According to The Statistics Portal, an estimate of 1.66 billion people around the world bought goods online in 2017. And they prefer this over going to shopping malls as it avoids crowds and saves time in their buying process.
That is probably why ecommerce is growing at a rate so difficult to keep up with because there is a mob of demand right at their front door. So, how do ecommerce websites keep it all together? The buzz is they use online ERP systems, CRM tools, and so many other technological advancements.
Here is a look at the basics of ecommerce and how it integrates with other programs to create a simplified online business world.
eCommerce Defined
Take all your business transactions and turn them into a virtual exchange. That is what ecommerce is. It allows anyone to transfer or exchange products and payments online regardless of location in the world.
eCommerce sites will have a product list, and each product will have its description. They also have virtual shopping carts, promos and discounts, as well as payment systems that all make up the online shopping experience.
Enter: eCommerce Integration
eCommerce involves transactions between businesses and consumers (B2C). eCommerce integration, on the other hand, is the back-end of ecommerce where businesses transact with other businesses (B2B) to create, manage, and control the consumer side of ecommerce.
For example, a website that sells t-shirts categorised for men, women, boys, and girls may use accounting software to manage all financial transactions, a CRM software to handle their customer acquisition, and an ERP system for inventory handling.
The purpose of technology is to make life easy. As long as strategies are implemented properly and are applied to the right processes, anyone can have a business that is profitable and easy to manage.
So, if your online business is still paddling towards this wave, perhaps it is time to look into the different integrations your business can take advantage of to create a simpler business process.