In medieval times the common laborer was thought to be less able to understand certain elements of civilized society. These men and women were not allowed to learn to read nor could they attend houses of worship because they were considered incapable of understanding what they heard.
Yes time after time these peasants were the basis for stories of renown and wonder. It is said that a peasant who listened to a sermon outside a church gathered bits and pieces of the Christmas story to write a carol that is still sung today.
Even in recent memory there has been a prevailing thought that only certain individuals are capable of developing a business. This is usually linked to the social standing of the individual or to the accumulated wealth of his or her family.
In business success has typically been tied to who you are, who knows you and how deep your pockets are. If you didn't have the 'name', if you weren't recognized and you didn't have much money then your business would likely fail.
Ecommerce views every business owner as equal. There is no distinction and no preconceived ideas about the background or abilities of the business owner.
The link for all good online businesses is the ability to develop trust. If you are conscientious about providing exceptional customer service and superior products you may likely discover an improved customer base no matter what your personal background is like.
A blue-collar worker with a big idea has every reason to believe they can succeed online. A hard working rancher can develop an idea from their land of wide-open spaces and it may succeed. A single mom struggling to make ends meet might just come up with an idea that contains all the elements for a hit.
Rules that have always seemed as if they are designed for the 'haves' and 'have nots' no longer seem valid in an online business environment. The role of cyberspace is to equalize the impact of business ideas.
How does it do that?
In an online world you are going after customers on a global scale. You are no longer judged on your past failures or successes you are simply judged on your ability to deliver and provide quality products or services - now. If you can do that most customers would not even think to inquire about your lineage or stock portfolio.
An online environment can be one of the least discriminating places on earth. Your online presence is what speaks most to your product offerings and ability to fulfill your promises.
So, in a barn in Utah, a kitchen in Harlem or a neighborhood garage in New Jersey there are likely online businesses that are being developed to improve the quality of life for families that have struggled long enough.
Perhaps the most interesting irony in this is that some of the customers who frequent these 'great idea' sites may be white-collar workers who are less interested in the dynamics of the online business and more interested in receiving what they need.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Thinking Of Selling Goods Over The Internet?
Online Sales (E-commerce) has a huge number of benefits mainly being that you are opening your shop/ services up to the whole world, and with a well designed system can be easy to manage and maintain. One of the main downfalls is the set up cost an e-commerce system can cost a considerable amount of money, and once it is set up usually you must pay for maintenance costs in case issues arise with the system later down the line.
Another cost that people often over look is actually marketing your online store, if no one knows that your stores exist it will be redundant. Then you have to take on the cost of paying an internet marketing expert who will help your store get online visibility.
Before opening your online store why not test the market place by using companies such as Amazon or even eBay? These are great places to see if there is a demand for your products with out taking on heavy overheads. eBay the online market place is not the perfect solution for this problem, eBay is losing its good reputation due to the amount of people using E bay for the wrong reasons. This is where Amazon steps in, in my opinion Amazon is the best online store available on the Internet.
Amazon is safe secure and reliable and also has numerous offers available on a wide range of goods. Amazon has a brilliant feature, it allows you to open a dedicated shop within Amazon, where you can style the pages and sell all of your goods. Using Amazons online shop has a number of benefits mainly being that you can build your online store yourself and will benefit from a secure system.
You can then add links to your own web site straight into your Amazon shop allowing customers to buy your products. You will also receive the promotion for your goods ! The only real downfall will be that Amazon takes a small cut of your profit, but considered this against the money you could spend on an online store it is a small fee.
If your store then becomes a success then considered opening your own online store, maybe with the profits you made from Amazon. Good luck !
Another cost that people often over look is actually marketing your online store, if no one knows that your stores exist it will be redundant. Then you have to take on the cost of paying an internet marketing expert who will help your store get online visibility.
Before opening your online store why not test the market place by using companies such as Amazon or even eBay? These are great places to see if there is a demand for your products with out taking on heavy overheads. eBay the online market place is not the perfect solution for this problem, eBay is losing its good reputation due to the amount of people using E bay for the wrong reasons. This is where Amazon steps in, in my opinion Amazon is the best online store available on the Internet.
Amazon is safe secure and reliable and also has numerous offers available on a wide range of goods. Amazon has a brilliant feature, it allows you to open a dedicated shop within Amazon, where you can style the pages and sell all of your goods. Using Amazons online shop has a number of benefits mainly being that you can build your online store yourself and will benefit from a secure system.
You can then add links to your own web site straight into your Amazon shop allowing customers to buy your products. You will also receive the promotion for your goods ! The only real downfall will be that Amazon takes a small cut of your profit, but considered this against the money you could spend on an online store it is a small fee.
If your store then becomes a success then considered opening your own online store, maybe with the profits you made from Amazon. Good luck !
Monday, February 18, 2008
B2Bs Are Rendezvous for Megabuck Deals
In international trade, one business house to find another business entity of related trading need is of paramount importance. History indicates that prior to the existence of Business to Business (B2B) web portals; the whole business process was a long-drawn-out one, which involved a lot of time, money and energy. The arrival of B2Bs in the world of e-commerce has eventually transformed the way businesses are done around the world today.
The concept of B2B portal should be termed as the most amazing invention in the world of business. While they sprout one after the other in the web world, no one doubts about the success of the concept, but perhaps which one would remain among them in the long run. All the leading B2B portals are vying with one another by providing customized solutions for their clients' international trade needs. B2Bs are not just portals with a vast database of exporters and importers alone but also as that of transporters and other related service providers.
Conventional channels of international trade involved massive financial outlay. Therefore, most of the domestic traders as well as others who wished to enter exim business used to ward away from such ventures. But B2Bs allayed such fears by enabling them to use the provided platform as a testing ground to gauge the interest of their product or/and services in the international market. Hence, B2Bs allowed, especially the new player to de-risk oneself from incurring enormous blind investments before making serious plunge into those markets straight away.
During the early days of B2Bs, they used to have only the data base of exporters, importers, transporters and service providers. But today they have a section dedicated to provide information about trade shows happening across the world. Besides, they have subsidiary services like latest news, and forums to exchange one's concerns and experiences of international business.
Some of the leading portals has a mechanism to clean up or/and screen profiles deemed as spammers and fraudsters. Yet deals on B2Bs should be given the same diligent care that you give to do any business, to avoid any kind of disappointment. As a safety measure, one should try to deal with the premium members because some of the leading B2Bs, approve the paid up members company profile after making a back ground check.
Successful converts of B2Bs have started utilizing the services of multiple B2Bs instead of being listed in just one of them for ensuring quick business response. Even conventional international traders and those traders with self networks admit that a giant share of the future overseas businesses would be through B2Bs. Incidentally, various governmental organizations with exim arms too make use of the services of B2Bs.
The concept of B2B portal should be termed as the most amazing invention in the world of business. While they sprout one after the other in the web world, no one doubts about the success of the concept, but perhaps which one would remain among them in the long run. All the leading B2B portals are vying with one another by providing customized solutions for their clients' international trade needs. B2Bs are not just portals with a vast database of exporters and importers alone but also as that of transporters and other related service providers.
Conventional channels of international trade involved massive financial outlay. Therefore, most of the domestic traders as well as others who wished to enter exim business used to ward away from such ventures. But B2Bs allayed such fears by enabling them to use the provided platform as a testing ground to gauge the interest of their product or/and services in the international market. Hence, B2Bs allowed, especially the new player to de-risk oneself from incurring enormous blind investments before making serious plunge into those markets straight away.
During the early days of B2Bs, they used to have only the data base of exporters, importers, transporters and service providers. But today they have a section dedicated to provide information about trade shows happening across the world. Besides, they have subsidiary services like latest news, and forums to exchange one's concerns and experiences of international business.
Some of the leading portals has a mechanism to clean up or/and screen profiles deemed as spammers and fraudsters. Yet deals on B2Bs should be given the same diligent care that you give to do any business, to avoid any kind of disappointment. As a safety measure, one should try to deal with the premium members because some of the leading B2Bs, approve the paid up members company profile after making a back ground check.
Successful converts of B2Bs have started utilizing the services of multiple B2Bs instead of being listed in just one of them for ensuring quick business response. Even conventional international traders and those traders with self networks admit that a giant share of the future overseas businesses would be through B2Bs. Incidentally, various governmental organizations with exim arms too make use of the services of B2Bs.
Ecommerce 101 - 5 Tips on What Your Customers Want
Getting inside the head of an e-commerce shopper can be a daunting task. There are many variables when it comes to the question of conversions; including product cost, professionalism of your website, shipping factors, payment options and much more. With the rise of e-commerce comes increased competition. Don't think that your customers won't search out your exact same product on your competitors site to find the lowest cost. With seemingly endless availability, how can you ensure your business gets the attention and the customers it needs to survive?
Today, online shoppers want to deal with a credible business and buy a product that will last. Assuming your website receives a healthy flow of traffic, you need to take those prospects and convert them into sales. Because shoppers can find what they're looking for in a variety of places, you need to provide them with the additional information, the extra mile that makes them comfortable with an initial purchase, and keeps them coming back for more. With that being said, the most important factor in the purchase decision is by far one word; trust. And not only trust in the company they're purchasing from, but trust in the product they're purchasing. Without this, your competitor is more likely to garner your business. Here's some tips on how to ensure your website isn't losing business due to lack of trust:
1. Include your business and contact information on your website (including your phone number), and any organizations that you belong to that have to deal with credibility. Shoppers may research you before making a purchase and definitely want more than an email address in case something goes wrong.
2. Showcase positive customer testimonials. Nothing is more powerful than another consumer giving their recommendation on a business or product.
3. Highlight the fact that shopping on your site is secure. Whatever layer of encryption or method your merchant account uses, make sure your customers know it's safe to give out their credit card information.
4. Give your business a voice and personality. Let people know who you are, why you're in this business and how important customer service is to you. People want to know who they're buying from.
5. Professionalism. Make sure your site is easy to navigate, designed well, and conveys the idea that it's a real business so customers know how to find what they're looking for. There's a standard that people are used to, and you need to be at or above that line when it comes to your website.
The easiest way to meet all these requirements is to implement a business blog. This will provide a forum for you to give your shoppers what they need when it comes to trust, and it will also ensure they have the best opportunity to become your customer for a lifetime. A blog allows you to post testimonials, reviews, company information and also give your business that all-important voice. When it comes down to a decision on whether or not to purchase from your site or a competitors, a business blog that conveys professionalism and trust could be the deciding factor that allows those sales to start rolling in.
Today, online shoppers want to deal with a credible business and buy a product that will last. Assuming your website receives a healthy flow of traffic, you need to take those prospects and convert them into sales. Because shoppers can find what they're looking for in a variety of places, you need to provide them with the additional information, the extra mile that makes them comfortable with an initial purchase, and keeps them coming back for more. With that being said, the most important factor in the purchase decision is by far one word; trust. And not only trust in the company they're purchasing from, but trust in the product they're purchasing. Without this, your competitor is more likely to garner your business. Here's some tips on how to ensure your website isn't losing business due to lack of trust:
1. Include your business and contact information on your website (including your phone number), and any organizations that you belong to that have to deal with credibility. Shoppers may research you before making a purchase and definitely want more than an email address in case something goes wrong.
2. Showcase positive customer testimonials. Nothing is more powerful than another consumer giving their recommendation on a business or product.
3. Highlight the fact that shopping on your site is secure. Whatever layer of encryption or method your merchant account uses, make sure your customers know it's safe to give out their credit card information.
4. Give your business a voice and personality. Let people know who you are, why you're in this business and how important customer service is to you. People want to know who they're buying from.
5. Professionalism. Make sure your site is easy to navigate, designed well, and conveys the idea that it's a real business so customers know how to find what they're looking for. There's a standard that people are used to, and you need to be at or above that line when it comes to your website.
The easiest way to meet all these requirements is to implement a business blog. This will provide a forum for you to give your shoppers what they need when it comes to trust, and it will also ensure they have the best opportunity to become your customer for a lifetime. A blog allows you to post testimonials, reviews, company information and also give your business that all-important voice. When it comes down to a decision on whether or not to purchase from your site or a competitors, a business blog that conveys professionalism and trust could be the deciding factor that allows those sales to start rolling in.
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