Even before Covid-19 reared its ugly head, online retail was thriving. But, with more people now staying indoors and avoiding crowded high streets, the pandemic has accelerated the growth of e-commerce shopping even further.
Experts reckon UK online shopping rates have risen by 129% week-on-week, and it's not just supermarkets that have benefitted from the online boom. Every sector has seen elevated e-commerce trends, and it looks like this is set to stay this way even in life beyond Covid-19. For instance, studies conclude that 60% of consumers aim to carry on shopping online even when the pandemic is over.
Opportunities and success
While this is sobering news for brick-and-mortar high street stores, it offers a wealth of opportunities for those businesses who trade online, especially small, local ones.
Whether you're new to online trading, or you're looking to enhance what you offer, reaching out to your customers through your website or social media platforms could pave the way to long-term success.
Up your game
Yet, it's essential to get things right. Just because you've got a website and an e-commerce shop doesn't guarantee the profits will start rolling in. Bear in mind that other savvy businesses will have jumped on the e-commerce bandwagon, so you might face stiffer competition than before.
That's why now is an important time to really up your game with your online presence. If you haven't got a website, speaking to us at Westcountry Media is the first step to getting one professionally designed to suit your needs and goals.
Assess your needs
If you do have a website, now is also the time to assess whether it's meeting the current needs of your customers. Could it do with some improvements or changes? In a landscape where online shopping is rapidly altering and becoming more competitive, is your website easy to find online? Do your SEO strategies and digital marketing methods need fine-tuning?
Solve those all-important problems
One of the biggest frustrations of recent times for online shoppers has been lack of stock availability, with 50% of consumers facing stock availability errors on many e-commerce sites. Consider how effective your own website operates with regards to stock information, so you don't let customers down with inaccuracies.
It's not just the actual sales transaction that needs to flow smoothly on your site; you need to ensure your e-commerce store provides an engaging browsing experience, now that shoppers don't browse as much in physical stores.
Whatever your small business needs to capitalise from the online shopping explosion, we provide a range of expert e-commerce services at Westcountry Media.