Five Reasons All Retailers Should Have a Website
Local stores have the benefit of being able to sell directly to their demographic with ease. You can become a pillar of the community, and become a business that is well-loved by your neighbors and the community at large. The problem with only selling locally, however, is that it doesn’t allow for growth. That is why you need to have a great, modern website that is not only aesthetically pleasing, but can also sell worldwide. With a website, retailers can benefit from:
- People Buying Online
Bronto Software has recently conducted a survey, stating that one in four Americans buy online on a weekly basis. Purchases online nearly totaled $400 billion in 2016, and continue to increase as online shopping becomes the norm and more companies put their wares online. Missing out on this market is a huge mistake, and you don’t need to be a big business to set up an effective online store. All you need is a BigCommerce website design to ensure that your website looks great and is user-friendly, while selling your products/services effectively.
- Selling Globally
One of the biggest draws for when you set up an online presence is that you are no longer selling only to your community, but you are selling worldwide and to a larger demographic. This is particularly useful for those who sell unique and customized wares that would act as perfect gifts. However, understand that you may have to market with accordance to cultural and weather differences if you’re targeting far overseas.
- Marketing More Effectively
One of the best parts about being online is that you no longer have to market blindly. Companies like Google or Facebook, allow you to direct your marketing endeavors to the people in your demographic. You can market to a specific gender, age group, and narrow those results down further by those who are interested in what you sell. This targeted marketing means that you can introduce yourself to people who would be interested, instead of wasting your money on people who aren’t. Also, by having a simple sign-up sheet on your website, you can easily collate and access a person’s information, ideal for more targeted results.
- Creating a Community
When you are online, you can create a community. Sign up and link social media accounts to your website, and you can directly communicate, sell, and provide key value to your followers. You need to remember though, that social profiles need to be social. Marketing aggressively won’t get you anywhere. Instead, create a persona that people can connect with, provide value at every turn, and share good photos which aren’t stock photos.
- Increasing Your Customer Service
People can communicate directly with you when you are online. They will do this either through social media or your website. When there is a complaint online, deal with it professionally and genuinely – how you handle a complaint says a lot about a company, and hiding all the bad reviews or comments you receive will only make you look suspicious. Instead, admit when you are wrong, and make amends.
Your website is your online persona, and it is your online store. You can sell more products, market more effectively, and provide more value to your customers than you ever have had before. Not everyone will be able to make it into your store to buy something, but they can access your website anywhere, anytime, making it the perfect addition to any company.
