E-Commerce, Websites in Trinidad & Tobago- I TOLD YOU SO!

I’m going to darn well rub your faces into it because everything, and I mean EVERYTHING I’ve been screaming like a madman about, re: websites and e-commerce in Trinidad & Tobago is coming to pass and with a vengeance..

If you look at the date of my last article post it’s more than a month ago. It’s very unlike me to have such a gap between articles but that’s how busy I’ve been. But I’m going to nip that quickly because it’s these very articles that have secured my top ranking on Google and it’s my top ranking on Google that’s keeping me busy with new projects.

I’m here to tell you ABSOLUTELY, CATEGORICALLY, UNEQUIVOCALLY, that the new dawn is upon us and Trinidad & Tobago will never be the same, and you have the privilege of a front row seat to witness same my friends.

On the horizon are brand spanking new websites for a few prominent companies in T&T (and some lesser known) for both business websites and e-commerce.

FCB’s entrance into the e-commerce playing field is truly making an impact and has made it easier for me to market online stores now that we have a very accessible local payment gateway.

E-Commerce is the name of the game

Goodbye Paypal

Finally I can say goodbye to Paypal which wasn’t (and still isn’t) an optimal payment gateway for use in T&T. I’m still getting frequent calls about it, but it may be suitable only for those who can’t qualify for FCB’s merchant account which is required for the First Atlantic Commerce’s (FAC) payment gateway. This brings me to my next point…

Room only for HARDCORE E-Commerce

It’s my opinion that there’s no room for poking local e-commerce with a stick. If you have an idea and I don’t care how good it is, if you only want to ‘try a ting’, the marketplace will chew you up and spit you out faster than Anil Roberts can say ‘wasn’t me!’.

The reason why I say that is that the entire spectrum of online business in T&T is untapped and ripe with opportunity. For any business category you can think of there is no online store.

If you don’t have the resources and deep pockets to bring it to reality then guess what- someone or some other company has and will. And while you’re thinking about it, someone else has thought about it and is much farther along than you.

Open Source E-Commerce platforms vs Hosted Shopping Carts

I would love to give clients the choice of either as there’s less headache in the long run with a hosted shopping cart where you pay a monthly subscription. However, our local payment gateway is not a supported payment method and their closed proprietary software doesn’t allow access for manual integration by my developers.

An open source e-commerce platform is the only option, and then there are many options within, like Magento (my preferred platform), Open Cart, Zen Cart among others.

But these platforms have their inherent disadvantages, like lack of local expertise to provide any as a solution and lack of local expertise for development, i.e. the coding aspect. These limitations are across the board and faced by all web designers. The key is finding a solid partner for technical support.

Big companies already moving their chess pieces

As I write this there are some big companies already getting things together to get in the game. In 2015 e-commerce in Trinidad & Tobago will be in full swing. These large companies/conglomerates have the financial resources to make it work (in theory). This is strong confirmation of my predicition of where e-commerce in T&T is headed.

Small companies/Individuals have to be nimble

The smaller guys with limited budgets will only be crushed if they allow it. My neighborhood grocery is doing fine without any customers from North Trinidad. There is room for everyone at the table but only those with the will to do it right will stay for the long term.

Deep pockets and financial resources are not enough

Here is where you can breathe a sigh of relief. An individual or company with the financial wherewithal to pump unlimited money has no guarantee that their online store will work. Why? It’s not about throwing money at it. They’ll also have to contend with me because I’m the best in the country and my skills and insights into what it takes to make an online store work in T&T are unmatched by my competitors. (Vain, yes I know…)

Learning curve on all website aspects

1. The Trini customer side

We are all still a little green with this whole e-commerce thing because it matters not how much we know to shop online at Amazon we’re not accustomed to doing it locally. It’s all about confidence that we’ll get the same experience.

However, given the entrenched Trini business mentality that customers are parasites, it’s likely if you have a physical store with sucky customer service, the online experience you deliver won’t be far off.

2. The Caribbean customer side

There is no question that the wider Caribbean online market needs to be tapped. Many major companies already have a presence up and down the islands. Figuring out what makes them tick online is another kettle of fish as each island has their own quirks.

3. The web designer side

I’m learning myself and so are other website designers in Trinidad & Tobago. It’s brand new to everyone locally but you still need someone on the ground here who understands the market even if you choose to outsource any aspect of your online store design.

4. The site owner side

Again, with the multiple moving parts for a working online store there are many elements that can cause headaches if something stops working properly. For example, a coupon code not working, a sales confirmation email not sending, a server responding slowly or site going down.

Then there’s the online marketing aspect to get customers to your site and figuring out why your marketing is or isn’t working.

5. Yuh backside

Snort…

Corporate websites finally being re-designed

Companies hustling to catch up

We’ve long rolled our eyes at the eyesores for corporate websites of many large and prominent companies in Trinidad who should have always known better but didn’t. It’s not that they know better now, it’s because their hands are now forced because of (1) their competitors, and (2) their customers.

Some Small/Medium/Family companies don’t see ‘our’ value

They see the value no question, they just don’t see our value, i.e. website designers. Many times I’m getting counter offers for my services to do it for so and so price instead. Quality costs folks.

Forward Multimedia remains ‘BOUTIQUE’

I provide a personal service so I answer my own phone, write my own emails and physically pay you a visit. I LOVE what I do and if I grow to become a ‘COMPANY’ the love will stop and so will my passion.

I also have an ace up my sleeve and a plan to have all my clients’ online stores DOMINATE the market.

Website Design is not a commodity

Though it may seem that way as some businesses may still look for the cheapest price but then they’ll get what they pay for right? But paying top dollar doesn’t mean they’ll get what they pay for which is a strange but true paradox.

Get me while you can

I have a multiple MEGA Magento projects (10,000+ products) starting soon which will have me busy. Believe it or not, I’ve already had to turn down a few projects recently and I’m trying keep from having many online stores in the same space, i.e. having clients competing against each other directly.

Longer lead time for business websites/prices to rise

Regular business websites are going to have a longer lead time because I don’t sub-contract. I want to keep prices steady for as long as possible but I predict an industry-wide upward pressure on website pricing as demand is increasing. There are just not enough good web designers in Trinidad & Tobago to go around so if you want a quality website then you’ll really have to pay for it.

Conclusion

Fasten your seatbelts, you’re in for a wild ride. Websites, online stores are coming down on you like a ton of bricks believe you me. It’s happening right now, and I’ve been waiting to say this: I TOLD YOU SO!