Why should you go online?
When you have an offline business, it is common that only local people know about you. How can others find out about you? Either your customers advise your service to others, or you use a robust marketing approach. But moving to online allows you to reach a new level. When your business is online, people from all over the world can find out about it. Unless, of course, you correctly claim about yourself. That is why you will have more and more chances to get new customers and build brand awareness. Also, switching to online allows you to increase sales. But what factors still need to be considered when switching to an online platform? Let's find out.
Costs
One of the most essential points to consider when moving online is what budget you are planning to spend. First, you need to understand that you need a domain and hosting, good design, as well as a budget for marketing. But it would help if you also chose which eCommerce platform you will use. It should not only meet your needs but also be affordable for you. Each platform has its monthly plan with a basic or premium feature set. Therefore, it is crucial to approach the choice wisely.
Yes, it's quite challenging to determine the budget that will be spent in advance, but it will let you know what you can count on and whether it makes any sense to switch online.
Security
Providing your future customers with online security is also crucial. Many people are trying to deceive and cash in on customers due to the current situation with COVID-19. It would be best if you gained the trust of your client. After all, no one will buy online if they find the payment method unreliable, or find your site suspicion. Therefore, you need to provide your client with a safe and popular payment method. Analyze what payment methods your real customers use and provide them with such an opportunity in your online store. Also, if you have a registration on the site, make sure that you do not ask customers to enter unnecessary information. Everything should be clean and straightforward.
Competitors
In order to successfully switch to online, you need to analyze your competitors carefully. What services do they offer? Сan you do better? What mistakes do they make? And what mistakes can you avoid? No need to copy them, you must be an individual. Indeed, it is something new that is valued more than just a copy of an existing one. Always try to do better, and people will appreciate it.
Convenience and usability
Make sure that your site is not only well-designed but also convenient. It is vital to provide your visitor perfect customer journey, and then they will come back more and more times. After all, no one will buy your goods, if it is not obvious how to place an order, where to click to remove the products from the basket. Such details may seem understandable to you, but not understood by users. Make sure that your email is not bursting with messages that the client has difficulties and errors when buying or choosing a product on your site.
Marketing
After you launch your site, you need to make sure that your customers know about that. Gather your customer base and tell them that you are online. Besides, try different ways to increase this base. For example, make an advertisement, create an account in social networks. Regularity is essential here because as soon as you lose sight of your customers, they will quickly find a replacement. Always keep in touch with them. Here competitors come to the rescue. Everything has already been done for you; you only need to analyze how they get traffic, how they promote their site, and what they offer.
Moving online during this difficult period can be challenging. However, the complete approach and taking into account all tips above can ensure that your business will move to the next level. Feel free to contact us if you need assistance in moving your business into e-Commerce.