The Internet is a source of growth for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Today, nearly three-quarters of Internet users buying online. Yet few small businesses create a Web site. Companies that have engaged in often derive financial gain, and invest in online commerce.
According to this study, the number of SMEs active on the Internet remains stable between 2010 and 2011: 35% of companies with fewer than 50 employees have a site. What changes is how to use the Web, via a simple page to display a merchant site. "It's a true evolution," said Olivier Mathiot, cofounder and chief marketing officer Priceminister, a leading online e-commerce French.
An investment guided by profitability as SMEs with an online shop see their growth strengthened, the report said. According to research firm McKinsey, published on March 1 Euro spent on a website generates 2 euro profit.
Internet also provides access to new customers (especially internationally), facilitates inventory management, and gives a company more in tune with the times. Many success story on the Web. In May, Eric Schmidt, Google's executive chairman, pays tribute to one of them, Pecheur.com, in Le Monde. Ten years after its creation in 2000, the business of selling fishing tackle online, created by Pierre Olivier and Bernasson Ourliac, produces 10 million euros of turnover.
"Many small companies think that the web is useless for them, as the software to create a site are complicated, and it is expensive," says Marc Schillaci, CEO of the platform site creation turnkey Oxatis. For Mr. Mathiot, "small traders know they must be on the Internet, but they do not know how." A bonanza for providers offering e-commerce solutions simple and low cost.
"It's a huge market to evangelize," says marketing director Priceminister, which offers SMEs put their catalog online articles. "Priceminister will recruit 100 consultants e-commerce by 2013 to support companies on the Web," he says.
For their part, Oxatis, Google, and SFR have teamed up under the high patronage of the Ministry of Economy to create "My online business" (Meel.fr). This portal allows entrepreneurs to create a showcase, free for one year, then for 5 euros per month. A trend that should increase with the exponential growth of smartphone sales.
