As a small business owner, are you involved in the world of E-Commerce? Technology plays an important part in any business. According to the Sensis e-Business Report 2014 released last week just over half (54%) of small to medium enterprises (SMEs) are selling products online.
While working with Reckon’s marketing department this week as a work experience student I came across an interesting piece of research from Sensis that captures statistics on Australian small businesses. I’ve put together a snapshot of some of the key findings in the blog post. In particular I’ve taken a look at the statistics around technology.

Computer Ownership

Businesses were asked certain questions about the types of electronics that a business uses.

  • Not surprisingly, 98% of businesses own a computer,
  • 76% of SME’s own smartphones, with iPhone most popular, and
  • SME’s are spending on average annually $5,400 on hardware and $4,300 on Software

Has your business updated technology in the last 12 months? What are your plans for the year ahead?

Businesses online

Business owners were also asked about their online presence.

  • Again, it’s no surprise that 95% said they were online, and
  • Of those that are online 95% have broadband, ADSL being the most popular.

Has your internet use for business massively risen? Over the last 17 years small business internet use overall has risen from 23% to 95%.

Internet Uses

With so many small businesses online, what are they using it for?

    • Of those who are online, 95% use the internet for emails,
    • use the internet for finding suppliers for their business, and

Only 39% of businesses use the internet for social media purposes.

How does your business use the internet?

Small businesses and Websites

Did you know that 66% of SMEs have a website? And, they spend approximately $3,600 on building and maintaining their website?

  • Only 9% of business who don’t have a website intend to build one in the next year,
  • Majority of Businesses (69%) have improved effectiveness due to owning a website, and
  • Only 39% of businesses actually show their pricing on their website

Do you include pricing on your website? If not, why not?

Social Media

There is only a small community of SME’s (39%) using social media for their business.

  • Of those who are using social media, 91% use  Facebook,  every other means of social media is under 30% – twitter being at 27%, LinkedIn at 27% and Google+ at 8%,
  • Small businesses are spending on average $1,900 on social media, and
  • Only 40% of businesses allow their employees to have social media while working.

Are you a business that allows an employee to use social media and work at the same time? You know it’s on their phones right?

E-Commerce

Businesses were asked if they sold their products online and only 54% of them said that they do, however 10% intend to start selling online in 2014.

  • 54% of businesses take orders online and 65% of them receive payments online;

Only 26% of businesses make overseas sales, and

  • The category to most likely to sell online is accommodation, cafes and restaurants at 72%

Does your business sell overseas? Or just locally?

Australian households

It’s interesting to look at these small business statistics in the context of most Australian households – are businesses keeping up with their customers? Almost the whole of Australian households is online! There are 95% of households that have access to the internet.

  • 77% of Australian households own a smartphone;
  • Under half of mobile users (42%) order goods and services from their mobile; and
  • Maps and Directions are used by majority of mobile users (80%) and only slightly above half way for tablets (60%)

All information was extracted from the Sensis e-Business Report, Sweeney Research – 2014