B2B (Business-to-Business): It is an e-commerce model where businesses sell products or services to each other. B2B e-commerce covers a wide range of businesses, such as wholesalers, raw material manufacturers, and service providers that sell to businesses.
C2B (Consumer-to-Business): It is a type of e-commerce where individuals sell products or services to businesses. For example, influencers providing content or promotional services to brands is an example of C2B e-commerce.
C2C (Consumer-to-Consumer): It is a form of e-commerce where individuals sell products or services to each other. Any transaction between two individuals who are not businesses is considered C2C. It covers most transactions that take place on platforms such as sahibinden.com or social media stores such as Facebook or Instagram.
B2C (Business-to-Consumer): It is a type of e-commerce where businesses sell products or services directly to individual consumers. It is one of the most widely used types of e-commerce.
How to Start E-Commerce?
1) Creating a Business Plan and Strategy
The first step to starting e-commerce is to create a comprehensive business plan and strategy. This step will lay the foundation for your business and help you determine your future steps.
Product Selection and Market Research : First, determine the product or service you will sell. This choice should be made based on your interests, experience and market demand. Conduct market research, analyze the competition and determine your target audience.
Business Model : Determine which business model such as dropshipping, stock sales, wholesale is suitable for you. Decide by evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of each model.
Strategy and Goals : Set short- and long-term goals. Create a strategy that includes details such as sales targets, marketing strategies, customer service plans.
2) Legal and Financial Transactions
As a second step, it is necessary to put your business within the legal framework and establish your financial management systems.
Company Formation : Take the necessary steps to formalize your business. Determine your company type (sole proprietorship, limited company, etc.), register in the trade registry and obtain a tax certificate.
Taxation and Accounting : Determine the appropriate tax regime for your e-commerce activities. Create your tax liability and set up your accounting systems. Organize income-expense statements, billing processes and reporting systems.
3) E-commerce Platform Selection
Choosing the platform that will create your business's online presence is of great importance. Pay attention to the following factors when choosing an e-commerce platform:
Platform Features : Choose a platform that suits your needs. For example, you can choose from popular platforms such as Shopify, WooCommerce.
User-Friendly Interface : Make sure the website is user-friendly. Consider features such as mobile compatibility and SEO support.
Payment and Shipping Integration : Choose a suitable platform to integrate payment methods such as credit card and PayPal. Also examine the integration possibilities with cargo companies.
4) Website and Store Setup
Setting up your online store effectively directly impacts customer experience. Prepare your website by following the steps below:
Design and Branding : Choose a professional design and reflect your brand identity on the website.
Product Listing : List your products in detail. Add information such as product photos, descriptions, prices and availability.
Payment and Security : Establish a system where users can make secure payments. Do not neglect security measures such as SSL certificate.
SEO Optimization : Try to attract organic traffic by adjusting the SEO (Search Engine Optimization) settings of your website.
5) Marketing and Sales
Develop effective marketing strategies to promote your products and increase sales:
Digital Marketing : Use digital marketing techniques such as SEO, Google Ads, social media ads.
Social Media Management : Be active on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. Share content to increase your follower base and raise your brand awareness.
Email Marketing : Keep in touch with your customers regularly. Introduce new products and offer discounts with email campaigns.
6) Customer Service
Customer satisfaction is vital to a successful e-commerce business. To manage customer service processes effectively, follow these steps:
Communication Channels : Provide various communication channels such as phone, email, live support.
Order Management : Ensure orders are delivered on time and in full. Follow shipping processes regularly.
Feedback and Reviews : Collect and evaluate customer feedback. Continually improve your service quality using good and bad feedback.
7) Performance Tracking and Development
Identify improvement opportunities by regularly analyzing your business' performance:
Analytics and Reporting : Monitor your website performance with tools like Google Analytics. Optimize your strategies by analyzing sales data.
Continuous Improvement : Continuously improve your marketing and sales strategies using the data you obtain. Improve your service quality by taking customer feedback into consideration.
8) Training and Consultancy
In the world of ecommerce, it is important to stay current and constantly learn:
Follow the Developments in the Sector : Read books about e-commerce, follow the innovations in the sector.
Consultancy Services : Get support from consultants who are experts in e-commerce when you need it.
