Page 36 - HME Business, November 2017

3 Ways
to Achieve e-Commerce
While providers might not know how to take the first step, there are three business models that can put them on the path to e-commerce success.
By David Kopf and Joseph Duffy
To many HME businesses, e-commerce eight-ball, don’t. Waking up to the momentum e-commerce:
might seem like a wild, wooly world where competition occurs on a national scale, providing no room for the “little
guy” to compete on such a scale. But the truth
is, getting involved in e-commerce is actually much easier, much more scalable, and much more attainable than you might initially think.
In fact, it can be argued that some elements of e-commerce are, at this point, a business impera- tive for HME providers.
Regardless of your industry, starting or improving an online presence that uses some level of digital marketplace tools should be top of mind, because e-commerce has become
a “norm” when it comes to doing busi-
ness. According to a June Forbes article (bit. ly/2zqbEv4), online sales grew faster in 2016 than they had over the past three years and account for 11.7 percent of overall retail sales. There seems to be no stopping this sea change of how customers shop and get much of their product information.
If that makes you feel like you’re behind the 20 HMEBusiness | November 2017 | hme-business.com
and pervasiveness of e-commerce is something many industries are experiencing. Even though customers are seeking information online, an astounding 46 percent of the small businesses who were surveyed still don’t have a company website, according to a Clutch business report.
Moreover it is important to understand what e-commerce actually is. Upon hearing the word “e-commerce,” the first image that immediately pops into the head of somebody who doesn’t
have experience with e-commerce is an office with a bunch of tech people and a warehouse that is constantly hammering out retail fulfillment on a 24/7 basis. But e-commerce is much more manageable.
The Three Models of e-Commerce
In fact, some e-commerce efforts might not necessarily involve selling anything online at
all, according to Christina Throndson, director
of business development for VGM Forbin. Throndson oversees all business development by VGM Forbin for websites, social media and online advertising. She outlines three basic models for
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• Model 1, Awareness—an online presence meant to drive traffic to the physical location.
• Model 2, Convenience—a limited e-commerce
WEBINARS
More industry intelligence is available at hme-business.com.
FREE e-Commerce Webinar — On November 13, Christina Throndson, director
of business development for VGM Forbin, will present “Your Entry Into E-commerce,” which helps providers understand that e-commerce is less complex than they image and the basics of implementing it within their businesses. Best of all, registration for the event is free thanks to sponsors McKesson Corp.
To learn more and to register for this FREE event, visit hme-business.com/webinars