2020 gave us all a new perspective on what “business resilience” truly means. We all saw businesses that were forced to close due to the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many that survived, did so because they were forced to pivot operationally. They adapted to consumer demands so they could stay in business. Many turned to ecommerce as a way of surviving. And now they are thriving!
Before you say “ecommerce could not possibly work for my company” let’s look at some of reasons why it has worked for others.
Your Customers Want Your Services During COVID-19
Many businesses lost revenue and/or were forced to lay off employees last year due to quarantine restrictions and social-distancing measures. Fortunately, the Internet means that instead of closing your doors, you can redirect time and energy into an ecommerce store.
Your customers still want the option to purchase their favourite products. They still need your services. An ecommerce store allows them to buy from you without direct physical contact. They can peruse your website, place their order and have it delivered safely and conveniently. From a customer perspective – what more could you want?
Here are some examples that may apply to your business:
- Retail outlets that have established online ordering and delivery or curbside pickup
- Food service establishments offering online ordering with delivery or drive through pickup
- Home maintenance and repair contractors selling wholesale parts and do-it-yourself kits to the domestic market
- Fitness, life and wellness coaches / therapists booking video conference sessions with clients through their websites
- Bookstores holding online readings with authors and selling books through digital shopping carts
- Music venues and travel agencies selling tickets to virtual events through their ecommerce sites
Australian Businesses That Are Thriving!
It was not surprising to hear about all the businesses that were forced to close their doors last year. But it was surprising that so many are now doing better than ever before – all because they adapted to using Internet technology and ecommerce in their daily operations.
Freshchoy’s — this wholesale supplier of fruits and vegetables to Chinese restaurants in Melbourne had to think fast during the food service lockdown. They now deliver to a network of 8,000 private individuals using digital ordering.
Wine Depot — this company was already internet-based, but to support sales, they now offer same-day delivery on wine sales. They are also helping wineries gain more exposure through a special marketing campaign.
St Ali Café — this South Melbourne restaurant adapted by adding online grocery sales, manufacturing sanitisers and distributing face masks. Their ecommerce sales have increased ten times over.
Handy Desk — business is booming for this small furniture business that saw the need to supply eco-friendly, easy to assemble, affordable cardboard desks. The desks are invaluable to families with kids forced to do their schoolwork from home.
The Ecommerce Ecosystem
The common denominator with all these businesses is their vision for honouring a need, their awareness of customer pain points and their dedication to finding solutions that will ensure ongoing customer loyalty. To provide excellent customer service they established an ecosystem for online ordering system, a method to receive payments, employees to fulfil the orders, and an efficient delivery system.
Adding Ecommerce To Your Website
Integrating ecommerce into your business system does actually not have to be that expensive. You can start out with a simple “shop” tab on your Facebook page, or you can jump right into a full-blown WooCommerce app on your WordPress website. The main point is that even though countless businesses have been brought to their knees by the pandemic, yours can be one of the resilient businesses that experiences growth and continues to thrive well into the future.
At Oracle Tree, we are strategy-oriented and happy to speak with you about the ecommerce potential for your business. Contact us today to learn more about how you can generating additional online revenue (as well as boost your competitive advantage!) with a ecommerce store.
