To the general public, E-commerce is a retail transaction between a website and a customer. To the small business owner, E-commerce is a means with which to sell more product without hiring an addition person, it is a skill set for their virtual employee.

Just how to get the best performance from this employee depends upon variables such as:

• Size and scope of product line. How many of what?
  • A site with one item for sale builds its entire focus on that item.
  • A site selling multiple items in the same category aims the site to that category.
  • A site selling multiple items in different fields can take multiple approaches in displaying their items.
  • Products should be easy to find and put in the shopping cart.
  • Options, if any, should be easy to understand.
• Easy of self ordering. Nobody likes incorrect orders.
  • Products should have clear descriptions and good pictures. People should understand what they are getting.
  • Replacement parts should be organized so the correct part is ordered for the correct machine.
• How the rest of the site is geared toward selling .
  • The E-commerce portion should not feel like a different site.
  • Articles, Forums, and Commentaries should reference the product(s) being sold and should be regarding proper usage/installation/repair of products sold.
  • Newsletters should be welcomed by the receivers.
• What bells and whistles should be included for a better customer experience?
  • Checkout process should be fast, easy, and secure.
  • "Tell A Friend", "Re-Order Lists", "Wish Lists", "Also Purchased", "We Recommend", "Also Needed", and "Information Request Forms" are some of the way to help make it easier for the viewer to become a paying customer.

As you can see, there are many choices in direction for an e-commerce installation and we have not even discussed the software upon which to build the store. Tell us about your products and we'll help create a virtual employee to faithfully serve your needs.