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Amal Xavier
Amal Xavier, A techno-marketing professional who thrives on Software Project Management, Business Process Automation; Software Solution Design, Development and Deployment. He is the Owner of Blue Horizon Infotech, headquartered in Cochin, Kerala, India. Blue Horizon Infotech is a company whose primary focus is the building of customized software applications and solutions for businesses throughout the world. Blue Horizon has employees and contracted personnel with more than 65 years combined experience in virtually all software applications, including but not limited to PHP/MySQL, Open Source technologies, Adobe AIR, Adobe Flex, ActionScript 3.0, Flash Media server, JavaScript, Ajax, XHTML/CSS and jQuery. Chart Marketing, Inc. is the marketing arm of Blue Horizon in the United States. You may contact Amal by sending an email to sales@chartmarketing.com.
Custom Software Solution
2011-10-24 14:05:23
Setting up your eBusiness - series
Q: It seems like more and more businesses are not only having an online presence, but they are also having built some most intricate eCommerce mechanisms to take care of their business. I want to do the same with my company, but I have some questions. What are the first things to consider before setting up an eBusiness? What about the legal ramifications? Do I need to consult with an attorney before opening up my eBusiness? Any other things I need to be aware of?
A: Last month, with assistance from www.ecommerceoptizimation.com and other sources, we talked about finding the right niche product, legal ramifications and consulting with an attorney before opening your online business. This month, we will talk about the differences between online retail and traditional retail. Often times, it is easy to overlook the differences between selling online through a shopping cart and retail selling through a brick and mortar storefront. Online retail is different from selling through a store in many ways and you should become familiar with the differences so you can better understand the many benefits of selling online compared to selling through a physical storefront. The obvious differences are the way the products are displayed to customers and the way in which they enter your store to browse around. Here are the main differences between online retail and physical storefronts: Display: By shopping at a brick and mortar store the customers are able to physically touch and handle items they are interested in buying. Online retailers are forced to display items using only pictures, graphics and text based product descriptions. Expense: Typically, there are major differences in the amount of funding or startup capital needed to open the store. Brick and mortar stores usually require a bigger budget since you have to lease space, rent property and pay for other location expenses. Online store owners do not usually have to worry about building leases or property expense. Location: Online retailers are not limited to one location and have no geographical boundaries like a traditional brick and mortar storefront has. Physical business locations can limit the amount of customer traffic and foot traffic from shoppers, especially if they are not in a bigger city or metro area. Online retailers have no limits and can typically service local, national and international customers. Communication: It can be harder to communicate with customers through an online store compared to the face-to-face interaction customers get by shopping at a brick and mortar store or physical business location. Online retailers may have a hard time getting information across to the customer and must be sure to answer all possible buyer questions through text and graphics on the site so there is no confusion during the purchase. Technology: Another main difference is the types and amount of technology needed to run each type of business. Most online store owners find that their technology is constantly changing and there is a bigger need for them to keep up and adjust as it improves. The technology used to run brick and mortar businesses has been around for years and rarely changes as often as it does in the online selling world. Next month, we will talk about some inherent and learned skills that will serve you well.
 
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