Ecommerce Considerations:
Market Research

We recently met with the owner of a party supply store who wanted to expand his business to the web. A quick Google search on the keywords party supplies turned up over 10 million listings.

If you're the first business on the block, or the tenth business on the block, you've found a business segment where it may be possible to carve out a niche. If you're the ten millionth business on the block, it may take the budget of a major retailer to make your website a success.

Ecommerce can't help every business. In some cases, your money may be better spent elsewhere. Doing some simple market research before you take the ecommerce plunge is time and money well-spent.