You Are in eCommerce Even If You Do Not Sell Physical Products
The Hidden Side of eCommerce: Payments, Scheduling, and Digital Marketing
When people hear the term “eCommerce”, they usually think of online stores selling physical products that get boxed up and shipped, like Amazon, Shopify, Etsy. But that’s just one piece of the pie.
At Opposite of Work, we work with clients who:
Sell digital products and courses
Run coaching businesses
Schedule paid calls
Offer mobile services
Sell memberships and event tickets
Operate local retail and service-based businesses
Collect payments through different platforms
What do they all have in common? They’re doing eCommerce, whether they realize it or not.
Let’s Break it Down
eCommerce isn’t just about selling physical products. It’s about doing business online. That includes everything from payments to marketing to data analysis. If you’re exchanging money or advertising online, you’re already in the eCommerce game.
6 Ways You’re Doing eCommerce (Even If You Don’t Call It That)
1. Selling Anything Online
This one’s obvious:
Physical products
Digital Downloads
Courses and memberships
If money changes hands through your site or content, that’s eCommerce.
2. Collecting Payments
You don’t need a store to sell.
Invoicing via Stripe, Square, or PayPal? That’s eCommerce
Booking paid sessions through Calendly + Square? Also eCommerce
Sending a link to pay for a service via email or DMs? Still eCommerce
3. Scheduling Paid Services
If people book and pay for your time, you’re running a service-based eCommerce business.
That includes:
Coaches, consultants, and freelancers
Paid calls, workshops, or done-for-you services
Scheduling tools like Acuity, paired with online payments
4. Marketing That Drives Sales
Digital marketing activities to reach clients and customers, including:
Google Ads, Bing Ads, Social Paid Ads
Email newsletters
Social media content
Website SEO
Managing your Google Business Profile
The moment you market and convert leads digitally, you are participating in the eCommerce ecosystem.
5. Tracking Data That Guides Decisions
You might not be crunching numbers all day, but if you are:
Checking Stripe payouts
Watching the ROI on paid ads and tracking ad spend
Testing different headlines and campaigns
Monitoring engagement on social media content
You’re using data to run your online business smarter. Data is a massive part of eCommerce.
6. Managing the Customer Experience
Customer experience includes every touchpoint before, during, and after someone does business with you. Think about:
Follow-up emails and receipts
Review requests for Yelp or Google
Scheduling confirmations and reminders
A smooth, professional booking or payment flow
Engaging with comments or questions on social media
If you’re handling any of these online, you’re already managing part of an eCommerce system.
The Big Picture
eCommerce isn’t just about selling physical products through an online store. It is also about how you use the internet to run and grow your business.
If you’re booking, billing, scheduling, or marketing online, you are part of the eCommerce world. And if you’re facing challenges or missing out on opportunities, your systems and tools probably need a tune-up.
Need Help Getting Your Business to Run Smoothly?
We help small business owners:
Build dashboards that track what matters
Create digital marketing strategies that convert
Set up tools and workflows to improve operations
Make smarter decisions with better data
Grow your business profitably
Let’s Talk
From products to paid appointments (and everything in between), we help you simplify the eCommerce side of your business so it runs smoother and works for you.
👉 Visit www.oppositeofwork.com to learn more.