Starting an internet home business is not an easy task. Creating a successful work from home venture will take time and effort. If you are new to the concept of making money online, you will have a learning curve to conquer. You will be discovering new principles and applying these concepts to developing your home-based business. Unfortunately, you will encounter obstacles on the path that leads to selling on the internet. Despite their accessibility, online businesses have some disadvantages when they are compared to brick and mortar stores. These inconveniences are due to the limitations created by the same internet where your online store will reside.
These will be some of the challenges that you will face:
—> Intangible Merchandise
—> Shipping Information
—> Damaged Goods
—> Returning Products
—> Technical Problems
1) Intangible Merchandise
One of the main disadvantages of an internet business is the inability for shoppers to examine your products. Customers do not get to inspect the items that they have purchased from your online store until their package has arrived. When you are developing your web business, make sure that the description of your products is accurate and that the images you use are clear and precise.
Take advantage of the technology that allows customers a 360 degree scan of your items. Give your buyers the opportunity to enlarge the image of the products. More information for your shoppers translates into an opportunity for a sale. In addition, provide a phone number on your website so that your visitors can call you if they have any questions.
2) Shipping Information
Another concern that faces your online business venture is the issues that surround the shipping of your products. An on site store gives customers immediate possession of the items. They do not have to wait and they do not have to pay for shipping. Fortunately, this inconvenience is something that most internet store shoppers accept but you have to make this information available inside your online business. The more facts that you give your potential buyers, the easier their decision will be.
Communication is the tool that will alleviate your customer’s concerns. When you are creating the web site for your online business, provide an obvious button or a link that will give your visitors access to your shipping information. Inform your customers about shipping costs, shipping agent(s) and delivery times. If you are drop shipping your products, your distributors will have all of these facts available for you to post inside your internet store. List your phone number on every page.
3) Damaged Goods
The next problem that faces your internet business store is goods that are damaged during transit. This situation will happen and you need to be prepared. Discovering where the misfortune occurred will be difficult to determine. The saying that the customers are always right can be applied in these circumstances. Even though you may lose money, you may gain life long clients.
As you are developing your online home business, consider how you will approach this issue. Remember, your customers cannot run down to the store and exchange the products or get a refund. They will have to repackage the items, drive to the post office and spend money on return shipping. Give your buyers an easy access to your damaged goods policy on your web site. Make it clear what they can expect during the process. Be detailed and precise. Stay in contact with your customers through phone calls or E-mails. Again, if you are drop shipping, your distributors will give you this information. If not, create your own procedure. Remember, list your phone number on your web pages.
4) Returning Products
Returns will be a fact of life for your online home business. Remember, your customers did not get to examine the products and they may be unhappy when their items arrive. Your return policy is similar to your damaged goods procedure but there are some differences.
Make it clear in your internet store the length of time that you will give your buyers to return the product. Again, be specific with your policy. Will you charge a re-stocking fee? Will you pay for return shipping? What happens if the merchandise is damaged during transit? How long before they get a refund (or credit). Once again, there is an inconvenience factor that must be considered. Not only theirs but yours as well. Communicate to your buyers through phone calls or E-mails what to expect during this process. If you drop ship, follow your distributor’s guidelines.
5) Technical Problems
One of the most frustrating aspects for an online home business is when your internet server is having problems. These situations are out of your control and patience becomes your companion. If your provider is down, your store is closed whether you like it or not. Lost orders can happen if your server is having difficulties. The technical problems of your internet provider will send you to a new level of aggravation. These occurrences can happen frequently and they are unpredictable and uncontrollable.
All you can do is wait. If the delay is too long, call technical support. They can give you a good idea of how long the inconvenience will last. If the resolution is taking longer than expected, call or E-mail your customer and explain what is happening. Generally, these interruptions do not last for long but be prepared, they will happen
Developing an online presence with your internet home business requires a commitment for comprehending all aspects of your venture. It is essential that you increase your awareness of the challenges that will litter your path toward making money online. Preparation can avoid wasted time that would be better used for developing other aspects of your work from home venture.
“The man who most vividly realizes a difficulty is a man most likely to overcome it.”