Want to sell online? Choose a proven partner or expect a headache

Taking to the Internet to market goods or services often proves to be a lot more challenging than first meets the eye. Significantly, it is notoriously difficult to generate traffic to a Web site; Internet encyclopaedia Wikipedia estimates that there are 11.5 billion Web pages in existence. That`s roughly double the population of the world, despite the fact that - according to www.internetworldstats.com - just fewer than one billion people actually use the Internet.

However, this daunting fact doesn`t exclude new entrants from selling online, says Warren Moss, general manager of Digital Planet, South Africa. "Of course it depends on your particular needs - but when it comes to consumer goods, you`d do well to find a partner that already has the eyeballs on an established Web presence," he says.

It goes further than just securing the traffic - operating an online business also requires payment facilities, support through a call centre, as well as order fulfilment.

"The supply chain on a Web business starts at the homepage and stretches all the way through to a delivery vehicle that arrives at the customer`s door. By partnering with a specialist in the field, you can be sure that this supply chain is managed optimally," he notes.

As one of South Africa`s leading online retailers, Moss says Digital Planet is successfully applying this principle, even adding its marketing ability to the mix to help customers generate significant online sales.

"The concept of outsourcing non-core activities is recognised and well accepted; as part of our operations, we partner with clients to drive exposure and online sales to our enormous and loyal customer base. It`s a model that works very well for both the partner, for Digital Planet and for our customers."