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Are you aiming to create your own vendor-specific website? Well, then you’ll have a major choice to make, which is picking the most suitable eCommerce platform model for your business.
There are numerous options when it comes to eCommerce platform types. Here are some of the most common types of eCommerce platforms
Transactional Websites:
Online shoppers are most familiar with this type of website. A transactional website can be a digital storefront for a traditional brick-and-mortar retailer or a catalog business, such as Walmart. Or simply a showroom for manufacturers that want to sell directly to the public.
Fundamentally, transactional websites either hosted or on-premise should provide these services:
- Conduct full end-to-end transactions via the website
- Allows customers to find, order, and pay for products online
- Enables customers to get in touch with the company for after-sales services.
Most transactional sites provide efficiencies by seamlessly integrating the transaction process. With back-office systems such as accounting, inventory, logistics, order management and fulfillment, marketing, customer relationship management (CRM), web analytics, and others.
Static Content Website:
A static content website mainly generates sales by promoting brand awareness rather than allowing and managing online transactions.
Similar to a brochure or a catalog, it provides information about the product or service, and the contact information of the seller. Also, how to proceed with an order. A static content website is less expensive to design and maintain than is the transactional website model. Because the website is often static and doesn’t require the software systems required for online shopping. An informational website is ideal for companies that showcase products and services that cannot be sold online, usually cars and heavy machinery.
Auction / Online Marketplace:
Shortly put, the main purpose of this type of eCommerce website is to bring buyers and sellers together. Therefore, facilitating transactions. Signing up for one of these websites often provides an efficient way of finding a customer, without the expense of building a proprietary transactional website.
Examples of auctions websites include Etsy, eBay, and such. For retailers and wholesalers, we have the prime examples of Alibaba and Amazon. Lastly for matching services we have the example Buyusa.gov.
“Selling online in the US is 70% research, 20% planning, 10% execution.”
– CEO of an e-commerce consulting firm
Online marketplaces and auction sites are good venues to get started in eCommerce. However, before embarking on your eCommerce journey thorough research is required.
At Timelapse Agency we provide you with the consultancy you need to explore the available eCommerce platform options, the pros and cons of each option, and how fine it will be for your business in the long run