If 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic are anything to go by, we know that in order to survive in business, one must adapt. If you’re a retail business, right now this means going digital. In this guide, we’ve unpacked the basics of what you need to know if you are looking to move your retail business online and develop eCommerce capabilities. We’ve also provided an indication of how much you’ll need to invest.
Know your target customer
At this point, you should be very well-versed in who your customer is and what their buying behaviour is. You need to research whether your customer base does in fact shop online and whether they will be willing to do so for your business and the products or services you sell.
Optimize your products, services, and offerings
What you sell or offer online must make sense, be easy to find, attractively presented, and be readily available.
Choose the right eCommerce platform for your business
Having the right website and eCommerce platform for your business goes hand in hand. If you do not have a website already, there’s always the option to build your own website (integrating with an eCommerce platform) if you have the budget and resources available.
Choose a payment gateway
The final basic step to setting up your online selling channel is choosing the right payment gateway. If you want to maximise your online sales, choosing a gateway that has a variety of payment options is important. To match the payment preferences of online shoppers in South Africa, you will need to offer most of the following payment methods; Credit and debit cards, Instant EFT, Masterpass, Mobicred, and Zapper.
Make sure your retail business has a digital presence
Marketing your business online may seem like a daunting task but as a small business owner, you can start small. No matter what industry you’re in, chances are your customers are online. It’s estimated that South Africans spend more than 9 hours a day online, according to a wearesocial.com report.
