Plant are Internet showcase. What is an online showcase? Advantages of Internet showcase
Can create an online showcase of your store. It is enabled by default on all paid tariffs.
Your online storefriend will feature those products that are in your CLOUDSHOP base. You can also choose only the goods of individual categories to display. When ordering the goods presented on the storefront, you will receive a letter to your e-mail, sales will be automatically taken into account in the system.
In order to create an Internet showcase, you must go to the CloudShop web version under your login. In the side menu, select "Internet Showcase". If you have not yet created an online showcase, you will see here only one item "Start", boldly start!
Just three steps separate you from creating your online display case. Select the name of the store, its address in format xxx.mysite, Place a brief description of the store. Do not worry - subsequently you can change this data.
At the next stage, lead your contact details for which buyers will be able to contact you: e-mail, telephone, address.
The third step will be to configure your Internet showcase: Select the country, choose one of the stores, the goods from which will be presented on your Internet display case, the currency in which prices will be indicated. Next, you need to choose those categories of goods, the goods from which will be presented on your Internet showcase - you can make the entire range of products available for visitors to your site, which is in your database or only goods related to anyway or other categories. However, you cannot sell kits via the Internet Showcase.
That's all, the online showcase of your store is created, you can immediately go to the site on which your goods are represented or to make design.
After creating an Internet showcase in the "Internet showcase" point in the side menu, two subparagraphs will appear - appearance and settings. Options To edit the appearance of your Internet showcase is not so much, but they are - you can download your logo, change the header to one of the library available or download your own, select the background of the site.
In the settings, you can always change the description of the store, currency, mapping of certain categories or any other settings, you can temporarily turn off your Internet showcase and turn it on again when you need it. Here you will find the settings that determine to display the goods with zero residue or not.
Boldly experiment with your Internet showcase, we hope that it will be a useful tool for you. Follow the news - you will soon be able to integrate your Internet showcase in the social network, other necessary and interesting functions will appear, which we will add, listening to your reviews.
Web showcases application spectra
The web showcase is an inexpensive form of retail organization. It allows us to provide the process of interaction with the consumer, receiving and processing applications. The implementation of the further delivery of goods is carried out by traditional ways.
Forms of the organization of retail trade on the use of the Internet can be diverse. Of course, online stores are most effective, but, in some cases, it is advisable to use web showcases.
Many enterprises that are engaged in the production and sale of original products cannot standardize their goods and services. For example, it may be artworks, original items for interior design, designs that require compliance with individual sizes and forms, handmade products and others. In this case, they can create online display cases that will help inform consumers about the company's capabilities. In addition, web showcases can be used by enterprises with a very large, and constantly changing product assortment, which can only be represented by target groups. Or, such a showcase can execute a representative function, reflecting the main activities of the company.
In general, web showcases can also use enterprises that do not have sufficient capital to organize a full-fledged online store, or other types of electronic systems that provide sales in automatic mode.
On the web showcase pages, information tells about the company's activities, its advantages and features, product catalog and price list to it, they can also be filled with useful tips, articles that allow consumers to more fully perceive the purpose of goods. In addition, they can accommodate analytical reviews, the opinion of experts and specialists, feedback pages and suggestions and other useful aspects. A prerequisite for working with web showcases is the availability of a special form of application, filling the consumer can express its desire to acquire goods or services.
Of course, the Internet showcase does not allow a full range of sales, and cannot provide interactive procedures, such as account statements, tracking order, receiving payment and other processes. However, the web showcase allows you to collect applications and subsequently perform them. The organization of such a form of trading costs incomparably cheaper than other types. However, consumers can relate to some distrust to the possibility of high-quality and timely execution of the order, so the seller must consider and ensure guarantees.
This form of the business model involves the execution of the order in several stages. Initially, an application is analyzed, then coordination with suppliers is coordinated, then the conditions with the buyer occurs, and only after that the order is performed.
Compared to the online store, the web showcase has a number of shortcomings. It does not allow to automate the trade trade processes, does not allow the staff to reduce and reduce operating expenses, does not have flexibility in management, and does not contribute to the organization and conduct of effective marketing actions and other promotion activities. All requests from consumers come to the company's managers, and not into the automatic processing of orders.
In fact, the web showcase is a conventional tool that allows you to attract buyers, it is also a convenient interface to interact with them. In general, the processes differ little from traditional retail methods. However, the web showcase provides the main goal - the global presence of the seller in the market, thanks to the Internet.
This method of trade organization can also use individual entrepreneurs who do not have sufficient capital to fill the goods to the goods. They can act as mediators between buyers and suppliers with which partner unions are concluded. They can take, handle orders, provide consumers advanced information about quality and benefits of goods, and assume the function of the delivery coordinator.
Internet showcases (web showcases)
The following option for organizing retail trade on the Internet is a web showcase.
On the pages of the Internet showcase place information about the company, product catalogs (services), price lists on them and a form for submitting an application.
In the Internet shop window, you can publish company news, additional information about manufacturers, tips, analytical reviews, etc. Such a site compared to traditional sources provides more complete information about goods and services.
The following varieties can be distinguished among Internet showcases:
static Internet showcase based on ordinary HTML files;
dynamic Internet Showcase with Displays information from a certain database.
Along with participation in the electronic trading tree, this is the least costly decision, but the Internet showcase, unlike the trade series, does not provide a full range of sales, including interactive account statements, receiving payment, tracking the execution of the order, etc.
The principle of operation of the Internet showcase is based on the collection of preliminary applications with their subsequent implementation. This principle employs, for example, websites specializing in the sale of goods of limited demand (such as art objects). The main problem for the seller is to ensure that it is necessary to guarantee the potential client to fulfill the order at pre-agreed conditions. The buyer risks to get the selected product or a delay (or not to receive at all).
A distinctive feature of this business model is the implementation of the purchase and sale process in several stages. At first, the seller collects applications, then finds out the supplier terms and conditions for the execution of the order, after which it informs about this potential customers (as a rule, using email) and finally, in case of their consent, it provides the delivery of goods.
From the point of view of sellers, the Internet showcase and the online store differ quite significantly. The Internet showcase costs trading companies inexpensively, but it has significant drawbacks:
Disadvantages of Internet showcases (1):
1) does not automate trade from a real warehouse;
2) does not reduce the state of sellers and their operating expenses.
Disadvantages of Internet showcases (2):
3) There is no flexibility in managing trade processes and organizing marketing actions.
All customer requests in the Internet showcase do not receive an automated order processing system, both in an electronic store, but to sales managers. Further, the business processes of the Internet showcase completely repeat the business processes of the traditional retail enterprise. In this case, there is no possibility of a real reduction in operating costs, the profitability of the web showcase differs little on the profitability of the usual methods of trade. The main feature of the work of such a form of Internet trading - the cooperation of the interaction of the web showcase with the internal business process of the company is carried out by manually managers (in fig. Slide is depicted by the corresponding arrows).
Transaction Processes Internet Showcase
Online store transaction processing processes
Thus, the Internet Showcase is only a buyer's attraction tool, an interface for interacting with it and marketing events.
Consider now the concept and function of the online store
Trade automation becomes profitable only with its growth. As long as several employees cope with manual processing of buyers orders, especially if the number of buyers is small, merchants easier to organize trade over the Internet on the basis of an Internet showcase. But for companies conducting hundreds of transactions per day, it is unacceptable.
The most comprehensive, albeit difficult in implementation, the Internet commerce system is an online store that covers all the main business processes of the commercial enterprise: the choice of goods, registration of orders, carrying out mutual settlements, tracking the execution of orders, and in the case of the sale of information products or provision Information services - delivery via electronic communications networks.
The advantages of the online store compared to the Internet showcase are that the buyer can offer personal service, a flexible system of discounts, as well as to immediately write an account, taking into account the cost of delivery, the type of payment and insurance, tax deductions. In addition, the buyer can get information about the passage of its order. The use of this model in e-commerce allows you to significantly reduce the inventory in warehouses and thus obtain significant cost savings in comparison with offline trading complexes. Since orders in the online store are processed automatically, the manager is no longer a necessary link when servicing the buyer, its task is to overall system operation.
As part of trade in online stores, as a rule, a personalization principle based on profiling technologies - systematic collection and analysis of statistical information about buyers are used.
According to this principle, the virtual merchant provides accounting preferences. The client is offered to it a service package and a set of goods, accumulative discounts, etc.
The online store is beneficial to the trading company, which is necessary for complete control and management of all the processes of Internet commerce and various marketing actions (trade and to order, and from a warehouse, carrying out advertising campaigns, the organization of sales and so on). The creation of an online store requires large one-time costs compared to the web showcase, but at a considerable turnover, the use of online stores is significantly cost-effective.
Online store includes the following main components (1):
Internet showcase - front office located on a web server and equipped with a virtual consumer basket;
Payment system.
Online store includes the following main components (2):
Accounting and control system for orders;
Back office, information systems which are integrated with front-office systems.
Online store is designed to perform the following tasks (1):
Provision of online help to the buyer;
Registration of buyers.
Online store is designed to perform the following tasks (2):
Providing an interface to the database of goods sold (as a catalog, price list);
Working with an e-basket ("cart") buyer.
Online store is designed to perform the following tasks (3):
Registration of orders with the choice of payment method, delivery, insurance and discharge accounts;
Reservation of goods in stock.
Calculation (when choosing electronic payment methods) or payment control (when using traditional calculation forms);
Formation of applications for shipping goods to buyers and the extract of accompanying documents;
Providing the buyer to track the execution of orders;
Goods delivery;
Collection and analysis of various marketing information;
Ensuring the safety of customer personal information;
Automatic exchange of information with the company's back office.
The online store showcase is located on the Internet server and presents an active content website. Since the online store should have a permanent connection with the company's information system, it is posted either on a corporate server on the local network of the enterprise, or on a remote server with a permanent communication channel. The need to fully automate the company's business processes determines high requirements for the process of controlling the processes of the back office. This system should ensure the automatic execution of all actions related to sales, warehouse operations, have internal control mechanisms for emergency situations, etc.
In general, the minimum of software and hardware components required for the operation of the online store includes:
The software and hardware components of the online store include (1):
Web server (distributes request coming from the Internet, makes separation of access to information);
The software and hardware components of the online store include (2):
Application server (manages the work of the trading system, in particular the online store business logic).
The software and hardware components of the online store include (3):
DBMS server (provides storage and processing of data on goods, clients, accounts, etc.).
Payment systems are connected to this complex, and in some cases delivery systems. To integrate the company's business processes, the electronic transmission gateway is organized between the online store and the company's internal automation system (document management system, ERP-system, etc.).
Significantly distinguished from each other options for building online stores used business model:
Business Models Building Online Stores (1):
online store (there is no traditional trading network).
Business Models Building Online Stores (2):
combining offline business with online (when the online store is created on the basis of the current real trading structure).
The undoubted advantage is the second type stores. In this case, symbiosis adds new opportunities to both types of business:
The online store enjoys the benefits of delivery with an existing network of retail stores, it can offer an option to receive the goods in the selected store, unlike a purely online store there are no problems with the return of goods;
Official buyers can pre-familiarize themselves with product range and characteristics on the site, and then come to the nearest real-style store.
According to the availability of inventories, online stores can be divided into:
Working under contracts with suppliers (the absence of any significant own inventory stocks).
As well as on -
Having own warehousing (availability of inventories).
The model of work under contracts with suppliers is based on the electronic mediation of a virtual trading enterprise between manufacturers or distributors of goods and retail clients.
More attractive than those of offline competitors, prices are explained by the lack of costs for the purchase (rent), the content and equipment of commercial premises and warehouses and a low level of staff spending.
This business model immediately gained popularity, however quickly became obvious that, being a loving, it does not provide strategic competitive advantages. In other words, when many online stores come to the e-commerce market with unknowns before (or little-known) names and a standard assortment, a separate seller cannot be sure that any significant number of buyers will be chosen to purchase goods to its goods.
Another type of online stores is those who have their own warehouse and commodity reserves.
It may be an organization (Internet division) of the offline trade and service or production company. The scheme of interaction between the seller and the buyer in this case is almost no different from the scheme of the first model. The difference consists only that in this case the store operates the goods of its own warehouse, and not the supplier's warehouse and, therefore, less dependent on external factors. This model is not so easily copied by competitors as the previous one, since it requires capital expenditures to create a warehouse system and inventory.
The development of electronic commerce does not necessarily lead to the total increase in the number of buyers and turnover of the trading enterprise as a whole. Often there is a so-called "cannibalization" markets of sales, i.e. the online store, begins to compete with the firm's offline units and increase the turnover by luring their clients.
The first interactive element of the interface with which the user is faced is the product catalog reflecting the product range of the online store.
The catalog is usually usually in the form of a hierarchical tree structure, the basic elements of which are typical groups of goods and specific goods (a complete analogy with the file structure presenting in the Windows OS conductor). When you click on the group, it unfolds, opening the next level of this group. At the last level of each group, specific products of a certain type are presented. If desired, the buyer can see the product image and its detailed characteristics.
The fullness of the information posted in the catalog, the convenient submission structure and the possibility of quick search largely determine the success of the online store. It is in the catalog that provides all the information available to the potential customer, which should to a certain extent compensate for the lack of real samples and the seller-consultant.
A significant role in the catalog can be played by 3D technologies that make it possible to inspect the sample that interests from all sides, look at the inside and so on.
However, the use of 3D technologies places increased requirements for the capabilities of the client's computer.
To ensure a quick search for the necessary information, an automated search system is used, operating on a given client parameters: the name of the goods, the required quality characteristics, the maximum price, etc.
In one degree or another, the structure of the product catalog affects the structure of the site. The placement of the goods according to the commodity classified industry does not guarantee the convenience of searching for customers. For example, when creating a market catalog of a perfume shop, it is not enough to use branded classifiers of manufacturers: the names of some sections will not be affected by the consumer (for example, aldehyde). Therefore, when developing a catalog, it is necessary to take into account the idea of \u200b\u200bthe consideration of the product classification of this group.
The purchase process in the online store consists of 2 stages:
Selection of goods (search, obtaining detailed information about the product, room in the basket);
Ordering (selection of payment and delivery form).
If the purchase process was interrupted, for example, the user needed to urgently go on business, the online store remembers the current state of its basket. Next visit to the store in the buyer's basket there will be a previously selected product. Depending on the policy of the store administration, the storage time of the shopping carts can be long (up to several weeks).
There are several types of baskets. Standard basket can be divided into the main and auxiliary.
The buyer puts all the goods they like to the auxiliary basket, and at the time of the order decides, it decides that from the selected shifting to the main basket and pay, and what will remain in the auxiliary basket until the next visit to the store.
In addition, there is a typical basket concept, or typical order. The need for such a basket occurs in the case of regular purchases by some buyer of the same parties of goods.
The buyer forms the contents of the basket and declares it typical. In the future, it can change its contents. Each buyer can create an arbitrary number of such baskets. The most efficient use of a typical basket with a wide range of purchased parties of goods is most effective.
Another variety of basket is a corporate basket for corporate customers. It is used to automate the supply of large geographically distributed enterprises.
The corporate basket is based on baskets of individual structural links (departments, offices, branches, etc.) of one enterprise, takes into account the limits of consumption of funds for the supply of various structural links, restrictions on the financial resources of the enterprise, etc.
Forming a basket, the client gives the command to "fulfill the order", while choosing the form of payment and delivery convenient for it.
An important component of the interaction of the buyer and the store is the registration in which the buyer informs the store the data required for:
1) identification (name, password);
2) direct purchase (full name, address, telephone, email address, etc.).
In the future, this information is used with all the interactions of the buyer and the store - the buyer just can only identify itself. During registration, the online store ensures the security of the customer's personal information, using the data transfer by protected channels, such as the SSL protocol.
Registration - an optional condition for visiting an online store. At the same time, it provides a number of advantages. First, registration allows the buyer to always see the status of his orders, save the contents of the basket for future visits. Secondly, there is no need for each purchase to specify the data required for its implementation (the address of the delivery of goods, legal details of the organization, etc.). Registration allows, tracking the preferences of a particular buyer, personalize maintenance: provide personalized information, form prices taking into account individual discounts, to keep orders history, etc.
Data on the buyer and the contents of its basket come to managers in the back office of the online store. The back office software includes the associated database of received orders with tracking their execution, customer database with their credit history, the system of automated accounting of the warehouse and accounting, applications for top managers and the client part of the Internet banking system, etc.
Order processing begins from the date of application and contains the following steps:
Order design steps (1):
Reservation of goods in stock;
Payment (Online Mode Calculations occur automatically, the invoice is discharged in the offline and then the fact of receipt of funds is monitored).
Order design steps (2):
Registration of documents for the delivery of goods.
The online store software automatically generates, signs the electronic digital signature of the store and forwards the client an account by which it can pay and receive a product in the store for a certain time. An electronic account in this form is the basis for payment. Online stores allow payment by postal transfer, by plastic card, electronic money, conventional bank transfer or cash (when using courier delivery or when receiving goods at an offline store). After reporting the payment of the trading system, an order is formed for the delivery service. The buyer can online to receive information about the order pass.
Consider the advantages and disadvantages of the main ways of payment of goods in online stores.
Advantages and disadvantages of payment methods in online stores (1):
1. Payment by cash courier. Payment is carried out at the time of transfer of goods by courier.
The advantages of this method:
Warranty of receiving goods (buyer) and money (seller);
The ability to check the goods (and completeness) immediately and if you wish to return it, refusing to buy;
The ability to receive courier consultation.
This method is one of the simplest, reliable and convenient.
Disadvantages of this method: considerable costs for courier service, especially during sales outside the city, and the impossibility of ensuring a high level of service and pre-sale services.
Advantages and disadvantages of payment methods in online stores (2):
2. Payment and receipt of the previously ordered goods in the store.
This freak payment for reliability does not differ from a simple purchase at an offline store. Buyer, placing an order in the online store, decrees, in which of the company's real stores, he wants to get it and after the established period, it acquires goods in the appointed store.
Advantages for the buyer are the same as in the first case, plus:
Looking at the store, the buyer can conclude about the reliability of the seller's company;
The purchase process in a traditional store is familiar to everyone;
There are no problems of a psychological nature characteristic of courier delivery - buyers are wary of the emergence of unfamiliar people in their home;
Relatively easy to guarantee a high level of service and pre-sale services.
The lack for the buyer - you need to go to the store for purchase. The disadvantage for the online seller is the need for a real store. This can afford, as a rule, only online stores organized on the basis of offline trading enterprises.
Advantages and disadvantages of payment methods in online stores (3):
3. Cash on delivery. After ordering, the goods are sent to the buyer by mail. Payment is made in the post office, directly upon receipt.
Benefits:
There are no geographic restrictions;
Relatively low shipping cost.
Disadvantages:
The impossibility of preliminary familiarization with the goods (the contents of the mailing can only be checked after paying for the purchase);
Insecurity of delivery (goods can be spoiled during transportation);
Significant delivery time (the largest of all possible options).
Advantages and disadvantages of payment methods in online stores (4):
4. Payment by bank transfer. After placing the order, the buyer is an invoice that can be paid through the cashier of any bank (for individuals) or from a current account (for organizations). The method is convenient for organizations. For an individual, this way of purchase is not as convenient - you must first go to the bank to pay, and then wait for the product. This option is characterized by all disadvantages of calculation by cash on delivery.
Advantages and disadvantages of payment methods in online stores (5):
5. Payment with a plastic card. To make payment, the buyer introduces the details of the plastic card into a special screen form and receives a notice of write-off from an account indicating the completion of the payment.
The advantage is the simplicity of the payment process. The disadvantage is a low level of payment of payment transactions.
Advantages and disadvantages of payment methods in online stores (6):
6. Payment using electronic money, electronic checks.
In order to take advantage of this method of payment, you need to install a digital wallet on your computer (electronic wallet) and connect to the electronic money system.
Advantages of this method:
High degree of security;
Simplicity and ease of payment process.
Method disadvantages:
The need to create a wallet with electronic money;
The costs associated with the payment of payment systems are possible.
This method is ideal for those who often make purchases on the Internet, it is reliable and safe.
After ordering and mutual settlements, the data on purchasing activity enters the system. In the process of working with the buyer, marketing information is constantly going and analyzed. The owner of the virtual store, having complete information about website visitors, can build a marketing policy in accordance with it.
In addition to the basic components (commodity catalog, archive of orders, e-basket), ensuring business processes, the online store contains a number of additional information sections.
Any online store sections are needed:
General information about the store;
On the specifics of the commodity range;
Form quick search for the desired product (because of great popularity, the search form is usually on the main page);
Assistance in navigation and purchase;
News of the target market;
Answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ and "contextual prompts").
It is important to pay attention to the "Help" section, its absence is the reason for the rejection of many purchases. According to Students, Andersen Consulting about 25% of buyers do not make purchases due to the lack of information about the product (service). 62% of buyers answered the question: "What are the actions on the part of online stores might push them to buying?" That could be reviews, recommendations on goods and services. Another 58% (it was possible to give several answer options) they said that they needed tips on choosing color, size, quantity, etc.
It is known to make a visited store based on the information portal much easier than to organize the popular news section in the online store. Therefore, novice online shopping is trying to find an information partner. The store has goods and money, the news site has an audience and information. Combining these resources gives a good economic result.
The structure of the site is not limited to the sections listed above. According to Jupiter Communications, 24% of online stores use the "Hits" section (it is also "sales leaders", "best products", etc.). This allows you to increase sales. It's no secret, as public opinion is strongly influenced by a person, especially when he doubts.
Trade and technological processes are a combination of trade (commercial) and technological processes, the purpose of which is to bring goods to consumers with the lowest work and time.
The main models of the organization of retail trade on the Internet depending on the degree of automation of trade and technological processes are: Internet showcase; Vending machine and automatic store (or trading Internet system - TIS).
Internet showcaseit is a website on the Internet, which hosts information about the enterprise and about the products being implemented. All that the visitor can make is to get information (more or less detailed and relevant) about goods and services.
The practical utility of such a showcase is quite obvious, the cost of its creation and administration can be quite low, but this is not yet trade, but only a type of advertising. In this decision, there is no integration with the business process of trading company. To purchase a potential buyer, you must first visit the Internet Showcase, and later pass the usual purchase cycle: a call or a visit to the company, payment, etc. This approach can be justified primarily for the implementation of complex products, the study of which in the trading hall occupies too much time.
Vending machinein addition to those functions that perform an Internet showcase can receive orders, and then online either batch mode to transmit the manager. Further order processing is made by the usual scheme for the company. The fundamental difference from the Internet showcase is that orders for the purchase and accounts for payment of the ordered goods are discharged without human participation. In contrast to the Internet showcase, the vending machine carries out real trading and in terms of costs to the results looks most preferable for enterprises with a small flow of buyers.
Automatic storeit is the most powerful, comprehensive and complex solution. It not only writes off accounts, but also provides funds to track orders. In the case of using an online payment system, it takes payments and forms applications for shipping goods to buyers. Orders are processed automatically, the goods are reserved in stock, balances are adjusted, other necessary operations are produced.
Automatic store is a full-fledged virtual trading service that performs operations with the customer by automatic software control. The functions performed are included as a demonstration of goods, providing comprehensive information, technical support for customers, compilation and processing of the order, account statement, transfer of cash payments, selection of the optimal delivery method, etc. In this case, the person's presence is also necessary, but here it implements Only overall control over the operation of the entire system.
The main condition for the construction of truly profitable TIS is the integration of trade, accounting, warehouse, accounting systems within the company with Internet commerce management systems.
A significant difference from the point of view of the buyer has the first model due to the fact that there is no possibility to place an order for goods directly on the site. The last two decisions look sufficiently equally. This is due to the fact that the buyer is dealing with external design, and this is always an online directory, a navigation system and ordering system. Therefore, both of these options can be combined with the general name of an online store, which is an automated system operating on the basis of e-commerce basics and implementing service and commercial functions inherent in stores with traditional service forms.
As soon as the buyer begins to place an order, he is convinced of the advantages of the online store compared to the Internet Showcase. These advantages are manifested in the fact that the buyer can offer a more flexible system of discounts, accept the order, immediately write an account, taking into account the cost of delivery and insurance, etc. In addition, he will be able to see the real state of the warehouse and get information about the passage of its order.
From the point of view of sellers, these three solutions differ very significantly. The Internet Showcase costs trading companies inexpensively, but:
- Internet showcase allows you to organize only trade in order, it is almost impossible to establish trade from the real warehouse;
- The use of the showcase does not reduce the costs of sellers for state content and operating costs;
- The Internet showcase is a very slow solution in terms of management and is not flexible from the point of view of organizing marketing shares;
- The company's image that discovered and supporting a simple Internet showcase is always worse than a company that has organized Internet trading with a full-featured online store;
- The organization of retail Internet commerce with the help of a showcase is to a trade company ineffective and even often unprofitable.
The online store is significantly more profitable to trade company (especially the average business), which wants to actually manage the entire Internet commerce process and various marketing actions, trade and to order, and from the warehouse, reduce the number of sales managers, etc. - Magazine will need more one-time costs compared to the showcase, but they will be much more efficient, since the use of online stores is significantly cost-effective than the use of showcases.
There are several features to create an online store.
1. Rent a store in an electronic trading row. The cheapest and simple variant, since most technical issues take on the owner of the trading series.
Electronic Shopping Row - This is essentially an electronic department store or an electronic supermarket, widespread in economically developed countries. They are united by Internet independent sellers on the same trading platform. Each seller registered in the electronic trading row places the catalog of its products in the system. Then all product offers are reduced to a single catalog of the trading series.
There are several options for the seller's participation in an electronic trading row:
- premises its price list to the directory of the price list of the trading series;
- Placement of the page of the new online store in the system for which interested buyers are redirected;
- Rent a specific thematic section of the catalog.
- 2. Purchase ready-made online store software. Depending on the functional features of solutions, they are used for small and medium-sized projects. The main disadvantage is limited refinement capabilities in accordance with the requirements of a specific customer.
- 3. Order of development from a specialized company. One of the most frequently used options for large projects with non-standard requirements. Apply this option to create a conventional store integrated with a common back office, it is impractical. In such cases, usually ordered the developer to modernize the ready-made solution.
- 4. Development of solving on its own. The most difficult and cost method. It is applied only if the company has all the necessary resources for the development of software products (programmers, testing specialists, specialists in patent law, strong technical support service, etc.). The development of own solutions is often used by large companies or holdings, which includes several online stores.
In order to open an online store, following three last options, you can do one of two ways.
- 1. Installing the server on the local network of the enterprise. This option is the most expensive and difficult in execution. To implement it, the following components are needed: server equipment; Server Software; high-speed communication channel; Building a security system.
- 2. Placement of the store on the Internet provider server. Online store software is located on the provider server (a separate server or server disk space) is rented. This service is called hosting.
In this case:
- The Internet provider canal will be used as a dedicated channel, which will ensure faster buyers to the online store;
- Manage the store managers of a trading company can be remotely from their office.
This cheaper option, since in this case specialized server equipment and high-speed channel is required, and the cost of maintenance of the store is reduced. However, the flexibility of the setting, the functionality of the store is reduced, the efficiency of processing orders.
In the context of the current state of online trading in Russia, the model of the vending machine looks like the most attractive. This option with sufficiently modest costs will allow to assess the demand for the goods and services offered, start an advertising campaign and promotion of the online store. At the same time, with a large number of orders and developed infrastructure, an automatic store wins. The Internet Showcase is a means of advertising, not trade, and consider it as a solution for the online store inexpedient.
Another type of retail organization on the Internet is an online display case, or a web showcase.The web showcase is a website that is designed to demonstrate the goods and services of the showcase owner using the Internet.There is more detailed definition of the concept under consideration:
As a rule, information about the company, catalogs of goods and services, price lists and form of filling are posted on the web display pages. Here you can publish the Company's news, additional information about manufacturers, analytical reviews, etc. Information about all orders is sent to the seller's mailbox, whose employees perform them in the prescribed manner. If you compare a web showcase with traditional sources, then the latter cannot provide so complete information about goods and services, unlike the first.
Among web showcases allocate varieties:
Along with participation in an electronic trading row, this decision is the least costly, but the web showcase, unlike the trading series, cannot provide a full cycle of sale, including interactive account statement procedures, receiving payment, tracking the execution of the order and so on.
The principle of the web showcase is based on the collection of preliminary applications with their subsequent implementation. This principle employs, for example, websites that specialize in the sale of goods of limited demand (art objects). The main problem of the seller is the need to ensure a guarantee to a potential customer on the execution of the order on advanced conditions. Buyer's problem: the risk of receiving the selected product or service late (or the risk of not receiving a product / service at all).
A distinctive feature of this version of the business model is the implementation of the purchase and sale process in several stages. The first stage is the assembly of applications, which is engaged in the seller, then he finds out the provider for terms and conditions for the execution of the order, after which he notifies potential customers (usually, by e-mail) and the last stage is the delivery of goods, provided that the consumer confirmed its consent .
Although, the web showcase is a relatively inexpensive means of organizing retail, it has significant limitations:
- does not automate trade from the real warehouse;
- does not allow the staff of sellers and their operating expenses;
- Lack of flexibility in managing trade processes and organization of marketing actions.
