A growing number of small businesses are cashing in on the popularity of online shopping by turning to the Internet to sell their products and services. With online spending in Australia increasing by 12 per cent to $16.2 billion last year, according to NAB figures, there’s never been a more opportune time. While a company website certainly helps attract more customers, embracing e-commerce widens the net even further, offering multiple advantages.

A major benefit is that it helps small businesses remain competitive, particularly against larger corporations. An impressive website can go a long way to attract customers, no matter how small your store is. In fact, many people prefer to purchase products from a ’boutique’ business, therefore whether your business has five or 500 employees is irrelevant.

Selling online also provides small businesses with extra revenue by generating sales 24/7. Customers can place orders at any time of day or night without you having to work extra hours. This is especially appealing to small business owners who are time-poor and want to achieve a healthier work-life balance.

Another bonus of e-commerce is the ability to sell unlimited products. A broad range of items draws a large variety of customers and those who browse for a specific item often end up buying more when something catches their eye. To expand on that, social media users can post images and details about new products with links to their website, encouraging even more sales.

When it comes to Internet marketing, it’s especially important for small businesses to remain prominent. An online store allows customers searching online to find your business by using the correct keywords. It also improves your company’s visibility in Google search listings, places it on online maps and provides a platform for online reviews.

Another incentive to sell online is the crucial market research it provides. Essentially, it allows business operators to understand what customers are thinking. You can determine which items are regularly viewed, which pages are popular and those that users leave most frequently. You can also accurately ascertain how many products are needed.

With these benefits and more, it’s not surprising to see why e-commerce has become an integral part of business today. Those interested in selling online should know that creating an e-commerce website can be both hassle-free and affordable with the right help. Web Design Market Melbourne are a team of digital experts who specialise in quality e-commerce development for small to medium businesses. They use Magento, BigCommerce, WordPress and WIX platforms just to name a few. For a free quote, call (03) 8400 4600.