24 Aug 4 Facts about Having an Online Store
It’s a popular conception that if you have great products and an online store, it’s easy to sell to customers around the whole world.
That’s true – and not true – at the same time. Successfully leveraging e-commerce or shopping cart options for an online store is just as challenging as retailing in a physical store. The store itself is just the beginning of the journey: Much more is required to make an e-commerce business successful.
1 – Just like a physical store, you need a strong front line staff
Customers will send you questions, feedback, and request for info on a daily basis.
We recommend logging in to your admin dashboard at least twice per day, once in the mid-morning and once in the afternoon, to respond to inquiries and orders. Brick and mortar stores rely on great front line staff to serve their customers, and online stores are no different.
2 – You need the technical skills to manage the store efficiently
It’s not as simple as getting the shipping info, printing the label, sending out the order, and collecting the money. Updating inventories, processing orders, issuing refunds, executing marketing campaigns – all these tasks are dependent on management systems.
Without strong technical competence in administering your systems, it’s going to be impossible to operate to any significant scale. However, if you have the time and the dedication, there are tons of resources online (many of them free) to help you learn to master the programs you use.
3 – Sales don’t just happen
Many people assume that once an online store is set up, the orders just start to roll in.
It’s a myth.
Customers won’t find your products on their own, and there are important parts of sales and marketing that simply cannot be automated. It’s essential to leverage search engine optimization (SEO), social media or email marketing to drive customers to your website. And will take time for these marketing efforts to generate any results.
4 – It’s not a hobby
Having an online store is a huge commitment. Our clients who have been successful with their e-commerce business have dedicated staff members to spend at least a few hours a day managing and promoting their stores. Others who only occasionally invest time and energy don’t perform well.
We strongly recommend anyone who wants to build an online store to consider it very carefully. If you can’t commit to a few hours every day, it’s better to just have a regular business website that drives customers to your physical store.
At Cyber Fision, we have worked with hundreds of businesses and we know exactly how to maximize your return on investment on your internet presence.
Our team of marketing professionals, social media managers, engineers and SEO experts is here to increase the visibility of your website, capture the attention of potential leads, and convert these leads into paying clients.
Interested in picking our brain? Contact Us