Articles: E-Commerce: Friend or Foe?
Date Added: 16/12/2011 @ 1:07pm
In a new study, it is claimed that as many as one in three UK small businesses consider e-commerce to be a major threat to their business.
More than 3/4 of small businesses in the UK currently sell their products or services on the internet. This figure, whilst seemingly quite high, shows that the United Kingdom is lagging behind our European counterparts when it comes to the uptake of e-commerce. In Italy, for example, as many as 94% of small-medium sized businesses have an e-commerce website.
In Europe, upwards of 70% of small businesses consider e-commerce as a viable business opportunity. In the UK this figure is less than 60% according to the Epson Business Council who sampled some 1,250 companies across five European countries.
Despite a general reduction in retail sales this November (source: BBC News), online sales were predicted to be busy for online shopping this year. So small businesses that have invested in e-commerce should see a welcome rise in sales.
Founder of internet comparison website Confused.com, Sara Murray, commented: "While it is encouraging to see that most of the UK’s micro businesses are now involved in e-commerce in some way, it is concerning that so many still regard the area as a threat. In the midst of this busy shopping period, e-commerce should offer micro businesses an avenue for growth which they can’t afford to ignore."
With the cost of adding ecommerce to your existing website starting from as little as £425, perhaps it is time for small businesses to embrace ecommerce as a secondary stream income. The cost of a good website isn't as much as you might think.
If you would like more advice about whether setting up an ecommerce website could work for your business, get in touch.
For more information on this topic, and for more advice for your business, see the SmallBusiness website here.