Haidan DongBefore the coronavirus changed the business world, many print shops and physical stores would say that without an ecommerce presence, they were doing just fine thank you very much. But everything changed when health protocols and government legislation took effect, temporarily shutting down physical shops or imposing strict regulations on them. People started to avoid visiting physical shops. Suddenly brick-and-mortar businesses began to see the importance of having an ecommerce channel where they can conduct business without physical interaction.
But surviving the covid pandemic is not the only reason why print businesses need ecommerce. There are a number of reasons why your shop can benefit from the ability to conduct business online in a post-covid world.
6 Ways eCommerce Can Help Your Print Business
1. Strong Backup
Let’s all hope businesses don’t have to shut down again, but what if they do? eCommerce provides an alternative that will ease the financial burden and help your shop survive. During the good times, it’s a way to reduce risk, and during tough times, it’s a matter of basic survival for your business and your livelihood.
In addition, you don’t need to choose between in-person or digital interaction. You can have in-person interactions happening in your physical store while running your online store at the same time. eCommerce is not a replacement but an added safeguard to make your business stronger.
2. More Opportunities to Profit
Sometimes instead of working harder, we need to work smarter. eCommerce is an opportunity for your business to generate revenue even when you’re not working. Since customers can place an order 24/7 on a website, you’ll be able to earn passive income while you sleep. Don’t let the physical limitations of your store limit your potential for profit.
3. Wider Client Base
There are more and more people shopping online, creating massive market potential for you to tap into. By opening a new channel for doing business, you might also remove obstacles that are stopping customers from ordering from you through your traditional methods. Here are some potential customers who would benefit from ordering from an online store:
- Customers who live further away from your shop
- Tech-savvy younger generations who find it easier to order online
- Elderly customers who are advised not to leave their homes during the pandemic
- Businesses that operate primarily online
- People who are sick or have mobility difficulties and cannot leave their homes
- People who don’t have frequent access to transportation
- Busy people who don’t have time to visit your physical shop
- Businesses and individuals searching online for a solution to their printing needs
4. Easier Marketing
In a post-covid world, digital communication is more prevalent than ever. Creating an online store makes digital marketing easier when it comes to ads, social media promotions, and newsletters. This is because you can easily link your store to your marketing content. Customers can simply click on the link and be directed to your online store, where they can place an order.
Having an online presence is also good for keeping your print business top of mind for your customers. They will be regularly reminded that your business exists as long as you provide regular digital updates (e.g. emails, social media posts, etc.).
5. Staying Competitive
eCommerce has become so popular now that chances are your competitors already have an online store. You might even be competing with big online corporations that offer the same services as you. To stay competitive in the ever-changing market, print businesses need ecommerce to help them keep clients away from their competitors, who can lure them away with their ease of ordering.
Doing this not only helps you stay abreast of the competition, but also shows your customers that you are willing to make improvements to serve them better, and that you are capable of adapting to the new post-covid economy.
Make ordering from your store as easy as ordering from a big online corporation, because chances are, holding all other factors constant, your customers will prefer ordering from you—the business they trust.
6. More Support
The amount of support for online store owners is incredible, and it is continuing to grow. There are now countless blogs, forums, videos, and other free resources aimed at empowering online store owners to grow their businesses. Moreover, there are large online communities of store owners who value cooperation over competition, and who help each other out with questions that they may encounter along the way.
There are also many suppliers who work exclusively with online stores. In addition to this, many online store platforms also offer free resources and educational content to their users. Shopify, for example, regularly updates their blog with helpful articles for store owners. SinaLite also offers a resource center for their Print on Demand App users.
It is undeniable in today’s new economy that print businesses need ecommerce now more than ever. An online store is a great way to take your business to the next level without sacrificing the advantages of your physical print shop. If you’re looking to start an online store, we recommend checking out our article on how to create a Shopify store with a free trial.
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