Online shopping has become increasingly popular as technology becomes essential in our daily lives. In 2020, global online sales increased by more than 24%, mainly because people were spending more online due to the pandemic and the need to stay home.
This situation encouraged many businesses to start selling online to keep up with the changing times. Some adapted quickly, while others had to learn new ways of doing things to stay competitive. However, with customers' needs changing rapidly, many businesses were overwhelmed.
To run a successful online business, you should have a checklist of essential e-commerce tasks to ensure everything runs smoothly. If you're unsure about these tasks, this article can guide you on what you can outsource to a reliable team. Check out the infographic for more information to help you make the best decisions for your business.
Maximize Your E-Commerce Potential: 9 Crucial Tasks to Outsource
These days, outsourcing allows businesses in various industries to delegate tasks without hiring full-time employees. In e-commerce, many tasks need to be done to ensure smooth operations for each customer order. By outsourcing these tasks to a team of experts, you can better manage your company.
1. Website Development and Maintenance
Website developers ensure that your e-commerce site runs smoothly and provide users with the information they need when making a purchase. This is important as 42% of visitors will likely leave your site if it has poor functionality.
2. Product Listing and Optimization
This task focuses on creating and improving a catalog of items to be sold on your e-commerce store. Each product listing should include a detailed description, engaging copy, and relevant information to help customers better understand your offerings and how they work.
3. Inventory Management
Inventory management lets your team track how many products you have left in stock at any given time. While monitoring purchases is tedious work, it’s important because it ensures the availability of items customers are looking to purchase.
Outsourcing inventory management tasks can help you analyze which goods sell best at which time so you can better meet demands.
4. Customer Service
Outsourcing customer service allows your e-commerce business to create better relationships with your patrons. It includes answering inquiries, collecting feedback, and providing basic assistance to customers and prospects, whether they’re difficult callers or otherwise.
Partnering with experts in this field is important, as studies show that 93% of customers are more likely to stay loyal to your brand if you provide excellent customer service.
5. Order Processing and Fulfillment
This e-commerce service involves delivering goods and services to your customers based on the data recorded on your system. In this step, your outsourced e-commerce team takes care of picking, packaging, and shipping the goods to your customers.
Choosing the right outsourced company for order processing and fulfillment is essential because it's one of the most critical tasks in e-commerce.
6. Graphic Designs and Videos
Research proves that about 90% of the information people take in is visual. You need high-quality graphics and videos to keep your current customers and attract new ones. Outsourcing professional creative work can help ensure your business is positively recognized and remembered in today's digital market.
7. Social Media Marketing
Promoting your e-commerce business through platforms like Facebook or Instagram can make it more convenient for your audiences to view your products. Social media marketing strategies include posting helpful content in blogs or vlogs, running online campaigns, and offering subscriptions.
8. Product Sourcing
Before your business can sell anything, you must find ways to gain stocks, materials, and equipment to create your product. By assigning this task to an outsourced team, you’ll have one less thing to worry about. You’ll get help finding the necessary resources and equipment to produce your merchandise.
9. Accounting and Bookkeeping
Outsourcing accounting and bookkeeping to experts helps you stay informed about your income and expenses, giving you the details you need to make smart business decisions. They also help keep your company's finances secure and healthy.
Benefits of Outsourcing E-Commerce Tasks for Your Business
Outsourcing certain tasks in your e-commerce business can lighten your workload and allow you to learn from experts. For many brands, it’s also a great way to improve overall operations and enjoy these benefits:
Reduced Operational Costs
Outsourcing e-commerce services can help your company save money on overhead costs, especially hiring in-house staff. These outsourced teams usually have their own tools to perform specific tasks you assign them. Plus, you won't need to spend on employee benefits or training.
Improved Efficiency and Productivity
Having a team of experts manage your other e-commerce tasks can help improve your operations and productivity. It allows you and your in-house employees to focus more on core responsibilities to grow your business.
More Flexible Hiring Processes
Outsourced teams can be hired on flexible terms depending on your requirements. If you only need help during peak season, you don’t have to commit to a full-time partnership.
Retained Competitive Advantage
Many outsourced workers have specialized skills and knowledge that your company might not have. Using their expertise, you can stay current with trends and gain new insights to help you compete in the market.
Boosted Overall Profits
Outsourcing various e-commerce tasks can enhance your day-to-day operations and allow your team to concentrate on making sales. When combined with other strategies, this approach can help your business keep customers and build a loyal customer base.
Quick Kickstart to Other Projects
With other duties handled, your business can focus on achieving its goals faster and exploring new ways to expand your brand. It frees you up to do more while constantly improving how things operate.
Boost Your E-Commerce Business Through Outsourcing
Managing an e-commerce business can be challenging, especially if you're new to the digital world. It's important to start strong by having the right team in place.
Hiring in-house employees can provide structure, but outsourcing is another option to quickly boost your presence in the e-commerce market. Outsourcing can save you money and provide the expertise needed to stay current in the fast-paced world of e-commerce.
Ready to work with an outsourcing company? Turn to Select VoiceCom! We are an American and Australian-owned call center outsourcing and business process outsourcing service provider in the Philippines, ready to handle your e-commerce needs and more. Contact us today to learn how we can help improve your operations!