In today’s digital age, one can find everything from a basic home utility product to a high-end gadget at the press of a button. This convenience of shopping has become possible thanks to the development of e-commerce, which has made life incredibly hassle-free. In fact, at least 33% of people worldwide shop online to fulfill their requirements. So, learning about e-commerce marketing, the best platforms, and strategies can help brands boost their sales.

E-commerce
The term “electronic commerce” essentially describes the process of buying and selling products online. Brands may offer their products on their websites or through different platforms. Online shopping stores and auctions, wholesalers, subscription-based businesses, etc., form a part of the complex chain of e-commerce. An e-commerce platform simplifies the process for customers to browse through the products offered by a brand or vendor, with coupon codes and discounts applicable under various conditions.

E-commerce marketing
With businesses actively working on their online presence to reach customers around the world, activities like search engine optimization, social media advertising, content marketing, and email marketing have become highly common. These are cumulatively called e-commerce marketing strategies because they aim to spread awareness about the brand’s e-commerce store, increase footfalls to their website, and maximize conversion rates.

Types of e-commerce business models
1. Business to Consumer (B2C)
In this business model, the end users of the products being sold are individuals as opposed to companies. So, the apparel, footwear, accessories, food and beverage products, kitchenware, home electronics, and gadgets, etc., that most people buy for their daily use are classified as B2C products. Online retailers usually utilize this model.

2. Business to Business (B2B)
Here, the end users of the products are companies, which leverage these products to ultimately serve their consumers better. For example, companies selling SaaS products online and targeting them to private companies utilize the B2B business model.

3. Consumer to Consumer (C2C)
When two private consumers trade with one another, the business model is called C2C. Basically, these companies act as facilitators of trade and transactions between individual consumers.

4. Consumer to Business (C2B)
This type of business model deals with transactions between consumers and businesses. For example, if a freelance website enables independent freelancers to communicate with private companies and offer their services, the website may be classified as C2B.

5. Direct to Consumer (D2C)
In this business model, a product directly reaches the end consumer without the involvement of retailers or other middlemen. This type of business model is similar to B2C but does not involve the participation of retailers or wholesalers in transactions.

Things to consider when choosing an e-commerce platform
1. Scalability
A scalable platform grows with a company, expanding to suit its increasing requirements. So, it’s a good idea for emerging businesses to opt for e-commerce platforms that are scalable. When selecting a platform, it’s essential to ensure that it supports global expansion, even if the business is operating at a national level. This is because as a company expands, there is always an opportunity for them to enter global markets, and switching e-commerce platforms during this time period can be time-consuming and unnecessary. Other important factors to consider are the availability of multiple languages on the platform and the ease of adding plugins.

2. Customization options
The more customized a company’s website is, the more appealing it is to its target groups. Customization also helps with search engine optimization and advertising. So, when looking for an e-commerce platform, it is important to check if it allows for customization of the interface by adding new features and plugins and integrating other software systems, among other options.

3. Search engine optimization (SEO)
Having a strong presence on search engines is essential for brands’ websites and products to become more accessible to their end users. So, one of the best e-commerce advertising strategies involves identifying platforms that are conducive to SEO. These platforms should offer features such as the ability to generate meta titles and descriptions and customize metadata for optimal visibility and accessibility.

4. Security
When a company begins selling its products online on a third-party website, it becomes vulnerable to online scams and fraud. To prevent falling victim to such fraudulent activities, it’s important to look for safe and secure e-commerce platforms that have been tried and tested and employ proven safety features. For example, they should have two-factor authentication, fraud detection, and strategies to protect from DDoS attacks. These measures not only help companies ensure safety but also protect the confidential personal information of consumers.

5. Ease of integration with other software systems
A good e-commerce platform should easily integrate with the existing software systems, such as inventory management and accounting tools. An advertising e-commerce website should also lend itself to integration with product information management (PIM) systems and payment service providers.

Popular e-commerce platforms
With e-commerce emerging as an indispensable sales strategy worldwide, there is no shortage of platforms available today. But it’s important to pick one that’s scalable, reputed, safe, and user-friendly.

• Shopify
• BigCommerce
• WooCommerce
• Magento
• Wix

Opening doors to e-commerce can help businesses achieve unprecedented expansion. That said, it is important to consider the type of e-commerce platform one chooses. This decision should be based on a thorough assessment of one’s requirements, business model, target market, budget and total cash inflow, and type of product being sold.