As a retailer, why do I need an online store?

It's no secret that online trading is becoming more and more popular and is replacing active shopping in stores. Retailers in particular are affected by this phenomenon. The walk-in customers are not absent, but the proportion of customers actively buying continues to decrease. Retail is increasingly becoming a tourist attraction, a last-minute stop for gifts, or simply a leisure activity. There is simply no longer any incentive to go out and buy something that can be found much more conveniently on the internet. Because ordering on the Internet saves time, you have a larger selection and, above all, you know directly whether something is still available or not.

That doesn't make retail any less important! It beautifies the atmosphere of the pedestrian zones, you can take what you buy with you and you can generally get an overview of what's currently available. In addition, specialist shops offer face-to-face advice that is tailored precisely to your interests and also give you the opportunity to think outside the box.

However, simply being a retailer is no longer enough. The age of digitization is merciless. And that's not the only problem. The general business situation has deteriorated as a result of the pandemic. If you don't have any reserves, you won't survive the lockdowns. Even large chains have trouble staying afloat.

And an online shop simply brings advantages.

In this blog entry we would like to take away your doubts and explain the advantages of an online shop.

What are the advantages of an online shop?

Many advantages of an online shop are obvious:

• Larger target group, since not only customers from the region are reached
• Direct overview of the available goods
• No stoppage of income due to forced store closures (e.g. during a lockdown)
• Easy and convenient shopping from home
• And much more.

But you are probably already aware of the advantages. So why don't you have an online shop yet? Quite simply: Because of the effort that such an online shop entails. And we will go into this in more detail below.

I have no idea how to start an online store let alone how to set it up...

Understandable! This is usually not one of the hobbies that you pursue in your free time or that you learned at school!

But basically it's quite simple if you do a bit of research. There are now some providers who offer a simple template for websites that you can click together yourself.

If you don't want to go to the trouble of clicking through the countless options for hours and then spend hours after finding the right provider rummaging through the numerous customization options, you can simply contact us! This saves time and the result is definitely worth it!

Within a very short time, we will work out a ready-to-use framework for your very own online shop via Shopify for you and with you! An introduction to all features is included, so that you can then take care of everything yourself and no longer have to rely on us.

How do I get my products integrated into the online shop?

A legitimate question. This can be quite time-consuming, or go very quickly.

If you already have a list of all your products, you can easily upload them to your online shop. There is a detailed description for this, which is stored on the dedicated page. Admittedly, those who do not have such a list have it a little more difficult.Then the products all have to be entered individually in the shop. But after a one-time effort, you've made it! For example, you could combine this work with the annual inventory anyway and kill two birds with one stone! Or we can help you and help you with setting up the shop!

New arrivals must be entered using the same method, but should you receive a return of goods that have already been entered, you can easily adjust the existing quantity without the hassle of re-entering.

An inventory list with information on the available quantities of a product also makes it easier for you to get an overview of your inventory at a glance!

What if I sell a product from my online store in store?

Since you have full control over your online store, you can adjust the existing quantity of a product with a single click right after it's sold in store.

Of course we know that you probably don't have the time to take care of your online shop all the time. But we can take away your fear that this could lead to double sales of a product, which would not reflect well on the shop.

With the "Point of Sale" function, Shopify offers you the opportunity to integrate retail sales into your online shop.

Shopify Point of Sale (POS) allows you to combine in-store and online store sales through unified statistics. This maintains an overview of the store and online inventory of your products. You can also use POS to manage your business, advertise your products and sell on different channels. Based on inventory forecasts and performance reports, you can create orders. If you have multiple locations, you can transfer your inventory levels to them.

Merge in-person and online sales together with POS. Make shopping easier for your customers and increase your profits. Your customers can look at your products in your shop and later order them from the comfort of their own home. This also works the other way around. Your customers can also order from your online shop from home and collect everything from you later. Is on-site inventory low? No problem. Your customer can also simply order the product they want on site for a fee and have it delivered to their home. Never lose a sale again with POS.

What about shipping costs?

You have the option of choosing and specifying your shipping options yourself. The respective shipping costs are added to the value of the goods and are therefore borne by the buyer. Free shipping options, for example from a certain purchase value, can also be set up.

If you prefer to skip the postal service, you can offer in-store pickup.

How does the tax work?

Integrate information about this directly under your personal user information. An invoice is provided for each order. The online shop does not cause you any additional work in this regard!

I still don't have the time or inclination to take care of it...

This problem can also be solved. If it is possible for you, you can of course hire or retrain a temporary worker or an employee to take care of the online shop. You can also do this from home!

Or you can also contact us on this point! We offer you to take care of your shop and keep it up to date.As far as your goods are concerned, you would have to give us a little support

Any questions? Here we go!

We hope that this has cleared your doubts a little. But of course something new is always a challenge that can scare you. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us!

And if you said to yourself: Let's do this!, then click here, because of course we are ready and would be happy to help you with it!