subject: Wont Opening An Ecommerce Site Take Up A Lot Of My Valuable Time? [print this page] One of the most common reasons for not starting an ecommerce websites in parallel with an established business is the drain on time it is perceived to take up. Most business owners or managers are out of breath by the time they get home. Time at work is so limited, that people often take work home with them all the time. So the idea of something else draining time from the company is never welcomed.
This however is a misunderstanding of how Ecommerce works. You should look upon it as opening another shop. The shop that you open should be able to fund its self, and therefore will have its own staff. It is a little harder to reconcile at first because you will appear to be putting money into something that gives you nothing back, but the constant attention of your staff should have it running and turning a profit in no time.
Your first move will be to put some sort of capital and effort into the online business, in the same way you would if you were opening a new shop. An Ecommerce Solution by an SEO and web design expert is preferable. Have them set up your website to your requirements, and then learn how to operate the online shop. You need to know how to update it, how to add new products and prices, how to manage orders and how to remove things. Once you are up and running and you know how to do all of these things you can start to hire staff to deal with it and train them yourself.
Ideally, it would be good if you could hire somebody with a little technical knowledge so that they can stimulate sales via the internet. They will be able to provide an Ecommerce Solution if the need arises. You are looking for a person who can update directories and update your site in a way that will stimulate new web traffic to come and have a look at your online products. The other staff members you hire should also have a smattering of knowledge, but should primarily be engaged in photographing and uploading new stock, removing old stock, conversing with online customers (confirming orders and answering questions) and packing/posting the orders that have been made online.
You can start by training your current staff up on the website side of the business, so that they can each put in a few hours online each week until the business is turning bigger profits. It is also advantageous that your current staff know about the online side of the business too so that if your website staff are off ill, they can step in.
Ideally, the money you make online should cover any expenses you spend online. This goes for the posting and packing staff, website staff and any form of online marketing you wish to buy. Some people are willing to subsidise their online business with their offline one because their website creates footfall, but if this is not the case, then your ecommerce site should be able to stand on its own, otherwise it may end up being just another unneeded expense.
