The internet enables sales to be made everywhere, all the time, which means that the business is available round the clock to sell and communicate with customers, constantly adding value. The goal is often to make an organisation the most accessible and the easiest to do business with. Surveys have suggested that as much as 75% of internet shopping carts are abandoned, leaving most transactions uncompleted. The challenge is therefore to encourage users to complete their purchases, not only with a compelling offer but also by guiding them through the sales process, providing customer-focused support and accurate information at every step. Increasing average order size is another potential benefit of the internet. This can be done by using the data from online transactions for cross-selling.
The internet can also be used to sell additional products, either addons or new product lines. The customer data collected can be segmented and then related to each individual customer’s needs.