Should You Make the Move to E-commerce?

Online shopping. Some people love it, some hate it. Whether you fall on the side of enjoying shopping in the comfort of your own home or prefer the feeling of going shopping there is no denying that e-commerce is here to stay. With the pandemic, the entire world had to adjust their shopping habits. Many retailers and their e-commerce technology providers had to adjust to meet the growing demand for online shopping. If you were ever thinking about making the jump to e-commerce now is the perfect time to get started! 

What is e-commerce?

E-commerce is a form of business that allows individuals to buy and sell things online. This could be a product or a service. The possibilities are pretty much endless. One of the main benefits over the brick-and-mortar alternative is the confidence it offers buyers. Shopping online allows people to read reviews and compare prices, ultimately putting the consumer in control of deciding whether they want to buy in a store or online. All of this is done from their smartphone, tablet, or computer. 

You can approach an online store from a few different angles. Let’s say you have a store that sells artisanal bath bombs. Sales have been going well, but you’re not seeing as much foot traffic as you’d like. You decide to expand to an online storefront with the hopes of reaching a larger audience. It can go the other way too. You can start your artisanal bath bomb store online and grow from there.

E-commerce benefits.

The benefits of moving to e-commerce are plentiful. You’re able to communicate quickly with your customers and solve disputes faster. This improves customer loyalty. You’re also able to increase your reach so that people outside of driving distance of your store have access to purchase your product or service online. Another benefit is the ability to gather customer information including things like their purchase history, what products or services they’re looking for, and their email. This is valuable data that lets you create a more personalized shopping experience for repeat customers. 

How to start an online store.

Is it hard to create an online store? No, but it does take some effort, especially in the beginning. If you don’t already have a website, you will need to create one. Since this is an online store, you’ll need to link your website up to an e-commerce platform, like Shopify or Square. They’ll provide you with the basics like a shopping cart and a way to accept payments securely. From there you’ll need to create an inventory with prices, descriptions, and high-quality pictures. Consider including a way for people to post reviews as it’s a great way to give customers more information about your product from people who have already used it. 

Third-party sellers.

If that sounds like too much work for you there are other options. You could go the route of using third-party sellers. Think Amazon or Etsy. These are places that already have the website, shopping cart, and secure payment options set up. All you need to do is roll in with your pictures, descriptions, and prices. There are a few downsides to using third-party options. You’ll have a lot of competition on the site. When people search for artisanal bath bombs yours won’t be the only ones to pop up. To get yours to show up closer to the top of the search results you’ll have to do SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for that specific third-party seller. You can also expect other sellers to undercut your prices because, for many people who use these sites, the lowest price is often the biggest selling point. Additionally, these sites often have charges per item that you sell.

None of this is to say you can’t run a successful e-commerce business by using one or more of these options. Or by starting on one and moving to another. It’s up to you to figure out the best path for your business.

The business of promotion.

No matter which way you decide to go, you’ll need to direct your customers to your new online store. One of the easiest places to start is with an e-mail newsletter. You can start by promoting your store to existing customers. If you don’t have an existing e-mail newsletter set up start by collecting as many e-mails as possible. Have a virtual grand opening and offer them a special friends and family discount. Keep up with your newsletter offering promotions and inventory updates and news.

Social media for business.

Other places to promote your new online business include social media, search ads, and niche market message boards. With a great social media strategy, you’re able to promote your new store and get your followers to share it with their friends. To reach a larger audience outside of your social media circle setting up search and display ads will be key. This will allow you to target specific demographic groups who will be more likely to search for and click through to your site. You can also include product pictures and pricing in display ads. Finally, reach out to social media groups or message boards that are likely to have an interest in your product.

Phew! Creating, maintaining, and promoting an online store feels like a lot of work. However, the investment into building it is well worth it as online shopping isn’t going anywhere. More and more buyers are using the internet for at least a part of their buying process if not the whole thing. Giving consumers easy online access to your products and services allows them to research, read reviews, and explore your entire catalog all from the comfort of their own home. It also helps you expand your reach as you can now start selling outside of your local area. With all of this going for it, what’s stopping you?  It’s time to make the move to e-commerce! 

Need help opening up your online store? Contact us for a no-obligation consultation with our team of experts today!