E-commerce has long been accused of replacing local retailers but the coronavirus pandemic has shown the practice can be the salvation of some businesses. As people have been forced to stay home or have minimal contact with others, they have learned how to use telecommunication and the Internet to lead relatively normal lives.
Laurie Jones, Logan County business consultant for the East Colorado Small Business Development Center, said she has seen positive results when local businesses turn to online marketing and sales.
“Over last couple of years, I’ve been working with local businesses to expand them to online presence,” Jones said. “Here in northeast Colorado, I would say that any manufacturer of a product that also has a brick and mortar store is already selling on e-commerce.”
One of big advantages for customers, Jones said, is that they don’t have to handle cash or credit cards; they pay online, pick up the products or have them delivered, and maintain their distance. And that, she said, has been a boon to some local businesses.
“Small business owners in our area that have been in e-commerce have seen up to twice the business in the past year, directly due to people going online, placing an order and picking it up,” she said.
The big winners in e-commerce, Jones said, are people who make what they sell such as crafters, artists and artisans, and small manufacturing outlets.
The first step in getting online is simply exploring the idea, doing some serious research and deciding whether it’s worth the time and money. The business owner needs to decide which products to put online and promote
“We’re not talking about thousands of dollars, it’s probably going to cost $1,000 or less to put products up in a simplified fashion,” Jones said.
Selection needs to be limited in the early going, Jones said, because there is a learning curve and the business owner doesn’t want to be overwhelmed with trying to load dozens of products into the website.
“You don’t want to be spending a lot of time managing inventory,” she said. “Pick a handful of things and get experience.”
The process may be easier with a national marketing partner such as Hometown Pharmacy and Do It Right hardware stores. Both companies have partnered with Sterling retailers and might offer assistance in e-commerce. The only limitation is that the national partner may offer products that a particular outlet doesn’t stock.
“If your supplier allows you to sell those products online, put on what you think is the most popular thing,” Jones said.
The next step is to get help, especially if you find the technology daunting. Jones said most people know someone with enough technical savvy to help them get started, but if not, there are resources available in Sterling and Logan County.
“ECSBDC will help you get started and walk you through the process at no cost,” she said. “There are training modules available as well.”
Once the website is up and running and a marketing strategy has been established, the business can begin to experiment with new product lines.
Jones said some retailers may want to partner with a marketing giant like Amazon or Etsy, but there are some drawbacks to that. The big marketers usually want a seller to maintain a certain inventory, and sometimes will limit what items retailers can sell.
“They have a concern about how one gets notices among thousands of sellers,” she said.
The biggest challenge, Jones said, is marketing; knowing the market and positioning hour products in the target market.
“The successful shops are establishing their brand, they understand the market, and they’re willing to spend some money targeting those markets,” she said.
Again ECSBDC offers help in figuring out who wants your product and how to put it in front of them. Jones said Startup Colorado offers assistance to rural entrepreneurs in identifying markets. According to its website, Startup Colorado works throughout the Western Slope and Eastern Plains, “supporting initiatives that benefit the long-term resources and success of Colorado’s rural entrepreneurs.”
“They have a lot of great information about what’s going on right now,” Jones said. “There’s a local component, but bigger component is how to expand your marketing presence all over northeast Colorado and southwest Nebraska, and even beyond.”
Anyone wanting more information about how to get ECSBDC assistance can reach Jones at laurie.jones@eastcoloradosbdc.com. Information on Startup Colorado is available at their website, startupcolorado.org.
"do it" - Google News
June 06, 2020 at 03:54AM
https://ift.tt/3gUigaV
E-commerce can save local retailers if they do it right - Journal Advocate
"do it" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2zLpFrJ
https://ift.tt/3feNbO7
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "E-commerce can save local retailers if they do it right - Journal Advocate"
Post a Comment