What Can You Learn From E-Commerce? 7 Lessons Learned From An Online Retailer

What can you learn from eCommerce? What is e-commerce? Both are great questions, and the answers are simple to grasp if you have an open mind. The lessons learned from eCommerce should be considered no matter what your business model is; even brick-and-mortar businesses can be innovative if they take the time to see what online retailers are doing right! Here are 7 lessons you can learn from an online retailer that can improve your business by leaps and bounds.

1) Compelling product images sell

If you're new to the e-commerce industry, learning about your options is important. For example, not all e-commerce websites offer the same service. There are types of e-commerce and features that vary depending on which type you choose to go with. One common option is transactional e-commerce, where people can purchase products or services using their credit card or PayPal account, and items are shipped within days. This means any customer will only have to sign up for an account one time to pay for any item they want in the future. Another more advanced type of online retailer is called a marketplace website like Amazon.

2) Reviews are important

Customer reviews are the cornerstone of any e-commerce business. Reviews provide shoppers with insights into the product, helping them to make informed buying decisions.

Airtable's first-hand experience in the realm of e-commerce has shown us that reviews can make or break a business. Positive reviews will increase sales, lead to a higher conversion rate, and inspire more confident customers who are less likely to second guess themselves before purchasing their item. On the other hand, negative reviews will discourage buyers by deterring them from making purchases for fear of purchasing low-quality items that may not meet their expectations or even worse, potential return situations. E-commerce businesses need to ensure that they are both proactive and reactive regarding feedback and buyer experiences.

3) Packaging counts

When you're running a startup and trying to manage everything by yourself, it's easy to overlook the little things. But people will judge your business based on what they see first, so making sure that you have quality packaging is essential. Having an e-commerce associate (like ____) can ensure that no customer leaves unhappy.

4) Out-of-stock items are frustrating

Why is it important to learn about e-commerce? If you want to keep your customers happy, then you need to be aware of why it's frustrating when an item they want isn't in stock. As an online retailer, we went through this ourselves; some items sold out more quickly than we expected, and unfortunately, the option of purchasing more from the manufacturer wasn't available.

5) Create useful content around your products

What are the key benefits of e-commerce? 

1. Better targeting and scalability. People like products that are relevant to them and if you have an online store, you can target your customers based on location or preferences, meaning that your advertising will reach more people who might be interested in what you're selling. If you don't have a store yet, but plan to start one soon, this can be particularly advantageous as it's much easier to scale up than a physical business is. In addition, without all the overhead costs associated with brick-and-mortar businesses (e.g., rent), there's a higher chance of profit margins being better when starting out. 

2. Marketing potential.

6) Engage with your customers

Your success in your e-commerce store depends largely on how well you know your customers. What can you learn from eCommerce? Whether you're running an online store or brick-and-mortar, knowing what people are looking for, why they are buying it, and how to make their experience great will help you better identify opportunities to improve your sales. Read on for seven lessons we learned from an online retailer.

7) Not all mistakes should be fixed

Every decision has its pros and cons, but one mistake a retailer can't fix is pricing their products too high. High prices are a common problem in the world of e-commerce because the convenience of online shopping can create the illusion that anything is worth more than it really is. Often people see items listed for sale on an e-commerce site and equate the price with how much they should be paying, regardless of where they're buying from. In reality, there's more to account for when it comes to setting an item's price about its value to customers.

finally, We hope you found this guide helpful and informative. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below. And as always, thanks for reading