Starting a green business is a big deal in 2019. A growing number of companies with sustainable missions are turning to ecommerce as a way to generate sales.
Last year, Business Blogs Hub published an article on the state of green ecommerce. They pointed out that a number of businesses are turning to programs on Etsy that help them fulfill their green missions. These programs have helped reduce packaging waste by 215,000 tons.
Unfortunately, some green businesses lose sight of the fact that they also need effective marketing campaigns. The good news is that there are plenty of ways that green companies can advance their brands.
Green ecommerce businesses are quickly gaining ground and making a big impact in how companies are run. The main aspect of ecommerce entails online operations, and it includes B2B and B2C ecommerce models. Below we will discuss the impact of green ecommerce on retail and marketing.
Green Ecommerce Is Upending Established Ways of Doing Things
The impact of ecommerce on businesses can be considered both positive and negative. On the one hand, it does make it easier for businesses to reach wider audiences for less money.
There are a lot of ways that green businesses are doing ecommerce differently. Ecomdash talked about this in detail. They pointed out that traditional ecommerce involves excessive waste of fuel, so you need to find a sensible supply-chain policy.
Selling in bulk also helps you go green, because you can organize orders to make sure you don’t spend too many resources on shipping inefficiently. It’s important to prioritize getting your website up and running so you can quickly and easily reach a big range of customers. Of course, you’ll also want to make sure you’re able to quickly and efficiently transport goods that are purchased.
Many established and pre-existed green companies are having a tough time holding onto their place in the market as new green companies arrive. To stick around, many companies like these are needing to adapt their business models to technology advances.
Green Ecommerce Is Forcing Legacy Companies to Refocus
It’s no secret that ecommerce is changing the retail business landscape. The obvious example being the Amazon Effect, which refers to the disruption of the retail industry as a whole. Manifestations of this effect include ease on online shopping for consumers, speedy delivery, closure of legacy retailers and a disappearance of malls in America.
Companies like Amazon didn’t use to think much about sustainability. This has changed, as they have had to compete with more socially consicous brands. Environmentalism is now one of their core focuses. TechSpot has talked about how the ecommerce brand is going green.
So, if legacy companies are shrinking, what does this mean for ecommerce startups? Well, to be honest there is still plenty of room for the little guys to break into the online retail space so long as they find a niche capable of sustaining their company. While Amazon strives to sell everything to anyone, smaller e-stores can corner a market or demographic for themselves.
Perhaps ironically, legacy companies are attempting the same strategy. Rather than casting a big net, corporate giants are dwelling solely on what they can do best and outsource the rest. An example of this are Apple stores selling their own merchandise, rather than relying on Best Buy; and Best Buy taking steps to prepare for weaker smartphone demands. Unfortunately, securing a niche is much more difficult for legacy companies which are not as nimble as startups. Will the refocusing of legacy companies allow them to survive? Only time will tell.
Ecommerce Is Changing Storage, Energy Usage & More
One positive effect of the emergence of ecommerce is that it may save energy. Consumers who shop online rather than drive to stores use less fuel and their cars emit less pollution.
Also, because ecommerce reduces the need for warehouse space to house goods near retail stores, these warehouses use less energy. Ecommerce can also reduce costs for consumers when companies cut down on middlemen involved in distributing goods, warehouse space to store the goods and personnel expenses.
Ecommerce also enables companies to manage their inventory better. So, entrepreneurs looking to start a furniture business online via Shopify have a better chance of turning a profit compared to brick-and-mortar furniture stores which require extensive retail space and storage. To be competitive, ecommerce businesses are likely to pass down at least some of these savings to consumers.
The impact ecommerce is having on business is enormous. And many of the effects won’t be truly understood for years to come. Nevertheless, the fallout is expected to increase as the internet continues to cater to the change demands of consumers.
Green Businesses Are Changing the Ecommerce Landscape
Green businesses are setting a new standard for ecommerce. This should have a profound effect on the future of the industry. You should do your best to be part of it!