Forbes Magazine recently wrote an article called The Promise of E-commerce reflecting on how online sales have steadily grown, eight consecutive months in double digits in fact, while physical storefronts have suffered by comparison. This isn’t true for all storefronts in all cities around the world, Vancouver has one of the healthiest and vibrant foot traffic streets in North America, Robson Street. But by and large streets like Robson, one of the busiest foot traffic shopping street in Canada by volume, are Anomalies. And unless you’re a major chain, chances are you can’t afford the rent for these high foot traffic storefront spaces. But you can afford an eCommerce platform, trust me. For a fraction of a month’s rent on Robson, or Yonge, or Rodeo, you can tap into this double digit growth retail sector, and use the rest of your money to grow your business rather than sit and wait for window shoppers to gravitate through the door.

The misconception that custom software and eCommerce platforms are something only large companies can afforded is slowly evaporating as software as a service solutions for small and mid sized companies become more widely used. Though proprietary software from major corporations still makes up a huge territory in this ocean of software development, many innovative new companies have caught the wave of agile development over the past several years, and have utilized this new philosophy and approach with much success. Agile development is collaborative, employing ideas or problem solving from cross-functional teams who are able to create a more well rounded and intuitive perspective on the product they’re creating.  As opposed to the kind of programming that happened in silos, one big chunk at a time, it’s a far more flexible and quick approach to developing software. Thirdi has been on the crest of that wave since our inception, it’s a fun wave to ride.

As eCommerce continues to grow, in double digits, small businesses and medium sized businesses can’t afford to ignore its market potential. It’s important to remember that there is an eCommerce platform for every budget.

For questions on how to grow your business online contact the team at Thirdi.

I love being introduced to new companies, especially innovative ones with good and original ideas. There’s  something about start-ups and newer companies that are gaining momentum that makes me really excited. Just recently I posted about Lendingclub.com who may be the closest thing we’ve seen to a profit generating social media business model. I also looked at another company called InTouch, who are revolutionizing the fitness industry through a cloud based sales and marketing platform that supplements and supports human capital with digital sales and marketing activities that engages clients while  keeping management well appraised of all sales and marketing activities, in real time.  It’s been a good month, because on top of those first two impressive companies I was just made aware of another company with an innovative online service that I think might completely change e-commerce.

GoEyeball is an online shopping service that saves shoppers time and money by searching for any item as specified by the user based on a price threshold and other particulars. Shoppers make their own eyeballs on the site to find the products they want to keep an eye on, name the price they want to find it at (or a close approximation) and then the eyeball does the rest. Currently the technology is used most on major shopping sites that are compatible with the software but it is being further developed so that the scope and range of the eyeball will increase to include the entire internet; finding you the best price on earth for the product you want.  And you don’t have to do a thing, GoEyeball will e-mail you and alert you instantly when your eye has found the product you want for the price you want. Just in time for the festive season and right in the middle of swine flu season your customized eyeball can do your Christmas shopping for you, everything from kids toys to real estate listings.

I’m pretty stoked that I don’t have to risk  swine flu or debit card fraud on Robson Street now.