MIAMI—Amazon may be the e-commerce industry behemoth, but that doesn't mean small- to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) can't get a piece of the action. Indeed, SMBs have plenty of opportunity in niche markets alone.

GlobeSt.com caught up with Curtis Spencer president, IMS Worldwide in Houston, to get his take on the opportunities for SMBs in part one of this exclusive interview. Be sure to come back to this afternoon's Miami edition for part two.

GlobeSt.com: E-commerce continues to grow year-over-year. Do you see any slow down in the rise of e-commerce and, by relation, mobile commerce?

Spencer: E-commerce is booming and I don't see a deceleration in our near future. It has taken the retail industry by storm with double-digit growth each year, not to mention a staggering increase in mobile e-commerce. With the advent of Apple Pay and Alipay, the smartphone becomes a critical purchasing device and this usage will escalate exponentially.

GlobeSt.com: What are small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) doing to grow their e-commerce business?

Spencer: Watching an episode of NBC's “Shark Tank” should convince anybody that e-commerce is alive and well for start-up businesses! These small- and mid-size start-ups are wisely using marketplace third-party logistic (3PL) companies like Amazon, eBay, and Alibaba as their platforms to expand and reach customers who are more prone to using those sales channel.

GlobeSt.com: What are the opportunities for industrial real estate providers to help SMBs achieve those goals?

Spencer: I believe we may see a surge in multi-tenant buildings or campuses, where several companies combine distribution/fulfillment operations and share technology, docking space, and labor. These buildings and campuses are flexible and can accommodate changing space requirements, so they are a good option for growing businesses.

Centers and campuses, often run by 3PLs, need to be accessible to rail and road networks. The opportunity is that they range in size and can be located in smaller regional hubs that serve both local and national markets.