6 Reasons You Should Start an eCommerce Business
Connor Gillivan
I scale companies w/ SEO & content. Daily posts about the process. 7x Founder (Exit in 2019).
Why should I start an eCommerce business when it seems like every Tom, Dick and Harry is going online?
If you’ve asked this question, you’re not alone. A lot of regular Joes with no experience in business as well as long-time entrepreneurs have shied away from the idea.
Scores of others have and still are flocking to the internet to do retail sales. The competition for customers must be fierce, right? Why go through all the trouble of trying to set up a business when the chances of success look so slim?
The fact is, even though there are a lot of eCommerce retailers out there, there’s still a lot to be had. You should start an eCommerce business because there is just so much opportunity out there that you can tap. Tom, Dick and Harry – along with hundreds of other intrepid etailers – all have the right idea, and there’s plenty to go around. It’s not even that hard to get started in eCommerce.
We have 6 very good reasons right here, including the above, for why you should start an eCommerce business of your own.
#1 A Great Opportunity
The eCommerce industry has grown steadily since 2010. Last year, global eCommerce retail sales grew 24.6 percent compared to 2015. Online retail accounted for 8.7 percent of the total retail market worldwide. In North America alone, B2C e-commerce turnover was almost 700 billion US dollars.
The opportunity that exists in eCommerce sales is huge. And eCommerce growth shows no signs of stopping. Statista predicts that the number of online shoppers will increase by an average of 2 percent every year through to 2021. There is plenty of room for someone like you to find an awesome niche to get into. And that’s just for starters. As you build your eCommerce startup, there is a lot of room to branch out and grow.
#2 It’s My Life
If, like Bon Jovi, you just wanna live while you’re alive, you need to start an eCommerce business. Owning an eCommerce business means that you get to be your own boss. A business owner has the freedom to create that work-life balance that brings peace and enjoyment. Most people these days don’t find fulfillment in the traditional 9-5 jobs. If you are like them and want to live on your own terms, then it’s time to start an eCommerce business.
#3 Leave the World Behind
Economic freedom goes hand in hand with the ability to work from anywhere you want to. When you start an eCommerce business, all you need to get going is a laptop and an internet connection. You can run your online store from anywhere in the world. You can take and fulfill orders in your sweats from your couch, in your shorts from white sands – anything you want. Take your family with you. No more sad goodbyes and time apart. You can provide without making all those sacrifices that cost you too dearly.
#4 We’ve Got Your Back
It can be tough when you’re just starting out, whatever it is you’re doing. The great thing about online retail is that it’s backed by a supportive industry. Many successful eCommerce entrepreneurs have been very generous, sharing best practices with others based on their experiences. Sure, there will always be trade secrets. The generation of entrepreneurs that we have the privilege of getting to know today, however, are much more open than anyone could have expected 10, 20, 50 years ago. You can start an eCommerce business with confidence knowing that there are so many others who were once where you are now and are willing to give you more than a few pieces of advice.