eCommerce 101: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How to Start

Welcome to the BoostBC Blog, where small business growth is big business—and we explain things in plain English, with just the right amount of sass.

So, you’ve probably heard the term eCommerce tossed around in business convos, networking events, and that one podcast you totally meant to finish. But what is it, really? Is it selling handmade cat sweaters on Etsy? Is it buying bulk vitamins online at 3 a.m.? Is it building an online empire in your sweatpants?

Yes, yes, and heck yes. Let’s break it down.

First Things First: What is eCommerce?

eCommerce, short for electronic commerce, is just a fancy way of saying:

“I sell things (or services) on the internet instead of in a physical store.”

Whether you're slinging stickers, scheduling tarot readings, selling raw dog food, or running a full-on apparel brand—if money is exchanged through a website or app, you're in the eCommerce club. 🎉

You might already be doing it and not even realize it. That Shopify store? eCommerce. Etsy shop? eCommerce. Selling digital downloads, online courses, or even your ex’s collection of Beanie Babies on Facebook Marketplace? Yep—still counts.

Types of eCommerce (Because We Love a Good Label)

Let’s categorize, because the internet loves that:

B2C (Business-to-Consumer): You sell directly to people. Think: your candle business, clothing line, or sassy greeting cards.
B2B (Business-to-Business): You sell to other businesses. Maybe you design logos or do IT for local salons (ahem, shoutout to us).
C2C (Consumer-to-Consumer): People sell to other people. This is your classic eBay or Poshmark scenario.
DTC (Direct-to-Consumer): A newer twist on B2C, where brands skip the middleman (like wholesalers) and sell right to you.

Why Should You Care?

Because eCommerce is the future. And also the present .And probably the reason your local mall is now a yoga studio and a dentist’s office.

Here’s why every small biz should at least consider going eComm:

✅ 24/7 Sales Machine – Your website doesn’t need lunch breaks.

✅ Wider Reach – Sell to people outside your town, province, or time zone

.✅ Lower Overhead – No rent, no utilities, no awkward retail lighting.

✅ Data, Baby – You can track what’s working and what’s flopping faster than you can say “abandoned cart email.”

But Wait, Isn’t eCommerce… Complicated?

It can be. But that’s where we come in.

At BoostBC, we help local small businesses launch, grow, and thrive online without the tech headaches. Whether you need:

A slick Shopify site
A custom WooCommerce build
A one-product landing page that converts
Or just someone to say “no, you don’t need a $10,000 custom app yet,”

—we’ve got your back.

SEO Quick Wins for eCommerce

Look, I wouldn’t be your friendly neighbourhood SEO nerd if I didn’t give you a few freebies:

🔍 Use descriptive product titles – “Hand-poured soy candle” will perform better than “Candle #27.”

🔍 Write real product descriptions – Talk like a human. Tell a story. Make people want that hoodie.

🔍 Compress your images – Faster sites = better ranking. No one wants to wait 8 seconds to see a dog shirt.

🔍 Add reviews/testimonials – Google eats them up. So do buyers.

🔍 Blog, baby, blog – Blogging drives traffic and helps your brand stand out (hey, just like this post 👀).

TL;DR (Too Long, Didn’t Retail)

eCommerce is just selling stuff online. It’s accessible. It’s powerful. It’s scalable. And with BoostBC on your team? It’s actually doable.

So if you’re tired of relying on foot traffic, word of mouth, or hoping people just “find you,” it might be time to turn that side hustle into a fully loaded online store.

Let’s grow your small biz the smart way. 🚀

Need help setting up your eCommerce store? Want a Shopify site that doesn’t look like it was made in 2011? Let’s chat. Book a free consult with BoostBC today. Because “I sell things online” should sound a lot more like “I own an empire.”