03 Feb Is it Time to Move Online?
There’s no denying the effect Covid-19 has had on the world. From lockdowns to social distancing, the way we live now is completely different to before, but with vaccines and better treatments hope is on the horizon, so is it really time for businesses to be jumping online?
It is estimated that Covid-19 has increased internet usage by a massive 70%, and we’ve seen more and more businesses changing the way they work, adapting to running their services online as opposed to storefronts and premises. Remote working and zoom calls have become the norm as everyone has been truly pushed into the real 21st century, but, of course, we are all hoping for a return to some normality in the future. While we understand the situation is hopefully temporary, it’s still a great idea to get yourself online and here’s why:
Income Security
This one is the most obvious and current at the moment. In March, we saw the UK plunged into lockdown and many shops and restaurants, who relied solely on footfall, found themselves with zero income and not many options. Those businesses who were fortunate enough to have already been online, saw far less disruption to income and sales. This isn’t to say that you have to move fully online, many businesses operate a hybrid and get the best of both worlds with an e-commerce (online) store and physical shop.
Larger Audience
Putting your shop online can open you up to a much larger audience! While your small gift shop in Broughty Ferry might only sell to local people passing by, an e-commerce store can sell to people all over Scotland, UK and even the world. If you have a product or service that isn’t location specific, then you can maximise the amount of potential customers by setting up and online store.
It’s Future Proof
While it might not be to everyone’s liking, buyer behaviour is changing and sales for things like clothing, homeware, gadgets and even food are going more and more digital. Setting up an online shop now can put you in good stead for the future consumer habits and keep your products and services at their fingertips. Whether we like it or not, the world is moving forwards, and the necessity to upgrade your business to a digital presence is becoming unavoidable.
These are just a few points, but there are many more. One thing to note is that taking your business online is more than just making a website. You need to think about payment gateways, shipping, delivery, logistics and much more, so these projects tend to take time to iron out any difficulties and streamline. It’s definitely not something to be rushed and the last thing you want is to find yourself caught out! Which is why it’s a great idea to either rely on an existing shopping platform (although they will take a commission fee), or set up your own, and we, of course, can help you with that.