Online stores (also called e-commerce stores) are websites or apps where businesses sell products or services over the internet.
Examples: Amazon, eBay, Flipkart, Etsy, or even small businesses’ own websites.
Key Features of an Online Store:
- Product Listings: Showcasing products with images, descriptions, and prices.
- Shopping Cart: Customers can add items to a virtual cart.
- Payment Gateway: Secure online payments (credit/debit cards, PayPal, etc.).
- Order Management: Track, process, and fulfill orders.
- Customer Accounts: Let customers view orders, track deliveries, and manage returns.
Why Do We Build Online Stores?
1. Reach More Customers: Traditional physical stores are limited to a location. An online store reaches customers anywhere in the world!
2. Open 24/7 : Unlike physical shops with limited hours, online stores operate 24/7, so you make sales even while you sleep.
3. Lower Costs : No need to rent a physical store. Lower overhead, more profits.
4. Convenient for Customers : Customers can shop from home or on the go. No waiting in line, no travel.
5. Data & Insights : You get valuable data like, What’s selling, Who’s buying, How customers behaves. This helps you improve your store and marketing strategies!
6. Scalability: Easier to add new products, run promotions, or expand to new markets without big costs.