E-commerce business essentials

What is an e-commerce website?

An e-commerce website is a website that allows you to sell your products and services online. It allows you to do this by setting up an online store, accepting orders and bookings from customers, and collecting digital payments. Running an e-commerce business can help you increase your sales by enabling your customers to place orders from the comfort of their homes.

How does it work?

To set up an e-commerce business, you need to create an online store. List your products and services on the online store, add a shopping cart, and link your website to a secure payment gateway to safely collect payments online. This will allow customers to browse your e-commerce website, place orders, and make their payments online at any time and from any location.

Advantages of having an e-commerce business website

Irrespective of the type of business you run, having an e-commerce site has become a must in today’s times. Here are some of the key advantages of adding an e-commerce website to your business.

Expand your customer reach: Starting an e-commerce business allows you to cater to customers located far away including other towns and cities.

Market your business online: Building an e-commerce website also allows you to market your business online through digital advertising and social media.

Sell online 24x7: With an e-commerce business, you can sell online even when your shop is closed with the help of your online store.

Collect customer data: Launching an e-commerce website or online store allows you to gather customer data enabling you personalise your marketing efforts.

Reach out to new customer groups: It can help you reach out to customers who find it difficult to step out of the house, like senior citizens and patients.

Low capital investment: An online store allows you to expand your business at minimum cost. No need to invest in renting space or opening new branches.

Make purchases hassle-free: Buying something online is generally easier than standing in a queue at the store waiting for your turn.

Improve customer convenience: Use your e-commerce business to make the shopping experience better by delivering the product to your customer’s doorstep.

Types of e-commerce websites

Ecommerce Website Design

Categorised by business model

  • Single brand website: An e-commerce site that sells products belonging to a single company or individual.
  • Retail website: An e-commerce site that sells products from multiple brands and manufacturers.
  • Affiliate websites: An e-commerce business that sells other companies’ products in exchange for a commission.
  • Marketplaces: An e-commerce website where multiple businesses can sell their products to consumers.

Categorised by customer type

  • Business-to-business (B2B): An e-commerce site where businesses can sell to other businesses.
  • Business-to-consumer (B2C): An online store or e-commerce site that caters directly to customers.
  • Consumer-to-consumer (C2C): An e-commerce platform where consumers can sell their products to other consumers.
  • Consumer-to-business (C2B): An e-commerce website where consumers/small entrepreneurs can sell their products to businesses.

Top features of your Boost 360 e-commerce website

You can easily create a state-of-the-art e-commerce business website with Boost 360. Here are some of the key features of your Boost 360 e-commerce site.

Easy to use

Boost 360’s e-commerce platform is easy to use for both—the person managing the website, as well as the customer making the purchase.

Saves time

The simple user flow speeds up online store management as well as the purchasing process to create a better all-round user experience.

Product descriptions

Enables detailed product descriptions including product name, category, brand name, size, colour, stock availability, pricing and more.

Product images

Option to include up to 9 images (1 primary and 8 secondary) to display your products in detail on your e-commerce business website.

Add discount

Your Boost 360 e-commerce website allows you to add a discount amount at the product upload stage itself to simplify the checkout experience.

Data security

All Boost 360 e-commerce business websites comply with globally accepted data security standards like SSL and PCI DSS to protect your online information.

Multiple payment options

Our e-commerce business websites accept multiple modes of payment including credit card, debit card, netbanking, UPI, and all popular digital wallets.

Business reports

Get access to real-time business reports including customer enquiries, order quantity and order value and monitor the performance of your e-commerce business.

Do businesses really need an e-commerce website?

Ecommerce Website Templates

E-commerce is a must

Having an e-commerce website is a must in today’s world. Whatever the type of business you own, having an e-commerce website or online store can expand your customer reach. While businesses that do not have an e-commerce site may have smaller customer reach and experience lower growth.

Suitable for all categories

Whether you are a retailer, a lawyer, an accountant, a manufacturer, or any type of businessman or professional, e-commerce can be helpful for you. From enabling you to take orders for your products, to booking appointments online, it can simplify the business process for you and the customer.

Future-proof your business

The world is changing and so is the way business is done. With the number of customers ordering products online growing by the day, it has become essential to have an e-commerce website irrespective of business type. A modern e-commerce website like Boost 360 can help you future-proof your business.

Still confused? We’re here to help!

Our experts are always here to assist you with any questions you may have regarding the app, how it works and the features it offers.

Contact us

Frequently asked questions

How do I build an e-commerce website?

There are two main ways to build an e-commerce business website—viz., creating a customised website, and using an e-commerce website builder. An e-commerce website builder like Boost 360 offers a faster and more affordable way to build a website. With features like online store, shopping cart and secure payment gateway, Boost 360 is well-equipped to cater to the needs of your e-commerce business.

What is the difference between an online store and a business website?

A business website contains information about your business such as business description, contact details and list of products and services (online catalogue). An online store (or an e-ecommerce platform) allows your customers to browse your offerings, place orders, and pay for them online..

What are the advantages of an e-commerce website?

Having an e-commerce website or online store is essential if you want to compete with your rivals. Here are some of the key advantages of building an e-commerce business website.

  • Expand customer reach:Having an online business allows you to reach more customers and gives you an opportunity to increase your sales.
  • Improves customer experience:The ability to order 24x7 and enjoy doorstep delivery are two of the most important factors which boost customer experience.
  • Low investment:Having an e-commerce website is a low-cost way of increasing your sales compared to, say, building a new branch or office.
  • Improves your brand image:Adding an e-commerce platform can go a long way in improving your business image.
  • Improves your scalability:Increase or decrease the scale of your business in response to market conditions, at little or no extra cost.

What is an e-commerce website builder?

An e-commerce website builder is nothing but an application that helps you build an e-commerce website. Boost 360 is a modern e-commerce website builder that caters to the needs of small businesses across multiple categories like retail, service, manufacturing, healthcare, education and others.

How do I build an e-commerce website?

You can easily build an e-commerce business website using a website builder like Boost 360. Just download the app on your smartphone, register yourself, and fill in your business information. Add products or services to the e-catalogue and link your bank account. Your website is ready for business! Those who want a customised website can contact a web developer to build their e-commerce site.

What is the main purpose of an e-commerce website?

The main purpose of having an e-commerce business website is to allow your customers to purchase your products and services from the comfort of their homes. What’s more, adding an e-commerce platform to your business website can help you improve your sales and expand your customer base.

What are the benefits of an e-commerce website builder?

An e-commerce website builder can help you start an online business with the least amount of time and money. Website builders like Boost 360 are designed to help you create an online store easily and affordably so that you can sell online. A modern website builder like Boost 360 contains all the latest features like online catalogue, shopping cart and secure payment gateway, to make online business hassle-free. Boost 360 subscribers can also contact our helpline for any technical issues they might face.

View all