Even if we believe that the Internet is fully developed, it is advisable to remain attentive to the opportunities it presents. New applications emerge every day that become opportunities for us. Many SMEs are moving their services from physical establishments to online businesses due to the multiple possibilities offered by online commerce. And there are more and more frequent cases of businesses that evolve and compete with large companies. Do you already know the opportunities that your business can get on the Internet?
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We have already explained some online-marketing-strategiesthat can help you boost your website. What results can you get? We will tell you the story of 4 SMEs in Spain that, thanks to the Internet, have grown to be among the best successful online businesses today. We will also analyze what were the key points of their growth:
1. Agapea
This well-known online bookstore that now reaches every corner of the country was born in 2002 with Miguel Ángel Ferrero and Diego Jiménez from Málaga as its creators. Agapea was born as a result of its founders’ interest in selling books on financial studies. They were attracted by the idea and decided to open a website to attend online book orders, a curious bet considering that at the beginning of the millennium Internet sales were not as frequent as today.
It was not until 2005 when Agapea opened its first physical storein Malaga, and subsequently began to expand its online services throughout Europe and Americato sell books in Spanish. In 2013 Agapea launched its online site on eBayand sales soared internationally registering sales growth of 62%in that same year. In 2016 the company had a turnover 16 million euros, with some 135.000 home deliveries divided between domestic (70%) and international (30%) orders. Since its founding, therefore, the bookstore has sold around 4 million booksamong its customers in more than 20 countries.
What are the keys to the growth of this company?
- The bookstore facilitates customer orders through its website and offers the possibility of delivery to a store near you or to the home of the customer. In case they wish to pick up the book in a physical store Agapea informs its customers of the arrival of their order via SMS and email.
- The opening of its page on eBay boosted Agapea’s sales nationally and internationally with a grandiose success. At the time, it was one of the few platforms where you could get
