Tailoring the E-commerce journey for your business

‍There are various ways to test the waters of E-commerce and see if its right for the means and goals of your local business. We like E-commerce solutions because they can be scaled up and down over time to find your sweet spot.

Here are a few different ways you can seamlessly incorporate E-commerce into your operation 

You don’t even need a cart to get started in E-commerce

‍Ordering and Shipping are two things that make getting started in E commerce a bigger investment. They also offer a much greater return, but you can realize some of the benefits of E-commerce and get more comfortable with it by getting started without them.

A local retailer could start by putting only their favorite products on their website, like best-sellers and flagship products. Again, you don’t even need to sell products or fulfill orders over the internet, necessarily. Customers will appreciate just being able to visit your website for the following features:

---item description, pricing, and availability. They know they need to pay your store space a visit, because they know you have it, and at a good price.

---online ordering with in-store pickup. Let them reserve or even purchase an item online, then pick it up at their convenience.

---warranty, service and return: they can get information and fill out contact or request forms online with concerns related to products.

---rank your products with filters IE top sellers, price high to low, etc.

---Request quote tool, if applicable to your business model

The goal for small-scale E-commerce solutions like this would be to get your E-commerce frame workup and running, and get the word out to your customers that you’re developing resources for them on your website. Hopefully, this will increase your leads and sales.

How will you know when its in your best interest to scale up your E-commerce model? Here are some indicators that your customers appreciate the site:

---traffic and usage on pages and features like forms (which indicate that visitors are doing more than just looking)

---customer comments and questions about the site, either online or in person

---ratings and reviews by customers on products.

---they say they are using the site when you ask them

---you might even see an increase in sales, the best indicator of all

Scaling up

‍You can increase sales by introducing or increasing online fulfillment. Making it easier to actually acquire a product always tips the scales in the direction of “yes, I need this product” in the mind of the customer. A great product at a great value can be overlooked or written off if its in the next county, but not if its a click away from appearing on your door step.

Start making more of your inventory available online. If you’re not ready to make it all available for online purchase, add the items that are most in demand, most profitable, largest portion of your revenue, etc. Consider the ones that have potential for success in subscription-based ordering. More on that below.

Additional ideas to grease the skids for success

‍Here are some of the great possibilities available to those who want to build on their E commerce success:

---offer two-day shipping, or even next day shipping

---Offer an easy return process by mail

---help customers make informed decisions about products by letting purchasers rate and review products on the product description page. Let your best products sell themselves.

---offer subscription-based ordering on consumables. Saves the customer time and ensures they will never be caught without an important product. You can further motivate the customer to use subscription ordering by offering a small discount on the retail price. Where does this savings come from? Subscription sales can be automated, which means fulfillment is easier and cheaper on your end. Splitting the savings with the customer might give them the nudge they need to sign up. They’ll thank you, while you’re making sure you don’t miss out on filling a need.

Look at what major retailers are doing for ways to improve your E-commerce model. You can always ask your customers for suggestions, too.

We want the process of scaling up or down to be transparent and financially feasible. We also want it to place a low demand on the time and effort of business owners and managers involved in the process, so that your operation continues to thrive throughout.

Get more specific details, numbers, and suggestions on how to step up your retail business by contacting us here

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