Tips For Transitioning Your Retail Store To The Online World

Many retailers have long made the transition, others have been considering it for some time and, now, with self-isolation being the norm in many parts of the world, several are finding themselves needing to urgently jump into the world of eCommerce. The advantages of taking a store online, such as access to a wider audience and decreased store costs are numerous, but you have to ensure you plan for the new challenges of going digital, as well.




Don’t skimp on website design

It might be cheaper to run a website than it is to run a store, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t invest in it properly. If you don’t have the skills it takes to design your own working eCommerce site, it’s better to rely on teams like Splashbox rather than to work with the more basic online store template offerings from free software. You want a store that stands out with its own brand and is designed in a way that puts user experience first, and that usually means working with those who have plenty of experience.

Get your shipping set up

Once the orders start coming in with your eCommerce store, you may be surprised just how quickly demand can rise. As such, you want to have a proper shipping zone set up on your business premises and a way to efficiently and quickly pack and post goods. Working with suppliers like Stanley Packaging and setting up a specific shipping room, organized to make packaging and shipping as ergonomic as possible is highly recommended. You can outsource this part of the business, of course, but it’s often more cost-effective to do it yourself.

The danger of delivering badly

After shipping it out of your store, how much tracking and transparency do you offer with the delivery process? Most eCommerce stores, at least to begin with, rely on transport companies and freelancers, but you have to still ensure your customer has a degree of control and visibility when it comes to the process. Work with providers of fast deliveries who also offer GPS tracking, allowing you to show customers and send them updates on the process of getting their products to them.

Get the marketing right

Marketing an eCommerce store online is different from marketing a brick-and-mortar store online, as similar as it might see. When you upload your products, you need to ensure they are search engine optimized. You need good descriptions, metadata, and organic SEO content that is designed to attract the customers most likely to convert once they land on your site. Working with marketing teams like PMGS can ensure that your site is designed to engage with your market as effectively as possible, increasing the number of clicks and ensuring each click is more likely to lead to profit.

It’s by no means impossible to make a smooth transition from solely brick and mortar to working with an online component. You just need to ensure you set the foundation right to keep it running smoothly, too.