• 24.04.23

The global e-commerce boom: A wave worth catching for small businesses  

Young,Asia,Lady,Fashion,Designer,Using,Mobile,Phone,Receiving,Purchase

We’ve all heard of the rise of e-commerce lately, particularly following the pandemic. But to call it a rise is almost underselling what’s really going on. In reality what we’re seeing is an e-commerce boom, and one that’s happening all over the world.

Take Africa and Asia, for example. With an increasingly mobile-first population that’s embracing online businesses, the two continents are seeing an explosion in e-commerce. And while this benefits any company that’s selling online, it’s helping small businesses in particular to reach new audiences and achieve their potential.

For the companies that support small businesses, getting behind the e-commerce boom is a must. The easier we can make it for small business owners to get their services online, the more we can help them ride this new wave of digital consumer activity.

e-Commerce isn’t slowing down any time soon

Today, buying from brands online is rarely a conscious choice. Whatever the purchase, making it by opening up your phone instead of heading to a physical store has become a baked-in part of everyday life. And that trend is growing more and more each year.

In 2021, e-commerce online payments accounted for almost one fifth of all retail sales worldwide, and it had grown by 17.1% compared to 2020. And while e-commerce is booming all over the world, it’s growing fastest of all in Africa. Meanwhile, 2.4 billion people in Asia – roughly 53% of the continent’s population are regular online shoppers.

According to data from Research and Markets, B2C e-commerce in Africa and the Middle East is expected to reach $116bn next year, and exceed $168bn by 2027. These regions also have the most rapid growth rate of e-commerce customers, with its number of online shoppers expected to grow by 56% within the next two years.

It’s not just major online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay that will win out from this. E-commerce is one of the best allies of small businesses, enabling them to make online sales anywhere in the world, reach out to new customers and build a powerful brand image. And when small businesses already make up more than 90% of business worldwide, anything that helps them to thrive is good news for all of us.

Quick and simple wins the race

For small business owners to take advantage of that opportunity, they need help in setting up shop with an online presence. The first step in providing this is asking what they really need – and more often than not, the answer is speed and simplicity.

Small business owners are incredibly busy people. Their life is one defined by spinning plates – from working on their branding and marketing, to developing their products and services, to keeping track of accounts, inventory, wages and tax. Often what keeps the business running is one person wearing multiple hats, fulfilling multiple roles. Launching an e-commerce store has to fit into that picture somehow – to make it feasible, it should feel as straightforward and intuitive as setting up an Instagram account.

Part of that is the functionality. There are plenty of site and store builders out there that are packed full of advanced features and possibilities. But for the small business owner who’s low on time and technical expertise, having too many options can be counterintuitive. What’s presented as an all-encompassing tool ends up looking like a steep learning curve, and they don’t know what to do with it.

It also means meeting small business owners where they are at – or rather, meeting them in the palm of their hand. So many site and store builders are designed for desktop users and aren’t fully optimised to allow website management between devices. That alienates potential users anywhere in the world, but especially in regions like Africa and Asia where the vast majority of people use their phone instead of a computer.

Easy does it

Championing small businesses as they ride the e-commerce boom doesn’t have to be costly or complex. In fact, it can be as simple as choosing the right tech partner to provide what small business owners need.

The BaseKit Platform offers effortless white-label software for building websites, online stores and booking systems. It’s a simple, cost-effective way to invest in the e-commerce boom and ultimately aid the digital transformation movement to help build more successful digital businesses.

The easier it is for them to tap into the vast appetite of online shopping, the better their chances of succeeding in the long run. And if a small business owner knows you helped them to get up and running and stay up and running, they’re likely to reward your support with their loyalty.

We’re on a mission for tech democracy for small businesses – are you in? Request a demo of our software, or get in touch to see how we could collaborate.

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