By 2011 shoppers in the United Kingdom will be spending approximately €263 billion online. Figures like this should convince you that you need an online presence for your business. But if that doesn't convince you, these benefits might.

Better customer relationship management. New e-commerce tools allow you to interact with customers in real time just as you would in a shop. A well-designed online store can enhance the customer experience. You can also monitor customer purchase histories and preferences to plan more effective sales strategies for the future.

Security of payments. Ignore the hype about online fraud. Traditional forms of receiving payments via credit card are sometimes more insecure than the encrypted, secure and efficiently managed payment methodologies adopted for online transactions.

Reduced marketing and customer acquisition costs. You can easily drive significant traffic to your Web store with simple search-engine optimisation techniques. A good online marketing strategy can lead to new customer acquisition at a much lower cost than with marketing an offline business. By offering several language choices, you can expand your market reach at no extra cost. And because your online store remains open all day, you can reach a much wider market with minimal outlay.

Lower business costs. Manpower, rental, administration and other costs for online stores are much lower than for traditional "bricks and mortar" businesses.

Efficient and simple business management. Your Web store can be integrated with back-office management such as accounting, CRM, logistics and supply chain packages. This leads to better management and administration reports. This in turn makes it easier to identify factors that lead to increased sales and reduced costs.

Supplier and dealer integration. An online presence can avoid unnecessary middlemen in the sales chain. But online information can also aid better communication with suppliers and dealers. Special tools allow you to manage your sourcing and supply strategies in real time based on instant and easily accessible sales information.