eCommerce based websites have brought a revolution to the daily shopping habits. From daily grocery items to jewelries, from small screws to major machines, almost every second, an item is sold on the internet. The technology behind that is called eCommerce.

Every seller dreams to be a super seller shipping hundreds and thousands of items everyday to their customers, but the dream doesn't come true for all. Why? I would like to discuss the reasons here.

No Marketing Budget

It's highly recommended that when you plan your eCommerce Solution, you put up a plan for conceptualization, development, deployment and advertisement. Most of the eCommerce site creators forget the last thing and find themselves in trouble. Actually the marketing should be the prime concern of any new eCommerce website development. You cannot sell the burger in New York streets without shouting and telling about your delicious product. Same applies to eCommerce application.

Allocation of marketing budget should be segmented in two categories.

1. Online marketing: Online could be SEO Services, SEM, SMO and Ad words budget.

2. Offline marketing: offline could be radio ads, newspaper ads or hording at prime location etc.

#1 is crucial and must to do thing while #2 requires high end budget which could be managed through Private equity or Venture Capital funds on private capacity.

Lack of simplicity

I am sure while you read this; you are a seasoned eCommerce user ( buyer or seller), eCommerce has become synonymous with amazon.com or ebay.com. These two sites are the highest revenue making eCommerce sites on internet.

The reason is their simplicity. They have identified the nerve of internet users. Millions of sites have been copied on that concept but success ratio is still less because Amazon and eBay keeps changing their behavior based on user experience and convenience. They are becoming easier and easier day by day for online shopping. Their product offering is also one of the reasons that bring the average customers come back and buy again on their sites.

Lack of patience

You got to have enormous patience if you are running a new eCommerce application. It won't fly from day one. Initially it will suck, then it will crawl, and then walk and after lot of time and money it will start flying. So you won't be an internet millionaire overnight. Develop patience, if you follow tips 1 and 2, and work hard, your site will start earning more than you expected.

This is a letter of suggestion for all freelance web developers on behalf of Web Development companies in India. Freelance web designing or web application development is good to earn an extra income for you but it has various adverse effects on the economy in India. The following effects can ruin India from various aspects.

1. Freelance Web Designers are independent so they are charging very cheap rates for web designing; this brings down the market rates of the same work. Web application Development companies cannot beat the rates offered by freelancers. Ultimately a new company could die prematurely or cannot survive longer. County loses a business unit and development of business stops.

2. Freelancers work on projects to earn extra income, but they are hardly interested to pay taxes on it, so they ask for payment through various alternate methods, such methods are cash payments. Freelancers do not pay taxes on cash income. The country like India loses the tax income, if it would have been web Development Company, they would have paid taxes on income.

3. An Individual web developer works for money and not for reputation, so if the web application project of client fails, they are not responsible but the receiving client gets the bad impression of Indian web development industry. Sometimes overseas clients never return because of one bad experience with freelance web developers.

4. A lot of freelance web developers are not even experienced when they start offering their service to the overseas clients. The client believes that India is very cheap so project is assigned to inexperienced freelancers. Finally a Web Application developed by Freelance Web Developer is either a crap or unstable, otherwise a web development company could have made a good experience for client.

5. A Web Development Company establishes a business unit and they expect honest developers in the company. If you are a freelance web developer and still working with a company, then you are trying to cheat your current company that pays for your livelihood.

So if you want to help India, your own country, then leave freelancing and work for a good web company or if you are entrepreneur, then start a new web application development company.

Glad to know that you are a businessman with a great desire of developing your business. Before speaking some final words, I would like to ask you some important questions.

· Do you wish to have an inexpensive but effective ways of advertising your business?
· Do you have product that you can sale in a wide areas or nation wide or in international market?
· Does your product recognized in specific niche?
· Do you have any benefits if you display images of your product?
· Do you need catalogue or brochures distribution periodically?
· Do you receive a lot of phone calls inquiring about your business or product daily?
· Do you want to save time by pre-qualifying potential customers before an appointment or interview?

If you end up with affirmative answers then you most probably need a web presence means your business on internet. It is only possible with the development of your own website even with a reputed web development company.

How a Web Development Company can help you? It can help you define your scope of web application (not just a simple website) and it can guide you build your online presence with website and web application development.

What benefits of just has a website or web application?

The first is it increases awareness of your products or your services you provide. Have a website means you can get opportunity to publish information regarding to 'who' you are, where are you located, when will you available, what is your product or service that benefit the user, what are your prices or cost for that and so many such questions are answered by.

Increase awareness

Suppose by traditional ways you want to convince these all customers who surf your website. You are to take their appointment and then you are to meet them personally, take time to show your product and prices, etc. these all are nearly impossible if they are in large numbers. These all you can do with your own website and your potential customers are away a just click from you!

Expand your reach

In traditional marketing system people of your locality only know about your business. If you have many branches then you will be famous up to their locations only. If you advertise in news papers and T.V. you still have limited numbers of customer base. More over this it cost you dearly in terms of payment to the add agencies. While with your own website you can reach to the unexpected audience without any boundary issue and even with a negligible cost.

24 hours open shop

Your physical shop never remains open for 24 hours since practically no customer will arrive at your shop at mid night. You can not sale any product at any time. These all restrictions are lifted with your e-commerce website. You can make sale at any time and your potential customer can get information related to your product or can get competitive prices at any time through your website. Any one can get your cell number from the site and contact you directly if have any problem.

Advertise yourself

How will you advertise your website? Yes, it's a big question but simple answer. Just think, how potential customer will find you? He will enter its needs in from of search engine phrases. This search engine will visit your website or web application and then direct your potential customer to your website by publishing search results. Thus best way to advertise your self is to becomes easily searchable for the search engine and that art is called Search Engine Optimization. By doing SEO properly you can be forefront than others.

Over all cost reduction

Have business online means plenty of savings in terms of:

o Publishing cost
o Marketing cost
o Communication cost

Publishing costs:

Suppose you have range of 200 products in your niche market that means you have to print images, brochures, leaflets, catalogue and other related materials for all the products. While with website you can publish all these material plus new product announcements, employment opportunities, contact information, coupons, almost anything, without material or delivery costs. People can get it by just visiting your website only.

Marketing costs:

You are well aware the costs of newspaper ads, radio ads, T.V. ads and traditional billboard ads. They are not only too expensive but time consuming and resources needed job. Whilst with web application you can add your expected contents with your latest CMS and make the marketing easy and cheap comparatively.

Communication costs:

With radio ads you can not show images of your product and with newspaper ads you can describe your product usages with an animation for that you have to go for T.V. ads. You know that T.V. again has its own limitations and can not play your ads for 24 hours. These all communication problems can be addressed by your website possession. You can do whatever you wish and even with a fraction of the cost you have to spend with traditional ways.

There are unlimited benefits with your website ownership so just decide to have a website weather you are a small business owner or an enterprise C.E.O.

The author is an owner of Web Development Company called Sharma Infoway, The company has expertise in Web Application Development, Internet Marketing and Outsourcing.