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How the Internet of Things Affects Online Businesses

Emerging technologies are important to keep track of, not just to stay informed, but so that you’re able to make the necessary adjustments for a seamless and optimal integration of these technologies into your eCommerce business.


The internet of things (IoT) is set to be one of the most disruptive technologies in that it’s bound to change the way that we use our devices and how our devices are able to create a seamless integration with the physical world.

Whether it’s appliances, mobile devices, software, or anything that’s able to connect to a wireless network, the internet of things is going to create a whole new world of possibilities. These are some of the ways that eCommerce business owners could benefit from IoT:

Inventory Tracking

Inventory tracking is a tedious aspect of running an eCommerce business, seeing as workers can get overwhelmed with the sheer magnitude of tasks. The bigger the business, the more difficult it becomes to handle logistics.

Tracking and updating inventory can be automated with scanners that automatically update your system. Packages can be marked with special stamps to trigger an inventory update. These are only some of the ways that IoT can improve a business’ inventory tracking.

Data Sharing

We’ve already mentioned that data science is going to play a significant role in the growth of businesses. The internet of things is going to allow brands to gather more meaningful data from the devices of their users. Not only this, but brands may even be able to use appliances as potential ad platforms (so long as their ads are non-intrusive).

Enhanced Productivity

Armed with much better information on their target markets, businesses will be able to tweak their operations to cater to the demand of customers. The plethora of software that’s bound to be available to businesses is going to enhance the way that work is accomplished and will also improve security. In fact, a lot of companies like McKinstry Wireless already offer smart building setups that take advantage of the capabilities of the internet of things.

Additional Security Needed

The effect of IoT on businesses is not going to be completely beneficial. Since more devices are going to be capable of connecting and communicating with one another, this creates another point of vulnerability in cybersecurity. The pandemic has taught us to place more emphasis on cybersecurity considering how the number of cybercrime incidents has spiked during the pandemic.

This means that businesses are going to have to be more wary with the devices and equipment they include in their IoT system. Each piece of equipment can become a potential point of ingress for hackers.

The main point of contention here is whether or not it’s going to be a good idea to begin investing in IoT-ready equipment. On one hand, it grants early investors with an advantage, as well as an early opportunity to optimize its use for their needs. On the other hand, investing too early in IoT-ready equipment could prove to be a bad investment, as the money spent on them could be used for more pressing matters. What’s undeniable, however, is the eventuality that the internet of things is going to become a widely used technology.

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