| E-tailers are simply retailers who use the internet to | | | | preview products and gather information on the |
| sell their goods/services to their customers, rather | | | | store in general (for example, their nearest retailer or |
| than actual stores. There are two types of e-tailer, | | | | company phone number/contact details) before they |
| one category whereby e-commerce is the only | | | | visit. |
| operation undertaken by the company; examples of | | | | E-tailers must realize that it is not enough to simply |
| such organisations include E-Bay, Amazon, and Dell. | | | | have an aesthetically pleasing web site, which is full |
| The other type includes e-commerce as part of their | | | | of product information alongside great photos and |
| overall marketing strategy, whilst still having a | | | | detailed product reviews; this is all well and good, but |
| physical, bricks and mortar tore, whereby customers | | | | useless without sufficient knowledge of Search |
| can still go in and purchase the good/service. | | | | Engine Marketing (SEM) and Search Engine |
| Examples of this type of e-tailer are Dixons, Tesco | | | | Optimization (SEO) in order to target the necessary |
| and WH Smith. | | | | traffic towards the site. Even something as simple as |
| Those companies who operate purely as ecommerce | | | | an appropriate domain name can have a big |
| stores are able to achieve greater profit margins, due | | | | difference on the number of people visiting your site |
| to their set up and operational costs being much | | | | they should be kept small and concise, preferably |
| lower than that of a traditional store. They do not | | | | without a hyphen, as people tend to forget these |
| have to pay any rent on a building whilst they still | | | | and this could lead to them being sent directly to |
| often have to pay for their Web Hosting, the cost is | | | | your competitor! Word of mouth advertising is |
| much less, there are no added rates for such | | | | priceless, so by using an address that sounds exactly |
| overheads as water, electricity, gas, etc. Labour | | | | how it is spelt can work wonders for spreading |
| costs are significantly less, where one person could | | | | positive information. |
| realistically run a website, package goods and answer | | | | SEO and SEM practices change regularly, and there is |
| enquiries via email; this is unlikely to be the case | | | | no guarantee that any particular methods will work. |
| where a full time store is involved. On top of these | | | | The best way to ensure a good ranking on the |
| price differences, an online store can be viewed | | | | search engines is to employ an expert to work full |
| accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, from only | | | | time at increasing the chances of traffic being |
| one location. Shoppers in China, for example, can | | | | directed to your website. Whilst many web designers |
| purchase goods at the touch of a button from a UK | | | | may claim to be adept at SEO, there a relatively few |
| based e-tailer, but would struggle to make the 10,000 | | | | personnel currently in the UK with any real in depth |
| mile round trip to go to the actual store! | | | | knowledge of the subject, so it is worthwhile |
| It is becoming essential for retailers to have at least | | | | spending the extra time/money on making sure your |
| some form of internet based access, whether this is | | | | company is well represented within the search engine |
| a site whereby goods/services can actually be | | | | rankings, and chasing that all important #1 spot. |
| purchased, or purely informational, so customers can | | | | |