In 2006 the Internet was second only to television in capturing adult media attention. By late 2008 almost one-third of all Internet users were age 55 and up. These changes, from a younger persons media to a more accepted mainstream media for everyone, means more purchasing power is available to the internet retailer. With the growth in the numbers of older adults using Internet services, escalating gas prices and a more firm movement towards Green, on-line shopping and the many Shopping Carts available to buyers today will only fuel its popularity and use. Although demographic research suggests that the higher the family income, the more likely they are to use on-line shopping, the above trends will no doubt start to affect that as well.
Statistics recently available through eMarketer suggest a 65% growth in US shopping over the internet between 2008 and 2013. In raw numbers this means a jump in US dollars from $133 B to $203 B. In Canada the growth from 2007 to 2012 is expected to equal these percentages with the Canadian dollar value rising from $13.8 B to $22.8 B. From a strategic perspective any company not doing business over the internet today is disadvantaged. However, the growth forecasts also mean that if your not in the game today by no means are you too late either.
With all of the unpleasant economic news recently its difficult to not be adversely affected. Rather than fall victim to the negativity the various news media seem to prey on consider the possibilities that are presented to all of us through the internet. How many of us today would like to derive another income, a secondary one that allows us to provide a few extras for our family or for ourselves? The truth is there are always options for those who know where to look. Multiple income streams are a strategy that can help safeguard us while this downturn sorts itself out. Two things make it easy for anyone with a product or an idea to attract and sell to prospects. The internets global reach and the ability to perform e-commerce transactions with shopping cart solutions means you have a global audience for your product or service. Depending on your creativity these technologies make a second or even third income stream possible with minimal overhead. And don’t forget about the advantages of working from home. Even for those who don’t have a product or service ready to sell right now there are a number of Affiliate Programs available where all the work has been done for you. All the individual need do is source one or two that may align themselves with their pending product or service and start sooner than later. This method allows the newcomer to understand how on-line shopping and its associated marketing strategies all link together.
One of the impacts of the internet is a shift away from traditional paper based advertising methods to the internet. The associated higher costs associated with paper based advertising and the sharp eye on cost containment by financially weakened businesses is accelerating this trend. Other Social Advertising media such as Face Book, U-tube, Twitter and more are also available and their low or no cost access ads to the digital draw. Here’s why. Despite what we hear on the news about the economy we can loose sight of the fact that it is not bad everywhere. Look hard enough and you will find a bright spot, areas that continue to thrive; areas were people are still buying. The internets world wide reach means you can always gain access to that market. And as these markets of opportunity change and shift with new realities your internet and e-commerce presence means you will always be there for them when they decide to look for your product or service.
Regardless of any economy there are always people wanting to buy today and people looking to gather information to purchase later. If your product and website are convincing enough and your e-commerce solution easy to use then you will get the now buyer. But the shoppers need to be convinced. Therefore, any good shopping cart will have a capability to stay in touch with the shopper. The wise internet seller can source other technologies that can work with their shopping cart and e-commerce programs to deliver on-going campaigns keeping your prospects up to date and interested in your products and services. This means they don’t have to constantly surf your site to see when a sale or other special is on. For an example of a company with an excellent marketing campaign technology check out www.AutomatedMarketingSolutions.com. The social networks such as Face Book, U-tube and Twitter are also excellent ways to build rapport and credibility with future buyers so that when it does come time to buy, your name and product are at the top of their mind. These media provide excellent ways of measuring the reception of your products and services and gauging the readiness of the public for an idea you may have. Therefore, don’t limit yourself in how you reach out to your current and future prospects and customers.
Given the impressions we all may have about larger companies we can still learn much. For example a report released in February 2009 discussed the top 10 priorities CMO or Chief Marketing Officers in America were considering as their top 10 priorities for this year. Number 2 on this list was the need to develop marketing programs that integrate both the internet and their traditional media. Doing this provides advertising cost cutting and reduces other overheads. These same advantages accrue to the small to medium business as well as the entrepreneurs working out of their home. The simplicity with which an on-line enterprise to advertise, buy and sell over the internet can be set up brings it within reach of more and more of us looking for that second income. What will differentiate us and our success will be how effective we are in using these tools to attract, convert and retain.
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