Central Florida is Becoming a Key Hub for eCommerce

Monday, January 30, 2017Lindsay Hampson It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it.  Looking through the eyes of a merchant who’s been in business for 50 years, you’d hardly recognize today’s buyers. Today’s buyers are opening their internet browsers rather than turning on their cars to shop.  While this shift is apparent around the world, there is evidence that Orlando, Davenport, Lakeland, Jacksonville, River City, and Tampa are at the center of the eCommerce shift in the US.

Recent stats show Florida is the key

• Amazon is bringing 1,000 more jobs to Jacksonville this year
• Florida has been an ideal location to help enable superfast shipping speeds to customers
• A 300,000 square foot FedEx center was built near Amazon’s million-square-foot warehouse
• A 2^nd Amazon fulfillment center is in plan in Jacksonville
• US Postal in Florida is adapting (fewer letters, more packages)

Why does Florida’s focus on eCommerce matter?

• The interstate that used to carry keen Florida shoppers to and from outlets and malls, is now the key to enabling eCommerce businesses and Shipping mammoths, says the Orlando Sentinel 
• Florida customers demand next day shipping, so product needs to be ready in all channels
• US postal and Amazon are joining efforts to get the package delivered fast
• Even Wal-Mart could be looking to insert a distribution center in central Florida to meet growing online shopping demands and timelines
• This means “hundreds of millions of dollars in capital investments across the state” per News 4 Jax online 

 
What’s next for Florida merchants?

• Amazon needs more space, resources and accessibility to ‘deliver’ - so to speak - and Florida boasts the best interface to meet these demands
• Beyond the logistics industry, Florida incubates smart, buyer-centric entrepreneurs and merchants, who successfully sell their goods online
• Some sell exclusively on Amazon
• Others have their own webstore
• And some sell both instore and online

 

What about consumers?

Online shopping is the golden ticket for retailers in the foreseeable future.  Sell online, sell more.  However, with the convenience of online shopping comes competition for attention.  It has been proven that consumers are gravitating to micro-moments on their phone to decide what to buy, when to buy and how to buy.  Your product needs to be available on the channels that your customers shop. 
 

Our advice, in 3 beats

1. Sell across many online marketplaces.
2. Gain the exposure your products require. 
3. Process sales orders, shipping details, invoices, and inventory changes automatically to keep up.  (don’t get backlogged with orders, keep looking forward)

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