Why should you get an e-commerce website for your business?

No matter what your business is, having an online presence is crucial to success in this digital age. Today, the internet impacts the daily lives of millions of individuals who use it for socializing, entertainment, and shopping. The COVID-19 pandemic further boosted the e-commerce industry when people had to shift to online shopping when forced to stay indoors and maintain social distancing. According to a United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report, the restrictions imposed due to the pandemic had increased online sales from 16% to 19% in 2020.

Now more recognise the convenience that online shopping offers. According to Statista, during the third quarter of 2021, 62.5% of Filipinos purchased a product, service, or groceries online. Hence, you must have an e-commerce website for your business.

Benefits of going online

According to research compiled by Shopify, online purchase sales increased from 17.8% in 2020 to 21% in 2022. Going online for a business has several advantages, including:

Expand your customer base and reach international markets
Save on costs of maintaining a brick-and-mortar store
Give customers a fulfilling shopping experience and increase customer loyalty
Analyze customer patterns and website hits to improve your website further
Stay ahead of your competition with online marketing techniques and strategies

Types of e-commerce platforms to choose when starting out?

When you have decided to enter the world of e-commerce, you have the choice of choosing one of the two main types of e-commerce platforms: marketplaces and branded websites.

Marketplaces

An online marketplace is an e-commerce platform that offers multiple buyers and sellers opportunities to connect with each other. Different companies and brands can use the same e-commerce marketplace to sell their products. Examples of marketplaces include Amazon, eBay, Lazada, OLX, Shopee, and others.

Branded websites

A branded website is your business’s personal profile where every element of the website depicts your brand’s personality and outlook. Retail websites specifically sell your products, and customers are given a chance to explore all your product ranges and have a good experience while shopping.

Popular branded e-commerce platforms to choose from

To create a personal e-commerce store, you can choose from a few popular branded website platforms and create your online store. These different types of e-commerce platforms offer different tools and customization options through which you can create your e-commerce website in the Philippines. Some of these popular platforms are discussed below:

1. Shopify

Shopify is a popular online shopping platform in the Philippines that offers several beneficial tools and functionalities, including customer support options and multi-channel selling. It also handles all aspects of your business, from paying to facilitating in-person sales through POS functionality. Just search up top Shopify e-commerce stores to gain valuable insights that will help you create a successful e-commerce site of your own.

2. WooCommerce

WooCommerce is an open-source WordPress plug-in website builder platform based on a content management system. Although it does not offer the convenience and simplicity of creating a website like Shopify, it offers multiple customer support options, integrated sales channels, and mobile app features.

3. Wix

Wix is another platform that gives you the option to build your e-commerce website through simple and user-friendly functionality. It offers customizable templates, web hosting, order tracking option, multi-channel selling, online payments, and domain name registration.

Tips for building an e-commerce site

The following tips should be kept in mind while building your e-commerce website.

Select an e-commerce platform to build your website based on your business requirements and needs. Choose the one that offers the best e-commerce experience to your customers.
Choose a domain name for the business, which should reflect your brand name.
Ensure your website is designed for smooth and informative experiences, which includes organizing your products in relatable categories and adding product description and categories.
Design your website to be mobile friendly to attract customers on the go.
Set up a range of payment gateway or methods. Whether it is payment redirects, checkout on-site/payment off-site, buy now, pay later, or on-site payments, make sure that the process runs smoothly and securely.
Add options for customers to interact with you through live chat.

Ensure that you offer a great customer experience

The bottom line when building an e-commerce website is to ensure that you offer a great online customer experience. What sets top e-commerce sites apart from their competitors is the ease of use and convenience that customers experience while shopping. 83% of consumers, according to the National Retail Federation, stated that convenience while shopping is more important now than in the past.

They should be able to contact you with any queries whenever possible and get an immediate response from your side. They should feel secure while making payments with your website. All these can only be possible if you choose a platform that is a seamlessly integrated system and manages all aspects of your business.

How DHL Express can help your e-commerce business

Once you've created an online store where customers can browse your selection of goods and make purchases, the next step is to deliver those orders to their intended locations. This is where you partner with a trusted and reliable shipping carrier like DHL Express. DHL Express can help you deliver your products quickly and securely. It offers various delivery services, including same-day and next-day delivery options. Open a business account with DHL Express today and explore its wide range of services.