1. E-commerce sales
Amazon.com, one of the world’s biggest online retailers, accounts for approximately one third of the USA’s e-commerce sales. Establishing a successful business website can therefore be a ticket to increased revenue and exceptionally high sales figures.
2. Quality of life
According to a survey undertaken in Germany, the majority of their shoppers feel e-commerce improves their quality of life with 44% claiming online shopping is more enjoyable whilst 63% find it less stressful and 81% feel it improves their time management.
3. Widespread appeal
More than 80% of online users have used the internet to purchase something at some point or another, making online retail a lucrative area of investment. This 80% is made up of ‘casual shoppers’ and the more dedicated recurrent shoppers (who account for 50%).
One of the facilitators of this appeal is the use of secure payment systems such as Sage Pay. These are respected systems which enable businesses to handle online transactions securely, allowing them to provide a good level of service whilst ensuring customers feel confident with their online activities.
4. Favoured by older generations
Whilst many see the internet and e-commerce as a young man’s game it is actually the older demographics who seem more familiar with it. American statistics show that 68% of those aged 31-44 and those aged 55-65 are e-shoppers whilst just 54% of those aged 18-34 can say the same.
The ease of online payment systems is perhaps one of the main reasons for this – making online shopping accessible to users of all ages. Many sites offer varied payment methods and investing in useful tools such as a shopping cart plug-in can make virtual shopping resemble real-life: making it easier for users to navigate and understand.
5. Mobile popularity
Just as internet shopping provides greater conveniences over traditional methods, mobile shopping is set to make things even easier. There are approximately 1.2 billion mobile web users worldwide – a number which is only expected to increase as Smartphones and computer Tablets become more popular.
This makes plug-ins and apps which enable shopping to be completed via mobile phones essential for any business. Online retailer should also make sure their websites is available in a format which is supported by these devices – something which has already been named as a trend of web design for 2012.
About the Author: Kevin Joys is a frequent blogger and web advisor. Appreciating that people no longer depend on website designers to make their ideas become a reality, Kevin offers regular advice to everyday internet users. He explains everything from how to make a website to how to increase your internet traffic.