
Order surges, supply chain disruptions, changes in customer behavior, store closures, and the list goes on: as the COVID-19 pandemic keeps on developing, it will without a doubt affect your B2B and B2C business. Furthermore, e-commerce, specifically, is seeing a significant impact.
While worldwide retail sales are expected to plunge by 5.7% this year due to the pandemic, worldwide Amazon sales went up by 26% in Q1 and 40% in Q2, and shopping at online stores in the U.S. rose from 11.8% in Q1 to 16.1% in Q2. Online spending represented 18.6% of total retail sales for the first two quarters of 2020.
Amid COVID-19, an unimaginable number of consumers switched to online shopping as an alternative, combining availability, convenience, and greater safety, while creating extraordinary opportunities for those businesses that can seize them. If you’re running a retail business, this is the perfect time for you to switch to having an e-commerce store.
Are you wondering how to expand your sales globally, yet concerned about the security and lack of understanding of e-commerce terms? In this article, we’ll include the challenges, opportunities, and solutions to help you steer your business during the pandemic.
Start an eCommerce Store
Moving your physical retail store online is pretty easy. All you need to do is to give us a call and explain the details and we’ll get back to you with a polished, professional plan for your business. In a scenario where the retail footprint is equal to the digital footprint, starting an eCommerce business with Abacus Web Services can be the first step to expand your sales during the pandemic.
Move Your Customers Online
To ensure there is limited physical contact to keep your customers safe during the pandemic and a viable business opportunity, encourage your customers to shop online. While millions of people shop online, some may be new to it. Here are a few ways in which you can help them shop from your e-commerce store.
- Spread the message that your store is now online and operating even if the retail store is limited or closed. This can be done through SEO, email campaigns and other digital marketing plans.
- Guide your customers through your online store and have them place orders online.
Ensure Your Store Meets the Needs of Your Customers
As more customers move to online shopping during the pandemic, your business would require more than just an e-commerce store. You also need to ensure that your online store meets the needs of your customer and navigates them through the customer journey and convinces them to shop for your products instead of moving forward with your competitors.
What does a customer expect from your eCommerce store? Here are some of them.
Relevant data: Your online business store should provide precise, complete, and real-time data, from products and parts to inventory levels and delivery tracking.
Enhanced functionalities: Ensure your customers can rapidly and effectively pay and look at, and in addition, track their requests, manage their savings, and pay online invoices.
Low-risk factors: Your eCommerce store should prevent order errors by providing accurate product information, pricing, and inventory levels on the web 24/7. Customers should also be able to access order history and account data, to avoid entry and selection errors.
Want to take your eCommerce business to the next level? Get in touch with Abacus Web Services – we offer the best eCommerce development services to help you stay afloat in these uncertain times.