Many people still wonder if having a virtual store and selling online is the same as having a bricks-and-mortar store. The truth is that, in the era of virtual communication, there are far more advantages to selling online.
Below, we will explain why it is convenient to open an online store and the reasons for selling via the Internet.
1. You will reach more customers
If you have a bricks-and-mortar store, you know that you will only receive visits from people who are passing by, live nearby or are looking for something very specific. On the contrary, if you have an online business, the geographical limitations practically disappear and, your market is therefore far larger.
Depending on the product you sell and your shipping possibilities, you can expand your sales to your entire city, country, or the world! The more specific your niche is, the further your products could travel.
The possibilities of online sales also increase because prospects (i.e. your potential customers) enter your online store from the comfort of their homes and using any device. For example, they might find your online store while browsing prices on the Internet. As Conecta Software points out, 65% of consumers search for price comparisons on their cellphone or mobile app while they are a physical store.
2. You sell at all hours
It is true that many online retailers offer online customer service and support only during certain hours, but, generally speaking, you can sell 24 hours a day!
Meanwhile, the hours for buying and selling in a bricks-and-mortar store are much more limited. In your ecommerce, on the other hand, you can generate revenue outside your working hours, very early in the morning, on Sundays and even on public holidays
3. You avoid physical contact
Ecommerce not only avoids crowds of people in your store - it also prevents the potential spread of diseases through physical contact, for example when paying with cash. In fact, during 2020 the Chilean Security Association discouraged the use of cash to avoid the spread of COVID-19, as did other organizations in other parts of the world.
While many ecommerce systems allow you to continue to offer the option of customers paying cash on delivery (some people feel safer paying once they receive the product), it is important that you offer virtual payment options.
There are multiple digital payment options today. In some cases, there is no need to download anything or purchase any device. Then there are payment systems such as PayPal, which charges slightly higher fees that become lower as your sales increase, as well as Stripe or Apple Pay. You can also opt for an ecommerce portal with a built-in payment system, such as Shopify and amiMARKET.
Whichever digital payment system you choose, it is important that you clarify all the payment information if someone buys from your store. One example is delivery charges; Conecta Software indicates that 60% of users abandon shopping carts due to unexpected delivery charges.
4. You reduce expenses and costs
The lease of a commercial space entails a cost per square metre, taxes, utility bills, salaries, insurance, among other expenses.
An online store does not involve any of these huge expenses, but that does not mean that it does not require any investment. There are free ecommerce platforms, such as amiMARKET, and paid ones, such as Shopify, where you can host your store.
5. You improve the online shopping experience
Shopping in a physical store involves going to the location, walking around the store, finding the product you are looking for, asking for prices and interacting with salespeople. These are all things that many consumers would rather not do. And that's where the convenient distance of an online store is an advantage.
If your ecommerce offers good 'usability', i.e. a positive experience for customers when shopping in your store, you provide your customers with a convenient and fast shopping experience, explains the inbound sales and marketing agency, IDS.
Ecommerce systems allow you to organize your products in orderly catalogues and offer much more information than you can deliver at a glance in a physical store, including price, measurements, weight, colour options and the quantity in stock. However, in an online setting, your customers cannot see, smell or touch the product, so it’s important to always include good photos from as many angles as possible.
In addition, you can provide a lot of relevant information in one place: from offers, promotions, discounts, to a blog that serves as a hook to your online store and helps you rank better on Google.
6. Redesign your business
Taking your business to the Internet gives you the chance to renew its visual identity: rebranding is sometimes a good idea to refresh the image of your business. Moreover, if you innovate your brand you will give the impression that you want to offer the best to customers, says the digital marketing agency, Nexo Code.
7. You know your customers better
Today, you don't have to be a digital marketing specialist to access tools that will allow you to analyze the behaviour of consumers and the market in general. With these instruments, you will have access to data (both from your online sales platform and through your social networks) that help you plan better sales strategies and increase your profits.
Being on the Internet makes your brand more visible and increases your income.
By having an online store, your prospects can find your products or services at any time of the day and from anywhere, even while browsing on their smartphone to find a solution to their problems. You will also reduce costs and complement the sales of your physical store, if you have one. It's time to open your digital storefront!
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