Building an Online Business

Millions of people around the world are now connected to the Internet, it has radically changed the way we work, live, shop, play and how businesses interact with each other. The influence of internet continues to grow and every day more of us and our businesses recognise the need of communicating and doing business online. Conducting business over the Internet is growing all the time.

Most of us today are pressed for time. Doing daily chores like banking, paying bills and shopping online has become second nature.

E-commerce is growing all the time global online business-to-consumer (B2C) sales are expected to nearly double between 2013 and 2018.

The market for online shopping is growing at a remarkable rate. Approximately 87% of U.K. consumers have bought at least one product online in the last 12 months, and the United Kingdom is second only to Norway for making e-commerce purchases in Europe. Across the world, nations such as China and the United States are the biggest online buyers, but other countries are catching up. In the coming 12 months, the market potential for British e-commerce is expected to improve dramatically. According to data from the Office for National Statistics, online sales increased by 21.3% during 2016 and should reach 30% by 2017’s second half.

You can take advantage of this new way of doing business whether you want to set up a part-time venture or create the next million-dollar enterprise. This one-day course will give you everything that you need to build a successful online business.

What are people buying online?

The most common purchases made online are for electronics and digital media, including video games, music downloads, e-books, computers and phones. The next sector is the fashion industry, with clothes and footwear accounting for almost one-third of online purchases. Forty-eight percent of people buy their groceries online, and 11% do all of their food shopping through an internet device. Other important online retail sectors:

• Transport and travel services
• Wellness and beauty
• Cars, vans and bikes
• Stationery and work supplies

2017 has already seen a growing demand for retail-based technology, which makes online shopping easier. Leading the way in this sector is Amazon which has produced physical “reorder” buttons for common household items along with virtual app-based versions. Expect more online retailers to take this route and produce handy gadgets to assist with shopping.

When it comes to marketing, product reviews are crucial for brands who want to make an impact on their audience. 68% percent of women say they consult product reviews before making a purchase, while 56% will look at social media pages or ask contacts on social networks for advice. The same study also revealed the top influencing factors when relying on a review:

• Review quality and overall content
• Star rating or mark
• Quality of attached photographs
• Time and date of review

We have ‘Building an Online Business’ training courses that can help you or your organisation available eLearning or a one day workshop.

You just can’t ignore online marketing or businesses any longer, contact us today to find out more:

02392 160840 / 07811 946315 or enquiries@churchillsquareconsulting.co.uk