5 Benefits of Using E-Commerce on Your Small Business Website

Whether you're a dentist, personal trainer, accountant, executive coach, plumber, hair stylist or mechanic, you can take your business to the next level by using e-commerce on your small business website. Now you might be saying to yourself, "I only sell digital products." or "My service doesn't require shipping." So why would I need e-commerce?  As an example, a Business Coach can charge for their time or services in advance of their appointment with the client or immediately afterwards. This ensures payment is made in a timely fashion and significantly improves cash flow.

E-Commerce stores aren't just for physical products that you ship to a customer's address. You can offer physical products, as well as digital products and professional services to your customers to purchase online. 

Small businesses can see significant results when they start offering e-commerce on their websites. Here are just some of the benefits of incorporating it on your website:

One benefit of e-commerce is your opportunity to grow your small business through a new stream of revenue. If you're not currently selling your products or services online, e-commerce can help you gain new sources of revenue while reaching new clients.  In fact, research has shown that consumers are more comfortable with making online purchases than they have been in past years.  It is secure, fast and efficient.

More and more business owners offer e-commerce on their websites. Clients and customers also expect to shop for products and services online. If your clients are looking for a convenient way to shop online, and you don't have e-commerce integrated into your website, then your customers might go elsewhere. By offering it, you're able to stay competitive in your market and supply what your customers have come to expect.  Your customers are not only looking for a quality product/service, they are also interested in convenience.  Don't risk losing a customer to a competitor because of lack of convenience. 

If you're new to e-commerce, you might be thinking that running an online store seems like a lot of extra work. You might be hesitant to sell your products and services online. Because you think that you're too busy to track and manage online purchases. The good news is that it can actually help you run your business more easily and efficiently. E-commerce platforms include automation and other integrations that help you maximize your time, making your business more profitable overall.  Many businesses have realized the value of online sales and have assigned a dedicated person or team, to track and fulfill their online sales.  They have reported that by doing so, they were able to free up resources who were manually taking orders inside their stores and now have created a process that allows them to easily scale  their business as online sales increases.  

If you're wondering about the safety and security of online payment processing, you can put your mind at ease. By following website security best practices and using a platform that encrypts customer credit card information, you can keep your payment processing safe and secure.  Payment processing companies such as PayPal and Stripe have invested millions in ensuring that their systems are safe and secure.  They also assign a dedicated team/department of security experts, whose primary responsibility is to ensure that their systems are protected against would be hackers.

If your small business provides professional services, then this is an excellent option for you. Business owners can establish online payments for services like coaching, consulting, personal training and fitness, event management, and other professional services. Not only will your customers be able to learn all about the great things you have to offer on your website, but they'll also be able to purchase these services online at their convenience. Using this for your professional services is a great way to have your website work for you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Don't settle for a website that is a well-designed digital brochure. Let your website work for you by incorporating an e-commerce platform that allows you to take online payments for physical products, digital products, or professional services.

Digiedg can assist you with a functional website that integrates with our all-in-one digital business solutions, which include online payment processing. To learn more about how Digiedg can help you incorporate e-commerce on your small business website, contact us today.