Traditionally, small businesses have been reliant on brick and mortar stores. However, the game has changed in recent years. Internet accessibility is at an all-time high, and more and more small businesses have gone online. While not all these businesses have seen success, one thing’s for sure – their reach has increased exponentially. Some have seen their business thrive and have gone on to become tough competitors for the biggest brands.
We’d also like to stress on the importance of small business insurance. If you’re running both a brick and mortar store and an online store, you’ll have numerous responsibilities on your shoulders. Failing to get even one of them right may land you in financial trouble. That’s where an insurance for small business can come in handy.
So, if you’re wondering whether you should set up an online store for your small business NZ or not, you’re at the right place. In this post, we’ll take you through all the benefits that your small business stands to gain through a dedicated online store. So, without further ado, let’s get right into it!
1. Your online store can stay open round-the-clock
The biggest disadvantage of a small business that only has a brick and mortar store is that it can’t stay open 24/7. However, an online store can. This allows your customers to shop for your products whenever they please and from wherever they are, provided they have an internet connection. Your customers also get to know about product availability conveniently instead of visiting your brick and mortar store to find out that the products they want are unavailable. Your online store can also help you in keeping your small business operational if your brick and mortar store has to shut down temporarily due to some reason.
2. A small business with an online store is taken seriously
How serious you are regarding your business will determine how seriously your customers will take your business. Irrespective of what your niche is, if your small business New Zealand is yet to have any online presence, your target audience will probably choose one of your competitors that has an online store. So, having an online store can help your small business build its brand value.
3. An online store is easy to set up
Online stores are way easier to set up compared to brick and mortar stores. The best thing is that you can outsource almost all activities associated with the running of your online store, including all its marketing and promotional activities. While this would require you to spend more money, it doesn’t mean that you’ll have shell out a fortune. A lot can be done with very little when it comes to setting up an online store for a small business.
4. Guaranteed growth
If you consistently serve your customers well and encourage them to share their reviews online, some buzz about your business is bound to be generated. This will lead to greater curiosity regarding your business about among prospective customers, who are likely to at least try out what you’ve got to offer. Serve them well, and they’ll become loyal customers too. So, having an online store and running it well guarantee growth for your small business. What’s more? Customers writing honest reviews can also help you identify weaknesses in your business that you can improve on and strengths that you can showcase.
5. Give more value to your customers
Your online store doesn’t need to be restricted to simply selling products. It can also feature information that would help your customers make informed buying decisions before purchasing your products. You can present this information in a variety of ways. For example, all product pages can have FAQ sections that answer the most pertinent questions about the various products. You could also maintain a weekly blog that talks about various aspects of your business niche. You could even add instructional videos that inform and educate your customers about using your products effectively.
6. Provide unique experiences for each customer
Think about it – every customer walking into your brick and mortar store will have more or less the same experience based on the store’s interiors and staff. However, you can create unique experiences shopping experiences for your online buyers. The trick to getting it right is to collect and analyze data that tells you about your customers’ behaviors when they’re shopping at your online store. As a result, all your customers will experience something different. For example, if a customer searches for a particular product range one or more times at your online store, the store can be customized to show products that he may be interested in on his/her next visit (based on previous behavior).
So, don’t let your small business get left behind. Set up an online store and put in the resources and effort to run it well. Trust us, it will make a positive difference to your business.
