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Ecommerce services_Testware Informatics
1. Ecommerce provides big opportunities for
businesses
According to Statista, the U.S. ecommerce market will bring in more than $547 billion in 2019, with
projectionsformore than$740 billionby2023. Now is the time to jumponthisbusinessopportunity, as
more and more consumers get products online.
There is plenty of potential in this market, and many different options for businesses to reach that
potential.Courtesyof the U.S.Small BusinessAdministration, here are five ways to start selling online.
Your Own Ecommerce Store – This is the most traditional option. It has its advantages and
disadvantages.Itgivesyouthe mostcontrol overeveryaspectsuchas changingcontentandcustomizing
the back endfunctionality,butitalsorequiresmore workand potentiallymore costin putting together.
HostedEcommerce Platforms –This provides you with the functionality of an ecommerce site without
havingto doa majorityof the workthat goesintothat, butit alsodoesn’tgive you as much control over
the details.
Marketplace Sites – Sites like Etsy, eBay, and Amazon allow small businesses to sell their products
alongside othersellers.Theyhave advantagesinthatthere’slessworkanda built-inaudience,butmany
charge a listing fee or take a percentage of each sale.
Social Media – With a majority of U.S. adults using at least one social media platform, you can reach
potential customers there. For example, Facebook allows page owners to set up storefronts right on
theirbusinesspage andInstagramhasa feature thatletsuserscreate shoppable posts. Again, the built-
in audience is there, but it may require more work to convert them to buyers if they aren’t already
looking for something.
Ecommerce Add-Ons–These give you an option in between building your own site and using a hosted
platform. You create your own site and then use plug-ins or pre-made options to facilitate things like
payments or buy buttons.