Let’s Talk E-Commerce

E-commerce and the future

If you are going to be a sustainable business moving forward you will need to capitalize on e-commerce in one form or another. If you don’t think there’s an e-commerce market for your business, you need to think differently. I can guarantee you that your competition has e-commerce figured out and it’s time you do the same. Moving forward, the most successful brands and businesses are going to be those who offer omnichannel experiences. The most successful and viable businesses are going to those who embrace e-commerce and commit to it 100%. You can’t just stick your feet in e-commerce, you have to jump in.

E-commerce isn’t a fad

There was a time when businesses thought of social media as something for kids and there wasn’t much of a business opportunity to be had nor was there a reason for a business to have a social media presence. Now we’re surprised when we can’t find a business on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. It seems like the same businesses reluctant to adopt a social media platform, feel the same way about e-commerce. Too many businesses don’t have a presence and if it hasn’t hurt yet, it’s going to real soon.

E-commerce was on a growing trend before COVID-19, it’s only picked up speed since. I read an article the other day that talked about how COVID-19 gave us 10 years worth of e-commerce growth in 6 months. Some business owners I know expect business to return to “normal”, as in pre-COVID. If you’re one of those businesses owners, you’re either in denial or clueless.

E-commerce in service bases businesses

“But Chris, I own a service based business, how am I supposed to adopt e-commerce as a plumber?”. This is where a lot of us don’t fully understand what e-commerce means. E-commerce isn’t just the buying and selling of goods online. E-commerce is also about convenience, immediacy, and simplicity. If you have a service based business, what are you doing to fill these needs for your customer? What are you doing to give your customers a better online experience? Consider these questions.

  • What products could you be offering? I once had my own carpet cleaning business, how easy would it have been to sell spot remover on my website?
  • If you’re in heating & air conditioning repair, can you sell replacement parts on your website? Can you customers schedule a service directly from your site? Can they track the technician or contact the technician directly from the site? Can they instant message with someone in customer service?

I had a hard time writing this article and thinking of a service that couldn’t segue into e-commerce and do it easily. If you are e-commerce challenged, it’s not too late. If you have an established e-commerce store, what more could you be doing?

E-commerce questions to ask yourself

Consider these questions, regardless of where you’re at in the e-commerce sphere.

  • What should I be offering that I’m currently not?
  • How can I improve my customer’s e-commerce experience?
  • How can I give my customer’s a better fulfillment experience?
  • What can I offer my customer’s that my competition doesn’t?

This next question cannot be overstated in terms of importance:

  • How can I be more environmentally friendly?

Study after study shows that customers are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products or services. If you think because you don’t care about “environmentally friendly” that your customers feel the same way, you couldn’t be more wrong.

E-commerce retention vs acquisition

The lowest hanging fruit will always be your current customer base. Start there and start there immediately because if you don’t, they’re not going to be your customer for much longer. Customers will remain your customer out of loyalty alone, However, If you don’t innovate and adapt, your competition will and customer loyalty only goes so far. Before you go searching for new clients with your new e-commerce store, start with your current customers. Reach out to them and introduce your new e-commerce store to them. Ask them for feedback. Give them a coupon to use for trying it out. Give them free delivery and an incentive if they leave a review. They’ll embrace it, and if you can exceed expectations, they’ll be your biggest marketer.

If you’re new to e-commerce and would like some feedback or need some reviews, I’m more than happy to help. Email me and let me know how I can. Email: chris.grimm@naenv.com