The world has increasingly become an online and connected world.  More than ever it is important for a store to have an online presence whether it through an online store, landing page or company blog.  The first thing many shoppers do before they ever go to a new store is check out the website to learn who they are, what they carry and whether they even want to go to the store.  Here are five reasons why every store should have an online presence.

Communicating with your customers

Customers are always looking for information on your store from the very basic of your hours, address and phone number, to what you sell and who you are.  Many people search online before they go to a store to find locations, hours, products and phone numbers.  For new customers, understanding who you are and how you are different than your competitor is key and what they can find from your website.  Without a website, you lose control of your store and brand to sites such as Yelp.

Expanded Sales

Many retailers worry about online stores such as Amazon stealing their customers away.  The simplest way to solve that is to offer your products online.  You not only maintain your existing customer base, but you even gain new customers.  You also make the shopping experience easier for the customer. Don’t underestimate having someone buy something online and then picking it up in store.

News and events

Engage your customers so you are first in your mind.  If you have a special event going on, letting them know online through your site or email is an ideal solution to keep them engaged and interested.  Sometimes you need support for legislation that could seriously affect your customers and your business.  Using your online presence to rally support is quick and easy

Expanded Products

Most stores have a finite amount of space and budget to stock products.  An online store allows you to sell more products than you might have shelf space for, and with the ability to drop ship many items, ability to sell products you might not carry in store.  It is also an easy way to test interest in new product or test promotional products.

Cheap and Easy

Having an online web presence or online store has gotten cheaper and cheaper over the years.  It used to be you needed thousands of dollars in web development and support.   This is no longer the case.   Now it is inexpensive and easy to have a web site and online store with little upfront costs and ongoing maintenance.

What you should do?

Explore the costs and benefits of having a website for your store.  Many store owners don’t even know where to start.  Give us a call as we are more than happy to talk to you.  Whether you use our services, do it yourself or use others, you owe it to yourself to start a site now!

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