From CBIA News, June 2001

B2B e-commerce checklist 

The potential for using the Internet to improve your small business is huge. Forrester Research predicts that business-to-business electronic commerce will grow to $327 billion in 2002. If you’re considering e-commerce, here are some tips. 

1. Make sure your product or service can be easily sold over the Internet. Many products can’t be, because of high shipping costs, liability issues or the need for personal salesmanship. 

2. Create a clear e-business strategy and get your executive team’s buy-in. Plan your e-business as completely as you would plan opening a brick and mortar facility.

3. Don’t sacrifice reliability, quality or service. Customers expect the same levels of reliability and service on the Internet as they do through other channels.

4. Use your real-world practices to build your e-commerce system. You’ll want your back-end facilitation systems to seamlessly coordinate with your e-commerce operation to create efficiencies.

5. Make it interactive and user-friendly. Provide Web visitors with a well-designed screening process so they can first view the products and information of most interest to them. Jim Smith, of Blarneystone LLC, a Web design, hosting and development firm in Amston, Conn.,  advises companies not to “get caught up in the glitter and sparkle of their Web site at the expense of making their site user-friendly.”

6. Take full advantage of the Internet’s power. Remember Pratt & Whitney and Jonal. Consider how you can use e-business to gather customer information, add value, create supply chain efficiencies or customize your offerings.

7. Make ordering simple. Give your customers a shopping process that they’re already familiar with and let them know immediately when their orders have been properly transmitted and received.

8. Remember that launching into e-commerce is just the beginning. You’ll need to continually update your operation, advance its technology and keep it fresh. 

[back to main article]

[back to top]