What do companies such as Amazon, National Commercial Bank, Fontana Pharmacy, and Brawta Living all have in common? They have a well-planned and strategic online presence. And that presence is geared at capitalizing on the e-commerce market for selling their products and services.
So, what is your business doing to leverage this increasingly lucrative landscape for growing your profits?
Whether you’re an established business or new to the market, you can increase sales online with the right tools and solutions.
The Jamaican Advantage
Jamaican businesses are making their mark in the e-commerce space and with good reason. The UN is predicting that online consumers will grow to 1.6B in 2018. And with this potential for increased sales, there are a few local factors that make selling online a very profitable option for Jamaican businesses.
Mobile & Internet Penetration in Jamaica Creates a Lucrative Online Market
According to The World Factbook, there are approximately 110 mobile cellular phones per 100 Jamaicans. It also estimates that internet penetration in Jamaica is at 45% of the Jamaican population as at 2016. (The world average is approximately 50%.)
That means over 1.3M Jamaicans have access to and are enthusiastically using the internet.
And that presents an incredible opportunity to increase sales through online avenues. Selling directly to your consumers online means that you already have an instant leg up on your competition.
Jamaicans Are Embracing Online Shopping
Our local financial institutions are actively facilitating online shopping. With four major banks commercialized within the last 6-7 years, credit and visa debit card usage has significantly increased in the island. These cards have made it more convenient to access goods and services online. And they make it easier for your business to tap into the consumer market.
Plus, as you can see from the rise of freight services that deliver online purchases to Jamaicans, the local consumer market is embracing online shopping.
Embrace E-Commerce and See Your Business Increase Sales Online
Since 1997, there has been an 18,650% increase in global internet usage and an 18,233% increase in online sales. From mature businesses to newcomers, the possibilities are endless for leveraging the power of the internet to grow and increase profits.
Fontana Pharmacy is a great example of this. It is a brick and mortar space that has now embraced the online alternatives for their business. Sometimes, companies are forced to evolve to continue growing. And that is what e-commerce has done for most businesses.
There are tools and resources to help your company succeed just as well, if not better, than those businesses already taking advantage of the Jamaican e-commerce market. Here are the three solutions to look at maximizing your online sales.
In today’s marketplace, you cannot make it without an online presence. I am not talking about social media presence such as Facebook or Instagram. These are helpful, yes, but you do not own these spaces. You need your own slice of the web.
You can get your website up quickly and begin to sell your products or services with ease online. Not only does this show that you are a reputable business and increase customer trust, but it also helps to build brand recognition. Learn more
Can you imagine marketing your products online, then needing your clients to find your business or get your bank details to transfer payments? There are too many obstacles to your sale.
Today, shoppers are comfortable paying for goods and services online. And they are doing so from a variety of personal devices. This means if you have a well-designed website that provides a simple and easy to use payment processing system for credit card and visa debit card payments online, you will be ahead of your competitors.
I know that locally, it can be problematic to accept payments online and have that payment deposited to your local bank account. PayPal, for example, is not as easy to implement for local businesses unless you want to wait months for the cheques to be processed and cleared.
But, there are even simpler options for your business to get paid online and receive funds in your Jamaican bank account. Plus, you can streamline your payment processes to get more money into your business seamlessly. Learn more
It is easier to convince a customer to buy from you again than to convert a new visitor to your site. This is where staying connected to your customer base becomes important. With the right SMS and Email communication services, you can reach your customers anytime and anywhere. Learn more
How are you using the internet to increase sales online?
If I have piqued your interest in increasing sales online in your business, then let’s have a chat. We will review your current business processes and help you develop a plan that leads to 200% or more growth in your business online.