In a time of digital media so present in our daily lives, there is nothing more natural than using the internet as a sales channel . We can argue here how an internet store can be a good business. There are, however, several ways to set up an internet sales business. Two of the most established formats are market place and e-commerce . Both fulfill a similar function: selling products and services. But they have basic differences in their conceptions, which make businesses very different. In this article, we will explore the topic a little more. Read until the end and learn more about the two online sales commercial models. Conceptualizing e-commerce and market place There are the differences. E -commerce is a single brand virtual store , 100% developed for a company. It is a more traditional business model for internet sales. It works using a “shopping cart”, a software that allows you to choose items and calculate individual and total values. The central idea is to simulate an experience in a physical store, in which you can choose between different products from a single seller.
The market place , as a free translation into Portuguese suggests, is a shopping place, a virtual shopping mall with several stores offering the most varied items. It works like a mall , in which several sellers set up their virtual stores to offer products. In other words, it is a platform that brings together entrepreneurs from different categories, but who only own their products, not the sales location. As examples, we can mention the website fastshop.com.br as an e-commerce Europe Mobile Number List and Mercado Livre as a market place. What is the best model for online sales? On the internet, business expansion has broad possibilities, and gaining customers shows that borders can be crossed in a few clicks. The costs of online commerce are relatively low compared to the infrastructure of physical stores, which has stimulated the digital transformation of several businesses. Something that digital entrepreneurs are very excited about selling on the internet is the period of operation. Business prospects are available 24 hours a day, all day long to promote and make sales. Furthermore, a large number of employees is not necessary , allowing labor costs to be reduced. But when deciding to make the internet a sales channel, there are other decisions to make.
Gathered some advantages and disadvantages of e-commerce and market place so you can see which one best suits your business needs and investment possibilities. Shall we go to them? Advantages and disadvantages of e-commerce As it is a virtual store , you have full control over the entire operation and customization. On the other hand, any and all investment or maintenance costs made on the platform are exclusively the responsibility of the entrepreneur. There are already companies that offer very complete virtual store solutions , with order and stock control, payment options and integration with the Post Office. However, as it is a branded business, an investment in layout and architecture is always recommended to make the user experience fluent and positive. It is also necessary to provide assistance for promotion, publicity and prospecting of customers, that is, the services of a digital marketing agency . It is possible to go it alone, but it is yet another challenge to be faced. The advantage of e-commerce is total control of the store's operations , not subject to third-party rules, nor is it necessary to pay commissions or advertising fees. In terms of attracting customers, it will take longer to win them over, but once they are loyal, it will be more difficult to lose to the competition.