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ECommerce has transformed how consumers shop and businesses operate. We summon anything we want or need from our phone, and it lands on our doorstep—sometimes the same day.
You may think eCommerce is only for retail and consumer products, but it’s also becoming popular for manufacturing businesses.
Here are eight ways eCommerce benefits manufacturers.
Manufacturers used to use distributors and retailers to sell their products. But with eCommerce, manufacturers eliminate intermediaries and directly connect with an unlimited pool of customers.
Customers can buy from a manufacturing eCommerce site exactly like they buy from a retail eCommerce site. Pricing, product, and shipping information is displayed before, during, and after transactions, and customers find and pay for what they need and know when it will arrive—without human interaction.
ECommerce platforms provide analytics about customer behavior, preferences, and purchasing habits. With this information, manufacturers can make sound decisions about product development, marketing campaigns, and inventory forecasting and management.
Gone are the days of customers paging through thick catalogs to find the products they need. Manufacturers can list all their products on an eCommerce site, and customers can use searches and filters to quickly find items.
Manufacturers can tailor online product catalogs to specific customers. For example, when a customer searches a manufacturer’s eCommerce site, they may see results based on their purchase history or products that were purchased by companies like theirs.
ECommerce automates time-consuming processes like checkout, inventory management, and billing. Instead of fielding phone calls and emails, customer service and sales staff can focus on nurturing customer relationships.
Eliminating intermediaries and paper catalogs is an immediate cost savings. Online selling also requires less staff, maintenance, and overhead than physical locations.
Manufacturers can use an eCommerce site to promote their brand and visibility through search engine optimization (SEO), social media, marketing emails, and online advertising. Reinforcing a brand and creating a lasting impression in the minds of consumers leads to more sales and revenues.
ECommerce is helping manufacturing businesses drive growth, efficiency, and profitability—and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Manufacturers can integrate eCommerce with other business systems like cloud enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions for unprecedented efficiency. They can also make their eCommerce site available on marketplaces like Amazon.
Download our free eBook, Learn to Crawl, Walk, and Run with ECommerce. It’s a comprehensive resource whether you’re new to eCommerce or ready to expand your online presence.
