Launch of an E-commerce Project for Small "Brick-and-Mortar" Businesses¿: Key Success Factors Entrepreneurs

Since its inception, the Internet has undergone major changes and has transformed not only the way we communicate but also our purchasing behaviors. "51.7% of French consumers prefer to shop online rather than in stores," according to the latest 2014 E-commerce Index from Rakuten, which owns the PriceMinister marketplace in France. The rapid spread of this medium has prompted many companies to view it as a new distribution channel-either as a standalone channel or as a complementary one-which has led to the emergence of this new form of commerce: e-commerce. As a result, competition from online retail is very intense for brick-and-mortar stores. However, even though very small businesses (with fewer than 10 employees) have clearly understood that new technologies are evolving and can help boost sales, they remain hesitant. Indeed, launching such a project requires new resources and full integration into their marketing strategy.