If you own a local brick-and-mortar shop, you’re likely going through some tough times. 2020 was proclaimed the year of shut-ins, and the future of person-to-person retail is looking bleak. So now it’s time to think about the internet for improving your local business sales.
You’ve worked hard to bring in local customers, and succumbing to pandemics or politics isn’t a demise you or your business deserves. Enter the realm of e-commerce. Moving your local store to the world of online sales can revolutionize your sales and customer base. So, read on about the benefits of leveraging the internet to optimize your local business and get your sales back in black.
Also read: How to Optimize Voice Search Result for Your Local Business
What is E-Commerce?
The most simplified definition of e-commerce is the practice of selling goods or services online. There are very specific tools you need to implement on your website in order to convert your physical sales into online sales. For instance, your local business website will need to have shopping cart technology that is not only functional but dependable.
Furthermore, you also need hosting for your website that can sustain and maintain all your online orders. For instance, you might consider the best WooCommerce hosting service, which can manage and organize your sales and also makes tracking orders much simpler.
The reality of doing business locally and in person today means you need to make a transition to online sales. That might mean some tough choices, but they could pay off big time for your local business success. Here are a few highlights about how your local brick-and-mortar business can benefit by going online with an e-commerce website.
How Going E-Commerce Can Boost Your Brick-and-Mortar Local Business
If you haven’t taken advantage of online sales, you’re missing out on significant income. According to recent statistics, over 40% of small businesses experience sales growth when transitioning to e-commerce. Many locally-owned small businesses are turning to the internet for solutions when faced with restrictions and challenges in getting warm bodies in their stores during current unrest in public settings. So if you haven’t transitioned to an e-commerce website, now is the best time to capture customers and sales online. Here are a few perks to converting your local biz to online, e-commerce status.
You’re Open 24/7
The internet never sleeps, and when your local business converts to e-commerce, that means your sales never sleep either. Imagine getting orders at 2:00 in the morning while you’re sleeping or working on other things. An online business site ensures you more purchases because you’re open to your customers at any time of the day or night.
Marketing Benefits
Traditional brick-and-mortar stores face unique challenges in getting the word out about their local products and offerings. When you convert your local biz on a website, the world becomes your oyster. Having an eCommerce-ready website means you can market the socks off your local business. You essentially open yourself up to millions of more customers all around the world. When your website is equipped with an online shopping cart, you can market your wares effectively, and it will render much better sales results for your local business.
Better Customer Service
It’s no secret that consumers are using the internet more today than ever before to obtain the products they want. In fact, about 3 out of 10 adults say they are constantly online and that means they’re potentially shopping for your offerings. So, if you’re limited to just a brick-and-mortar store, you are losing out on connecting deeply with your customers.
An online store can help you capture the hearts of your customers, so they will continue to purchase from you online. A fully functional e-commerce website will allow you to answer customer questions, list reviews, communicate effectively and build brand trust.
In fact, 64% of consumers say they are more likely to purchase from an e-commerce website when they can, a) communicate with the business owner and receive quick responses and b) they can see other customer reviews on a retail business site.
Also read: Top 25 eCommerce Marketing Tools For Your Business
Why You Should Incorporate E-Commerce Into Your Local Business Practices
As a local business owner, the choice to transition into the world of e-commerce is yours to make. Just keep in mind, conducting purchases and business online is a trend that is not going away any time soon. Therefore, you should consider the benefits of taking your products online, because the opportunities for sales and customer retention with a solid shop hosted on the internet are virtually endless.
Yes, it might be a change in your regular routine of daily business operations. However, moving your store online might be your best solution towards boosting sales and gaining more customer loyalty today and in the future.
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