The pandemic forced many establishments to close, leaving many young professionals in Singapore to look for a more lucrative careers. They have faced uncertainties in the corporate setting and found a more significant market shift to e-commerce.
Analysts have projected a 16.2% to US$10.7 billion e-commerce growth rate by 2025. The research was done during the pandemic when most people stayed at home.
Surge of E-Commerce
Consumers have spent most of their time online to find almost everything through online shopping. Online payment systems also showed an increase in purchases in the year 2021. With that said, most young professionals left their job and engaged in starting their e-commerce businesses.
But, while starting an e-commerce business is advantageous on so many levels, it is also quite challenging. Take a look at the tips below to help you jumpstart your career on the right path.
Brainstorm Great Product Ideas
Brainstorming helps identify the best ideas for your product based on your market. When you brainstorm, you should also consider all possible solutions should a problem arise.
Some entrepreneurs underestimate the advantages of brainstorming, thinking they already have everything they need. However, it is essential to think of all the possibilities before facing problems once the business has started.
Source Your Product
There are many different ways of sourcing products for your e-commerce business. You can source from local markets, trade shows, wholesale suppliers, etc.
Some people have had success with sourcing products from other major online shops, but this isn't always the case. Therefore, it's still essential to research how to source the right products and who you should be working on with.
Drive Targeted Traffic to Your Store
There are a few ways that you can go about driving targeted traffic to your store. One of the most common strategies is SEO. SEO is the process by which you can increase the visibility of your website on search engine results pages (SERPs) by optimizing content, backlinks, and titles.
You can also use other marketing strategies such as paid advertising, social media, and email marketing.
Raise Your Average Order Value
It is essential to raise your average order value (AOV). AOV is the average amount of money a customer spends on an order. You can get its value by dividing the total revenue generated by the total number of orders. This metric allows you to understand how much money you make on each order.
Many e-commerce businesses start with low AOVs, which means they are not making enough money from each sale. They need to increase their average order value to make a living and grow their business.
Incorporate Your E-commerce Business
E-commerce business owners should be aware of the regulations in Singapore. They should also consider the legal implications of their business and how they can stay compliant with these regulations.
Here are the paperwork requirements when incorporating e-commerce:
Company name: Do not settle for one term. Ensure you have a list in case your first choice is rejected.
At least one director: This person must be a Singapore local or permanent resident of at least 18 years of age with no disqualification record
Company secretary: This person will be responsible for all communication with the government and will take care of needed documents.
Singapore address: You may be starting an e-commerce store; however, you must have a physical office to start a business.
Proof of identity: Every declared member of the management must submit a valid ID.
It's a common misconception that starting an e-commerce business is easy. However, it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to create a successful online store. To be successful, one needs to have the right mindset and be committed to the cause.
One must also understand the market they are entering and have enough capital for marketing purposes.
