Dedication + Patience + Insistence = Perseverance …Learn how to balance these factors well and achieve a successful online store
The rise of virtual businesses around the world is visible. In Brazil, the consultancy eMarketer estimates that in 2014 the sector should move more than 24 billion reais, a result leveraged by more than 30 million consumers who are willing to buy with the mouse.
Keeping an eye on these numbers, the number of Brazilian entrepreneurs willing to grab a slice of the pie grows every day. But, do these entrepreneurs really know the path to be followed to succeed in e-commerce?
Well, like everything else on the web, there are no ready-made formulas, there are success stories that you can look up to. Márcio Kumruian, founder of the footwear giant Netshoes, for example, says that in the first few months when he opened his online store, sales were zero. The entrepreneur in his lectures always highlights the role of perseverance in the business.
As a pioneer in Brazil, Netshoes learned to do online commerce and taught its audience to have this new shopping experience. Kumruian recently told an Endeavor lecture that at the beginning each order was celebrated, because, in addition to being few, they demonstrated the company's progress. As of 2010, with more balanced accounts, the company began to invest in advertising and increased its operation, becoming one of the most successful in Brazilian e-commerce.
Amazon, an American giant that needs no introduction, is also proof that perseverance is an important key to the success of virtual businesses. In 1994 when revenue generation through the internet was still uncertain, Jeff Bezos created an online store to sell books. Keeping an eye on American commerce through the mail, he was able to glimpse endless catalogs and shelves. The entrepreneur raised initial capital with friends and investors and bet on word-of-mouth to propagate the brand. For a long time, Amazon did not make a profit and, only after much pain, did it begin to diversify its portfolio by offering DVDs, CDs and other items. The company is considered the biggest success story in digital marketing in the world.
As consumer behavior on the internet is still the subject of studies and there are numerous scientists who claim that it is constantly changing, persevere is perhaps the most important verb for those who want to undertake in the field. More than just seeing opportunities, having a business plan and capital to invest, it is necessary to be attentive to market fluctuations and willing to change everything to keep standing. Yes, e-commerce is for the strong.
