Small businesses are at a disadvantage when it comes to reaching a wide customer base. The smaller locations and fewer distribution channels leave them behind the giants in the market. But e-commerce can help even out the odds. With a website, your business can catch up with bigger companies. Here are some tips on how you can add e-commerce ability to your existing operations:
Use Platforms
In the past, stores had to build their e-commerce stores from the ground up. Fortunately, it is much easier nowadays because of the platforms available. They provide you with the entire e-commerce package with only minimal modifications needed. Your main issue will be to choose which platform will be the one to use.
When making this decision, you should weight the cost of fees, ease of use, and security. Some platforms can provide you with everything from credit card processing to inventory syncing. All of these for a low fee.
Make Your Products Look Good
When customers look at your products online, they need to see them at their best. For this to happen, you need to hire professional photographers and editing services. Commercial photographers know how to make your products look great with some creative posing while editing services can provide some help.
For example, if you’re a jewelry store, you need the pieces you are selling to look like they are worth their price. A good photographer and a high-end jewelry retouching service company can display your products at their best while erasing their flaws. It might cost a bit but this can be worth the sale.
Do Some Marketing
Since you already have an online presence with your online store, you need to make it more visible. This involves some basic marketing. An effective way to do this is via social media. If you connect with potential customers and drive traffic to your store, then you’ve got a sale. Don’t forget your site as a source of marketing, too. If you can have a blog that highlights your products regularly, then you can potentially have sales from tat.
If your blog gains traction or if you can write guest blogs on other sites, then you have a good chance to increase sales. Even simple emails can help raise the profile of your site.
Think About Shipping
One essential part of e-commerce is getting your products to the hands of customers. Many of them will be hundreds of miles away from you. This is where you have to consider your shipping options. Some companies can handle the job for you, though they will take a fee. But they will take the burden of delivery off your shoulders so that you can focus on making your products. You can also do the packing and shipping yourself, though that still means you have to add the delivery fees to your costs.
E-commerce is the wave of the future and you’ll need it to stay competitive. Don’t limit yourself to local customers and people walking in from the street. With an online store, you can be open 24/7 and have buyers from all over the world.
