In the past several years, consumers and businesses have become more significantly interested in digital purchases and service offerings, especially thanks to the increasing ubiquity of mobile devices and other computing platforms. As such, retailers need to respond through a somewhat aggressive pursuit of ecommerce visibility and footprints, working to ensure that all possible prospects are aware of the products and services offered in their physical and digital storefronts. 

This might seem like a relatively simple procedure, with companies simply creating websites to complement their brick-and-mortar locations, then moving through the motions of marketing and client relationship management similarly to the ways they would decades ago. However, this is simply not the case, and retailers need to remember that the rules of engagement have been forever changed by the speedy increase in ecommerce sales and entirely digital clientele. 

Those who understand this quicker than others in their market might be able to drive profits higher than before expected. 

The truth behind the numbers
There have been plenty of reports, essays and the like regarding the importance of ecommerce involvement among retailers and other businesses, and the constant recommendation might desensitize decision-makers from the truth of the matter. In a word, those firms that do not actively pursue clientele through digital platforms are going to not only lose ground to competitors, but might be putting their continuity at risk to boot. 

One study from Statista highlighted the real value of ecommerce today, while also indicating just how important the digital realm is going to be to the United States economy for the foreseeable future. According to the firm, ecommerce sales are forecast to hit $304.1 billion this year alone, rising more than $40 billion from the $263.3 billion recorded in 2013 and showing the steep incline in the rate of purchases made through digital platforms that is expected to continue for years to come. 

For example, the firm projected ecommerce sales to continue enjoying strong compound annual growth rates through 2018, exceeding $440 billion in revenues by 2017 and approaching the half-trillion mark the following year. One can only assume that this will continue on through the end of the decade and beyond, perhaps even accelerating further should the next generation of consumers be even more interested in these capabilities. 

Alternative advantages
No longer does the average consumer call a complaint in to customer service, as so many communications involved in the relationship take place over the Internet. Remember, too, that bad news has a way of spreading far more quickly than positive feedback, and that social media channels can either make or break a brand's presence both on the Internet and in the physical location of the store. 

As such, get moving with comprehensive plans to not only embrace ecommerce platforms, but also integrate marketing and relationship management into the digital realm for optimal oversight of the brand image among current and prospective clientele.