Let’s hear it for the brick and mortar stores out there! In a tough climate where consumers are spending less and landlords are charging more, you really are the unsung heroes of the high street. Challenging conditions like this, however, make expanding your digital presence a no-brainer.
“But Fasthosts, I don’t need a web-” We’re going to stop you right there. Getting online will open digital doors you didn’t even know existed – so don’t let common myths stand in your way.
Myth – “Ecommerce is only for large businesses”
Reality – it’s about time we cracked the shell on ecommerce once and for all.
The pandemic completely altered the retail landscape, sky-rocketing an online shopping trend that was already huge. In fact, as of 2023, research concluded that over 80% of UK consumers make ecommerce purchases.
And the best news? The cost of running an ecommerce website is relatively low, making it even more accessible for small businesses to get a slice of the pie. For example, our Website Builder, costs just £5.50 a month and has thousands of resources to get you started, so you can save your business 5-6 figures in agency costs.
Myth – “I don’t need a website”
Reality – Just because someone walks past your shop without coming in, doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t interested in what you’ve got to sell – they just might not have been in a position to browse that day. Sure, they might come back again, but why hang your hopes on a potential visit when they could easily find you online?
Even if you don’t want to sell anything online, a website acts as a point of reference for possible customers to firm up their interest, while also signalling credibility. Without one, you might be in danger of losing out to more digitally savvy competitors.
Myth – “I can reach all my customers in-store”
Myth – “I don’t need any more customers”
Reality – There are over five billion internet users worldwide, with retail ecommerce sales estimated to exceed $6.3 trillion in 2024… need we say more? There’s a whole heap of new customers out there who could find real value in what you have to sell – they just don’t know you exist yet.
You don’t need to be a tech-whizz to get your business seen online, either. Take social media, for example. Set up an Instagram account in minutes – include a simple line or two about your business and where it’s located on your profile, and post pictures of your shop and products to reel in new customers!
Myth – “I’ll lose my brick and mortar store”
Reality – One doesn’t have to replace the other! In fact, your website and physical store should complement each other, providing a seamless customer experience. Use your website or social media pages to tell your story and uncover behind the scenes insights about your brand, increasing buy-in from current customers and attracting the attention of new ones.
You might even consider driving footfall by getting clever with online offers for in-store discounts, for example: ‘Quote “weloverubberduckies” to get 20% off any duck when you visit us in-store’. That’s a quacking good deal if you ask us…
Myth – “Maintaining an online presence is too much work”
Reality – If you’re not tech-savvy and your spare time is limited, we get it – the thought of running a website, ecommerce arm or social media presence can seem like an unachievable task. But the internet has come a long way, and help is out there to not only make the digitisation process achievable, but profitable too.
Content management systems like WordPress and ecommerce plugins like Woocommerce are made for beginners, guiding you step by step to easily build websites and sell products, without a web developer in sight! And with the right hosting provider and digital partner, you can power presence without a hitch.
Get your store online with Fasthosts
From boosted cred to increased sales – it really is about time your brick-and-mortar store reaped those digital rewards. But even the swankiest of websites still need a good host fueling its performance under the hood.
Enter Fasthosts – at your service with web and WordPress hosting solutions to help you kickstart your online presence with superfast page speeds, watertight security and 24/7 support. So you’ve always got an expert on hand when you need one. Get in touch today to find out more about how we can help you shine online.
