What is an online store? It is an online store created and managed from an e-commerce platform.
Given the large number of e-commerce sales tools available, entrepreneurs often confuse corporate websites with landing pages , marketplaces with e-commerce sites, and so on. To avoid these misunderstandings, this article aims to define what an online store (also called an e-commerce site) is and differentiate it from other tools. Read on!
What is an online store?
According to Gartner, a world-leading technology research firm, an online store is an e-commerce website that has at least:
– A product catalog
– A virtual shopping cart with payment systems
– A search engine for specific products
– A communication interface with the consumer
– Resources for customization (Front-end and/or Back-end)
What is an online store? It is an online store that has as one of its features a product search system.
Well, nothing against this Gartner definition. However, it can be applied to, for example, a marketplace, which also has all the items listed above.
Therefore, an online store has something that hasn't been mentioned: it possesses a unique business model and organizational culture . A marketplace, on the other hand, is an online shopping mall that encompasses various online stores with different models and cultures.
A corporate website, in turn, has a unique business model and organizational culture. It may even have a product catalog and a search engine, but it doesn't have a shopping cart. Therefore, it is not an online store.
The landing page, on the other hand, has all the items of a virtual store, except the search system for specific products. On the landing page, the search field is not necessary, since it only sells one product per page.
This, however, is a basic definition and distinction, since an online store must also have a logistics system, security systems, marketing automation, integration with mobile devices and applications, all developed and managed through an e-commerce platform.
