eCommerce Is Moving
Beyond Retail

In the early stages of eCommerce, retail was the only industry taking advantage of it as they moved from a brick and mortar store to reach more customers and save money. However, eCommerce is no longer restricted to retailers. Instead, it is the perfect solution for a variety of other industries that can benefit from offering their products or services online, including Banking, Insurance, Utilities, Health care, Publishers, Telecommunication and Education. As they upgrade or create their website, they are able to add in aspects of eCommerce to impact their own customers.

The Online Experience
Every day, more people are turning away from brick and mortar places of business and turning to the Internet to fill their needs. If your business doesn’t appear online or offer your products or services online, you are going to see your sales slide. Even though customers turn to the Internet to peruse online retailers, they are also looking for non-retailers, looking for a similar experience. A B2B commerce site must offer the same seamless experience as the B2C sites that have using the Internet for years. B2B eCommerce is a necessity.

Most Beneficial Industries
The industries that will see the least amount of change in their sales model are more likely to benefit the most from the change to eCommerce. Retail, Discreet Manufacturers, Travel and Media industries are among those who need to look at eCommerce instead of a static location. This is where the greatest boom in eCommerce lies, requiring mid-sized and large businesses to launch an innovative sales strategy to make the most of the potential of eCommerce sales and stand apart from the competition.

Take Advantage of the Latest Trends
More people are using mobile devices to reach out for the products and services they require. Entertainment is now widely found online and cloud software as a service is quickly growing. The cost of transitioning to an eCommerce site has also dropped drastically, making it an affordable option for more businesses. Self-funded entrepreneurs can easily create and maintain an eCommerce site, and venture capital firms also find it easier to offer funding to businesses that will use this platform without putting a lot of cash on the line.

Some Examples of Non-Retail eCommerce
When you think about all the businesses that will use eCommerce, even without being a retail operation, you may have difficulty understanding how it is possible. Think about these examples:

• Travelers often use websites to book airfare, hotel, rental cars and even activities at their destination.
• Consumers constantly seek deals on eBay.
• People who need cars look to sites like autotrader.com to buy a car at a reasonable price.
• Music lovers turn to iTunes to get their fill of their favorite music.
• Corporate procurement managers order goods and inventory they need online from a distributor or manufacturer.

Online is the way for every business to really make an impact and increase sales. It is no longer only a way for retailers to increase their sales. Many non-retail businesses are now able to create eCommerce sites that will offer their goods and services to other businesses and even directly to the consumer to create a lasting impact that will lead them into a successful future.