What is an online store?
In the definition of what is an online store, the first thing that comes to our minds is a website that has digital products and sells its products on that website. The online store can be a website page or a specific application through which the user can buy the products they need electronically. When the ordering process is done online and the goods are delivered via postal delivery, and when the order is virtual and the delivery is downloaded (for example: educational videos and purchasing software), it is called internet sales.
✔️ Online store facilities
⚫️ It is possible to define a large number of products in the online store. ● It is possible to categorize and also code products. ● Ability to explain and write specifications for each product separately. ● Creating a space to save one's favorite goods ● Having a space to review and rate the goods by the customer ● Having a multi-part menu and dividing products into best-selling or most-visited categories ● Having online support on the store page to quickly respond to the customer and guide him ● Provide quality and real images of the product ● Ability to view purchase records and also use discount codes
✔️ The advantage of the online store
• No need to leave home.
• There is no need to stay in the shopping queue, especially on special occasions such as New Year or Yalda night, etc.
• Buy with complete peace and check the technical points of the product
• Receive goods in a short time
• Saving time
• Buy directly from the original source and the real price
• Ability to use online support at any time
• Shopping in a private space with complete peace
• Buy from the main source regardless of the distance, even buy from all over the world
• Shopping at any hour of the day and even on holidays
• Variety of products
• Existence of privacy; No one will know about the purchased items.
• You may be able to return and return the product within a certain period of time, for example, one week. This point makes it easy to buy goods such as shoes and clothes.
• Ability to send gifts
• Absence of the seller and his annoying presence
✔️ Types of online stores
✔️ Physical goods stores or Tangible Shop
The word Tangible means touchable, and Tangible shop means a store that sells physical or tangible products; Such as mobile phones, laptops, modems, clothes, food, detergents, etc. These types of stores work by registering the user's order on the site, and then the sales staff of that online store send the desired product to the user by mail.
✔️ Digital Shops or Digital Shop
Digital shop or digital goods store, Download shop or virtual product store are also called. These types of stores only sell digital goods, virtual products or downloadable products. Products that the user can download, such as photos, videos, software, PDF files, or any other type of file. Digital stores work in such a way that you add the product or products you want to the shopping cart and after paying online, you return to the store and download the product you bought.
✔️ Introducing different types of stores
✔️ Personal Website (a seller)
A personal online store is a website that only sells products belonging to a specific person or business and brand. Most online stores fall into this category. For example, Adidas online store only sells Adidas brand products. It doesn't matter whether you have a small or a large business, online sales are an accessible solution without the need for technical expertise, for all businesses of all levels and sizes.
✔️ Online retailers (Marketplace)
The nature of online retail websites (Marketplace), also called marketplaces, is that they sell products from different and diverse sellers on a single website. These retailers only control which sellers they bring into the cycle. Also, most of these retailers have strict control over product photos and description of product features.
✔️ How to pay from online stores
✔️ Pay in place or COD
The word COD stands for Cash On Delivery, which means payment when the goods are delivered, most internet users prefer this method because the possibility of fraud with this method is very high. Less often, you place your order in the online store and after one or more days, the desired product will be delivered by the post company with a courier to your home or place of business. When you receive the product, you must pay the invoice. Now the postal workers have card readers and you can easily pay with your debit card.
✔️ Online payment or online payment
In this method, you have to pay your purchase invoice first so that the desired product reaches you. In stores that sell digital goods, there is no other solution and you must pay the invoice first and then have access to your goods. But in stores that sell physical goods, this payment method is offered as an optional option. The reason is that every store tends to have a faster turnover, usually a discount is given to users who use this payment method so that the user has more incentive to pay online. If you plan to buy physical goods, I recommend you to use the COD method or payment on site because it is less risky.
How can we trust the online store?
✔️ Electronic trust icon
Having an electronic trust symbol is very important for online stores; Because it works like a business license, and in case of an unpleasant incident, you can track the problems through the electronic trust symbol.
✔️ Possibility on -site
If a store has considered such a possibility for its buyers; It shows that all the information and documents of the store owner are at the disposal of the post of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which can be one of the ways to build trust among customers.
✔️ Fame of the online store
You can find out the reputation of the store you want to buy from by searching on Google and see the previous customers of the store you are looking for. How satisfied they were with their purchase.
✔️ Access to the online store
The easier and more ready your access to the people who are active in the online store is, it shows the dynamic nature of the store.