Without developing core skills and staying-up-to-date on the constant developments in the e-commerce industry, it is near impossible for e-retailers to guarantee their competitiveness. There is a great wealth of accessible, easy to use opportunities to develop these skills, but these can often be forgotten or underused by e-retailers. However, it is highly recommended that they get the most out of them in order to help themselves and their organisation advance to the next level.

Learn the Markets

Before delving into the sea of online retail marketplaces available, it makes sense for business managers to learn as much as they can about each option first. Many online businesses use multiple online marketplaces, and they all come with their own pros and cons for e-retailers. By trying out the different options, reading through all the information they provide and paying attention to user reviews, the more you will be able to make the marketplace work for you.

Develop Relationships

Other people can be fantastic resources for e-retailers. There is a constant supply of free (or cheap) networking opportunities, and you can guarantee that there will always be someone who has something to offer you – other business managers will be looking for relationships in which everyone can provide mutual benefits to each other, and it’s these relationships that you can use to not only advance your individual businesses, but also to learn from, with each of you bringing your unique ideas and viewpoints to the table.

Take Advantage of Educational Events

An essential resource for business managers, Webinars are essentially a highly accessible and flexible combination of seminars and webcasts. Offering presentations, lectures and workshops using a two-way transmission to enable real dialogue and interaction, Webinars are also often available for free, meaning the only real cost is in time, and they can be used anywhere you have access to the internet.

It can be particularly beneficial for e-retailers to take part in Webinars and learning exercises with their team, rather than as individuals, as group learning experiences provides opportunities for discussion about the content, which can be just as useful as the exercise itself, and helps to form and develop everyone’s education, ensuring you and your colleagues are all on the same page and can work together more effectively. Sessions which offer plenty of Q&A time are also particularly useful, helping to clarify and shape each individual’s learning.

There are free resources available to help users discover the Webinar they need, such as Web Retailer’s ecommerce events directory, which lists Webinars and other online learning resources from across the world.

Improve Your Language

It sounds obvious, but poor English skills can have a dramatic effect on a retailer’s reputation. Users can be easily put off a site if the text doesn’t make sense or is filled with obvious errors, but plenty of resources are available to help anyone improve their written grammar and spelling – free online tutorials are an easy way to improve your language without leaving your office or home, and can be dipped in and out of to fit around your own work schedule.

Simply reading the content on other websites can also help you advance your skills, taking note of what’s lacking from your own and why theirs works so well – it is vital to keep copy original however, as rip-offs are always easily spotted. It can be helpful to have someone you trust proofread your writing before it is published, but the most important thing is to get your English up to standard first.

 

By Andy Geldman, Founder of Web Retailer. 

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