Images: @freepik @kjpargeter
Today I come to show you a business segment that is just beginning and that could be a great idea to explore in e-commerce in the next 100 or 200 years. It's the automaton trade. That's right. How about setting up a robot e-commerce?
Well, first of all, to make this article a little more poetic, it never hurts to remember the Three Laws of Robotics devised by Isaac Asimov, writer of science fiction classics such as “I, Robot” and “The Bicentennial Man”:
First Law – A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm;
Second Law – A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law;
Third Law – A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.
Although these laws were imagined for fictional stories, they address the fears (not to say “prejudices”) that we have about automatons. However, they are there, in full operation at home, at school, in industry, in space! So, why not take advantage of these demands and start selling them on e-commerce?
ROBOT E-COMMERCE: DIFFERENT WAYS TO SELL ONLINE
Within the "robot e-commerce" segment, there are dozens of niches such as educational, domestic, and corporate. In this scenario, whether you are a manufacturer or reseller, in an online store you can work with selling just one niche or several of them.
Furthermore, it's possible to create a dedicated website to market a single robot, if desired. Or, if preferred, one can work with the multi-store concept , which integrates several storefronts but with centralized management.
In the case of multi-store, on each e-commerce site front it would be possible to sell a different automaton or several automata that cover only one niche.
In other words, in an online interface it would be possible to sell educational robots, in another corporate robots and in a third industrial robots, and so on.
In addition, the multi store allows each store to have different colors, logos and names. Thus, for the consumer, they are sites of different owners. But in fact, all the stores belong to the same owner, who manages everything with practicality from a single panel.
Finally, there is also the marketplace business model . In this case, hundreds of robot sellers from all over the country or the world are brought together, and each of them is allowed to have a store within its platform.
- Read too: "How to sell on marketplaces"
For each sale in this environment, you earn a commission. As can be seen, this would work as an online shopping center for automata. What about?
ROBOT E-COMMERCE NICHES
As said, there are several niches contained within the automaton market. There are, for example, robots:
Educational
Automata such as AlphaMini from Ubtech can be used mainly in teaching activities in schools. It engages students and helps them with Maths, English, Mechanics and other basic and technical subjects.
Corporate
Recently launched in an online store, the Brazilian Tinbot is a team-facilitating robot. It recognizes images, as well as people's faces and speech. It integrates with different APIs. It has cognitive artificial intelligence. It can be used in corporate events.
Domestic
Vector is a home automaton that informs you about the weather, sets a timer for your cooking activities or reminders, among other actions. Other more common home robots are those that vacuum, brush and clean floors, such as the Samsung VR7200.
Receptionists
When typing “receptionist robot” into Google, a flood of news about automata used in Brazilian and foreign hotels appears on the screen. They are robots like Umbô, Rebeca Berrini and Aiko Chihara, who do check-in and other activities with guests.
lawn mowers
The Automower is the robotic lawnmower from the Swedish multinational Husqvarna. This automaton works day and night, rain or shine, mowing lawns. It has been on the market for 25 years, and only recently has it gained its own website.
Telepresence
Telepresence robot is a mobile device equipped with a tablet in place of a head. Thus, it can be used in video conferences. Double, for example, makes it possible for its controller to see and talk to people from a distance. It has been helpful in several areas.
Complexes
Industrial robots have been part of everyday life in automotive, pharmaceutical and food production lines, among others, for a long time. Today, companies like GlobalRobots resell them in droves via e-commerce. Kuka robots are in the company's product mix, check it out:
Conveyors
Transport robots can be used in delivery services. Recently, Amazon tested such an automaton. This type of robot can also be useful for deliveries of medicines, documents and tools within different companies and in Health institutions.
Telemedicine
In addition to telepresence robots such as the aforementioned Double, Medicine now has automata that perform surgeries. This is the case, for example, of the DaVinci, which has four robotic arms guided by a surgeon.
Astronauts
Astronaut robots range from motor vehicles like Curiosity and Mars2020 to humanoids like Fedor and Robonaut. For now, there are no e-commerces for space automata, but who knows in the future, right?
Robotics kits
Robotics kits are increasingly in vogue. They serve primarily for educational purposes. With them, people can be taught to assemble and program their own robots. There are already many kits like this being sold online on sites like Americanas, among others.
RELATED PRODUCTS TO SELL IN ROBOT E-COMMERCE
A robot e-commerce can be the ideal place to also sell related products, such as books, magazines and DVDs about automata for example. By the way, books by Isaac Asimov, the author mentioned at the beginning of this post, would be welcome here.
In addition, you can sell merchandising products for movies and series. By the way, an all-robot movie service might not be such a bad idea. Well, note that there are many areas that can be explored in this branch.
ROBOT E-COMMERCE: SERVICES
Within the “robot e-commerce” segment, it is possible to go beyond the commerce of products. It is also possible to sell services. In this case I include, for example, specialized maintenance services.
Another important service in this field is the assembly of robots. Not everyone can put these machines, especially industrial ones, to work. So, a service marketplace in this area could be very successful.
In addition to maintenance and assembly, there is a technical training area. In this case, it is possible to create robotics course platforms. There, it would be possible to offer assembly, programming and operation training, among others.
- Visit and also read our article “E-commerce website construction”. In this way, get to know the e-plus agency, which has already developed more than 300 virtual stores for national and international companies.
