Why every business that sells to the public should have an eCommerce website, or risk being left behind by their rivals
Politicians talked about the death of the high street long before Covid-19 struck, and now that demise has been hastened by the pandemic.
The internet – in short, your website – has become THE shop window for every business which is why if you have one you’ve every chance of thriving but if you don’t you’ve far less chance of surviving.
If you’ve left it late or need your eCommerce website revamping then don’t worry as West Yorkshire-based One Click Web Design can get an eCommerce website up and running for you within just 5 days.
The Halifax-based company has clients with highly successful eCommerce websites across West Yorkshire and throughout the UK.
When it comes to the success of eCommerce sites the statistics speak for themselves. The Office of National Statistics (ONS) in the UK revealed that online sales grew by 46% in 2020 compared to the previous year – the biggest rise since 2008.
Online food sales saw the greatest increase, up by 79.3%. Online household goods sales went up by 73.9% while stores listed under ‘other’ which includes electricals, jewellers and toyshops grew by 73.4%.
These figures are set against a backdrop that overall retail sales fell by 1.9% which shows that traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ shops have suffered terribly from a loss of sales over the last 18 months, especially those deemed non-essential which had to close their doors.
Don’t forget that the doors never close on your eCommerce website.
With winter fast approaching the Government isn’t ruling out the possibility of further lockdowns if Covid starts to look like it’s getting out of control again.
Former vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said in mid-September: “Lockdowns will be an absolutely last resort. What we’re trying to do at the moment is to transition this virus from pandemic to endemic through a massive vaccination programme.”
One Click Web Design founder Tom Stanley said: “It’s absolutely crucial that businesses regard their website as their most important shop window and make sure their online customer services matches the high standards they would offer in-store. You can get a lot of important product information on your eCommerce website, far more than you’d have in-store.
“The internet and eCommerce websites really are the only viable way forward for the vast majority of businesses. Many may still have physical shops but are selling way more online. The advantages are obvious – you don’t have to leave the comfort of your own home and you can get items delivered to your door saving the expense, time and hassle of driving somewhere and then possibly even paying to park.
“The way to get the best eCommerce website is to look at what your rivals are doing … and then let One Click Web Design build you a better one. We can even help you by writing all the words for your website and then help you to continually promote it through content such as blogs using keywords and search engine optimisation to help push you up Google, saving you from having to spend a fortune on Google Ads. Blogs are on the internet forever but adverts only last for the short time you’re paying for them. Our ongoing support packages are second-to-none.”
One quirky fact about eCommerce is how you spell it. A look on Google shows there are several ways such as ecommerce, E Commerce, E-Commerce, e-commerce, E-commerce, e-Commerce – but we’ll go with eCommerce.
What are the advantages of selling online via an eCommerce website?
* Cheaper and more cost-effective than renting or buying retail space.
* Your products will be available to customers across the UK and worldwide – rather than the few who would drop into your shop.
* You never close as eCommerce websites operate 24/7.
* You can run it from home – all you need is the internet, a phone and somewhere for your stock.
* Integrated Inventory management means you’ll quickly see what’s selling and what’s not so successful ranges can be diversified to boost sales while those lagging way behind can be dropped. It means you’ll maximise your sales and cut costs.
* Your website is the ultimate sales pitch – featuring as much information as you want about your products so customers can take their time to browse and decide.
* Information you get from each sale means you’ll know who your customers are and what each is buying so can devise marketing strategies to send information to them or perhaps offer discounts or reward points for repeat purchases.
What do all eCommerce websites designed by One Click Web Design feature?
* Your corporate colours and branding throughout to make them eye-catching and fit in perfectly with your main website and marketing.
* Any layout and content you want.
* Secure checkout and complete flexibility for you and your customers. Payments include secure debit card, credit card and BACS payments plus others such as PayPal, Stripe, Sage Pay and ApplePay. There is even the option to offer different ways to pay including subscription-based payments, cash on delivery and buy now pay later.
* The system will make payment and refund processing straightforward, and also include automated delivery calculations.
* Full inventory management including uploading products and automatic stock control alerts so you know exactly what you have to sell and the product variations such as colours, size and weight.
* We’ll make it easy for customers to buy from you with the way product categories and types are laid out along with the way they can be sorted such as from low to high price.
* Customer profiles so you know their order history and shopping habits at a glance.
* A mobile app so you can manage your online shop, stock, track and oversee orders on the go.
* Most people now buy straight from their phones and that’s at the forefront of our minds when we are designing your eCommerce site.
* The website will be built using the latest SSL security standards.
* Customers can set up accounts so they can see their previous orders and place new ones with just a few clicks.
To find out how we can help you and what it’ll cost, email us at hello@one-click.co.uk or call us on 01422 646465.
Blog written by Andy Hirst from Huddersfield-based AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/)
