The Importance of Hiring a Professional E-Commerce Company

Ecommerce Solutions |	CMS Websites |	Application Development

First, let's talk statistics.

Americans spent $33 billion in online transactions during the first quarter of 2008, up 0.8% from the last quarter of 2007 and up 13.6% from the first quarter of 2007. (Census Bureau, Dept. of Commerce) Approximately 6-10% of all retail sales happen online. Research shows that more people are starting their shopping online, with: 70% of leisure travelers book some of their personal travel online, 53% of car shoppers beginning online and 71% of online shoppers browsing consumer reviews (with more than half browsing over 10 minutes) to make their purchasing decisions.

Now you know that e-commerce is a lucrative aspect of any business that can't be overlooked. Now let's discuss why you shouldn't just "dump" this task on someone in the sales / marketing department. I mean, they're trained… right?

1. Internal marketers understand how to promote a business and convert sales in "the real world," but online is a whole other game. According to e-tailing's sixth annual Merchant Survey, the average website only converts 4-6% of their web traffic into consumers.
2. The survey concluded that each year, conversions require more and more targeted tactics to increase sales and consumer retention.
3. Web analytics and data mining is a crucial starting point, but further consumer-focused strategies must be implemented to retain success

What sort of E-commerce Solutions should you be looking for?

1. 70% of online consumers looked at more than 4 product reviews before making a purchase.
2. 61% of online consumers said they're more likely to shop online if they're offered free shipping.
3. 18% of online consumers said they'll spend more on gift cards in 2007, compared to 2006.
4. 53% of online shoppers surveyed ranked "discounts or exclusive offers for members" as the most important feature of Frequent Buyer/Loyalty Programs.
5. 33% of online retailers plan on investing more in live chat in 2008. 53% of online retailers are planning to enhance their guest checkout process in 2008.
6. 80% of online retailers are planning to add alternative images to product detail pages in 2008.
7. 72% of online retailers plan on incorporating lifestyle photography into their sites.
8. 63% of online retailers plan on integrating customer ratings and reviews into their sites.

In essence, a professional e-commerce company has studied the behavior of online consumers and the success of top-converting websites almost obsessively. If you're baffled at how ProFlowers.com converts 24.5% of their traffic into sales (10x the industry average), then trust a professional e-commerce company to take the mystery out of marketing.

Professional e-commerce solutions will ensure that visitors feel right at home on your page. They will navigate to the purchase page with an innate sense of familiarity. They will spend a little time browsing on-site product reviews, testimonials, product images and descriptions. They will be pre-qualified purchasers looking for a certain occasion or sub-niche that you've already accommodated in your web design. They will come back again because you offered reasonable prices, members-only benefits, coupons and sale items. The checkout process will be flawless, your site's security system will provide a sense of comfort and the product satisfaction guarantees will give any consumer peace of mind.

At the end of the day, you need to ask yourself, "Do I want to be a 1% converter and save a few bucks or do I want to be a 25% converter and make so much money it doesn't matter?" Creating an e-commerce website may not be rocket science, but it is a laborious practice that requires a trained eye and an arsenal of knowledge that only a professional e-commerce company can provide.