Coherent eCommerce Action Plan
Home ] Up ] Contents Page ] Search Page ] Feedback Page ] Sumbit a Site ]


Buy This Site!

eMission     

Awards        

Web-Site Visitor Statistics

Reader Offers

Coming Soon 

YOU ARE OUR VISITOR



Building a complete eCommerce site will present major changes occurring in your business. The Web-Wap strategy sets out how to develop a coherent web site strategy for your business. In this section we present some of the major considerations which need to be embraced by larger businesses when developing a eCommerce web site.

Back to eCommerce Main Menu


CURRENT ORDER BOOK PROCESSING

  • Does your business have an established order processing system?. 

  • Do you have an MRP/ERP system that works out current lead times on products?. 

  • Can your existing system readily identify finished stock?, work in progress? and raw materials?.

Developing an eCommerce site requires a radical rethink. Establishing a business on the internet will require your business to show all parts/products in stock, with any lead times clearly shown.

The eCommerce site must link in with your order processing system to ensure all orders can be met by production capability. 

One late delivery means one failed order which means bad publicity for your business. Your eCommerce action must include analysis of how the business order processing will be affected.

Back to Top


AFTER SALES SERVICE

One of the major problems with eCommerce site launches is the lack of after sales service understanding. 

  • What is your business capability towards customer satisfaction? Do you monitor this?

Your business may already have a customer advice lines. Having a eCommerce site means needing detailed plans for your business after sales policy. You may well have to publish contact details for your sales, quality and technical support personnel.

Back to Top


CHANGING BUSINESS STRUCTURES AND RETRAINING

The introduction of highly skilled IT personnel needed to implement ERP/any new software system means thinking about existing employee skills.

Accept the employee education and training is essential to meet both needs of eCommerce and to aid your business in achieving competitive advantage. Be prepared to meet training costs and any specialised help you need.

Sales teams will need to adapt to the new challenges of eCommerce. It presents your business with a new target audience, they need to know how to get customers attracted to your business web site. You may well have to involve customers and possible internet sales courses for you sales team.

Back to Top


PERSONALISE

With so many internet sites in existance, you need to develop an approach which sets you out from the rest.

There are many ways, often very simple which will help set your eCommerce site apart from your competition. Some examples include newsletters, discussion forums, login passwords for regular visitors, e-mail addresses for customers to use to contact people in your business.

Back to Top


DEVELOP SEVERAL PROTOTYPES

Make sure your eCommerce site has a back up plan. What happens if your web site does not work as you would expect it to?

Develop at least two web site design concepts, test them thoroughly. Get existing customer views, see which design works best.

Back to Top


PROMOTE YOUR WEB SITE

In order to maximize the potential sales of your eCommerce site. You need to promote the site as much as possible. In the world of eCommerce this can be achieved by:

  • Registering with as many search engines as possible.

  • Develop a clear branding and promotion package for your eCommerce site.

  • Use the eCommerce site address on all your business lietrature.

  • Develop internet advertising channels, use banner advertising companies.

  • Exploit potential advertising in newspapers, magazines, trade related publications, etc.

  • You may decide to mass submission software to put your eCommerce site address on several thousand search engines in one go. You need to examine how the submission software works and how often the software is updated.

  • Finally use a submission company to put your eCommerce site onto the major search engines. It can be effective, but it is also expensive.

Back to Top


RUSHING IN WHERE FOOLS DARE!

Not properly thinking about your business and how eCommerce will affect it, will prove disastorous!. Do not expect overnight success, the best eCommerce sites have taken a lot of time and dedication, they have been planned thoroughly, with clear goals and target being set.

Back to Top


FEEDBACK

Accept that in the first six months of development, your eCommerce site will undergo several changes use customer and employee feedback to constantly develop your web site.

Back to Top


CONCLUDING COMMENTS

  • View the Web-Wap strategy strategy section to decide upon the most suitable media for your eCommerce site.

  • Examine the impact of an eCommerce site on your existing business structure.

  • Above examine all potential impacts on your business, bring in employees across your business group to participate in your eCommerce, as it will affect them all.

  • Produce a site which uses clear language and is easy to navigate, having the best looking web site will not mean selling the most products/services. Keep it clear and precise.

  • Just as your business needs normal advertising to make it succeed, so does your eCommerce site.

  • Be prepared to make constant changes to your web site.

Back to Top


Back to eCommerce Main Menu