Online Purchases Predicted to Capture $133 Billion in 2005

EasyStoreCreator helps small- and mid-sized businesses feast on their slice of the Internet pie

(PRWEB) March 8, 2005 -- Market "soothsayer" Jupiter Research predicts that in 2005, online business-to-consumer sales totals are likely to surpass $133 billion and that by 2008, total online purchases in the US will comprise 5% of all retail sales. "Small businesses, home-based businesses, and emerging online entrepreneurs continue to fuel the phenomenon," reports Melanie Black, the visionary leader at the helm of EasyStoreCreator.com, "and they're fueling our business, too."

EasyStoreCreator is a completely web-based, online store builder...a do-it-yourself ecommerce site creator that works like a paint-by-numbers kit for websites...only easier. Designed to work for businesses that sell a handful of products or thousands, ESC's customizable, all-in-one solution lets entrepreneurs of any size create unique sites that are perfectly suited to their individual needs and inventory. See http://www.easystorecreator.com for more information.

A nationwide survey commissioned by Prodigy Biz Corporation, a subsidiary of Prodigy Communications Corporation reported that 44% of small business owners felt that they do not have enough staff to maintain a website, while 41% felt they do not have time to maintain a Web site.

Overall, the study showed the likelihood of having an Internet presence declines significantly with the overall size of the company. Only 25 percent of companies with fewer than 10 employees has an Internet presence. By contrast, half of those with 10 or more employees have taken advantage of this opportunity.

"Research has shown that approximately one-third of small businesses currently maintain a web presence," says Black. Research by IDC, the International Data Corporation, found that only 19% of small businesses were online one year ago, while the Prodigy study found that 40% more small businesses expect to be on the Internet within the next eight months.

A Level Playing Field
The challenge for small- and mid-sized businesses, says Black, is to become part of the online phenomenon without busting their budget. "A small- to medium-sized company may be hard pressed to find the time, money and expertise to create an effective website," she explains. "That keeps them off the 'net and on the sidelines of the success game."

With the free ESC Basic package, it is possible to build a fully functional website in as little as ten minutes. No technical training or software is required. "At EasyStoreCreator, we believe that every business should have an equal opportunity to sell their products to the world," says Black.

For businesses in need of more than basic service, EasyStoreCreator provides a full range of affordable services, including an easy way to establish ecommerce merchant accounts. The company offers all-in-one web store services for fees starting as low as $14.95. All packages include web hosting, domain name registration, shopping cart features, and essential customer service functions like email. To signup today visit http://www.easystorecreator.com.

The programming and artistic demands of website building are frequently out of reach for the average non-technical businessperson, with web design costs alone ranging from a few hundreds dollars to several thousand. "Business owners who don't fully understand the online sales environment end up with bells and whistles they simply don't need, and costs they can't afford," says Black. "At EasyStoreCreator, we help our clients buy what they need rather than try and sell them things they don't."

"Some companies charge up to $100 simply to register domain names," says Black referring to inflated "set up" fees designed to separate business owners from more of their money. Black also points to the alarming number of businesses that have outsourced this function to new companies.

"It's very common to see offers for low, low prices in domain name registration offered by companies that are entering the marketplace," says Black. The problem, she explains, is that many of those companies fold, leaving the business client without a name or place on the Internet. "EasyStoreCreator is here to stay," says Black. "We're solid, established, and our clients know we're in it for the long run."

Technology with a Human Touch
At EasyStoreCreator, making Internet technology easy-to-use and accessible is a key goal. Most web companies dont offer a phone number and clients have no way of reaching support personnel except via email. "A business owner who isn't ''fluent' in the language of technology needs special care," explains Black, who says that providing free online support and resources is only part of the customer service picture.

"We have live operators available via 'chat' seven days a week," Black notes, but adds that Easy Store Creator goes beyond this traditional support function with live operators, on-call from eight o'clock in the morning until five o'clock at night on weekdays. "Combined with our toll-free phone number, and online help request forms, we ensure that our clients never feel 'alone' and always have someone to turn to for help, support, and guidance."

Black further notes that EasyStoreCreator's webservers are monitored 24/7 for downtime and systems are backed up once a week. "Our clients want simplicity along with their success and that's what we provide," she says. "We manage the store and technology associated with it our clients don't have to." EasyStoreCreator takes care of the technology of online businesses, "leaving clients with more to time grow their businesses," says Black.

Since EasyStoreCreator was designed as a do-it-yourself tool, "our clients can make changes as often as they wish without having to pay a web designer to do it for them," explains Black. The system allows user to control inventory and edit item listings, and provides pre-designed templates that are easy to fill in.

Easy Pay
Accepting credit cards online is imperative for successful e-commerce. "Offering a range of payment options makes it easy for customers to make a purchase," says Black, adding, "It also encourages impulse buying, reinforces your company's professionalism and increases your chance of closing a sale".

For merchants concerned about protection for online sales, EasyStoreCreator makes it easy to accept and process credit cards with a secure, affordable ecommerce merchant account. "We show our clients how to protect themselves against credit card fraud," says Black, "and we provide them with full support for some of the most popular payment gateways."

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