When a retailer opens an eCommerce site to supplement their store it is as if they are opening a new shop. This one is online and like starting any new shop it is challenging. Each shop has their own set of demands and requirements.
What works well is to make your eCommerce site work together with your physical shop. So that your eCommerce site gets an initial start from your shop base and your eCommerce shop raises the shop sales too. So what you need to do is let your customers shop across the physical and online shop seamlessly.
The best approach is click-and-collect here is where the customer buys in your online shop and then later picks it up in your shop at a time that suits them. This eliminates the cost of delivery and the risk of missed deliveries. This often helps make your offer cheaper price than many of the other online shops as they have unlike you to charge for delivery.
This both helps drive sales in your physical shop and keep delivery fees down and has the added advantage that a high percentage of shoppers coming to the shop for click and collect often ended up buying additional items which are why many shops are willing to act as click and collect points for other businesses too.
As a rule, I suggest that you do the following for click and click.
- Have the goods available and ready within 2 hours of their being purchased.
- Make a rule that the person picking the goods up has to have the receipt and valid ID
- That you give the people a receipt through our point of sale system and have them sign your copy.
If you are interested in learning more please contact us here as we are doing a webinar on it.
