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Your Online Store vs. Your Physical Store

In light of COVID-19, many wholesalers and retailers have had to step back from their brick-and-mortar shops and focus more on their online stores. Though brick-and-mortar stores give numerous benefits, like a reliable location and a gathering place for your customers and employees, your online shop is just as important and provides an array of benefits.

Why is it important?

Like your brick-and-mortar store, your website is a centralized hub for your customers, allowing them to communicate and interact with your business. You must treat your online store the same as your physical store. Customers have a wide variety of businesses to choose from when shopping online. To set your business apart, you need to catch their eye and give them a reason to stay on your site and continue looking for more information about your business.

How do I do that?

Start by placing yourself in their shoes and understanding why they’re coming to your website in the first place. What questions would you have if you were looking for a wholesaler? What would you want to see when going to a wholesale website? Write down all the questions and reasons someone would visit a wholesale website you can think of and anything you would want to see. Answer the questions in your website content, like the product description and use. For example, say someone was looking for gifts to sell in a gift store. You could add a few keywords into your product descriptions like ‘gift’ or ‘present’ to target those customers.

Okay, what else?

Your website is crucial for making sales outside of your physical store, but it also shows customers what you’re all about. It explains why you’re different and why customers should buy products from you. Your website is potentially the first impression your customers have of your business and can set the tone for how they view and perceive you. By showcasing your unique services and awesome products, you can make a great first impression on new and potential customers!

Remember, your online relationships are just as important and meaningful as your face-to-face ones. Make sure you treat your website customers the same way you treat in-person customers. This will go a long way in building a long-lasting and trusting relationship with your customers, regardless of how they come to your business.

Here’s an example:

When searching for products online, people often don’t get the chance to meet with you face-to-face, which means they don’t get the opportunity to gain trust through personal interactions. This is why your website is so critical. You need to make sure you’re sharing all the info you can and showcasing who your business is. It’s also why keeping your website updated is essential.

For example, say you were a retailer looking for a wholesaler to help fill your store with yard flags. Would you be more inclined to choose a wholesaler who has an outdated website with last year’s products and very little information about who they are and the products they sell, or would you prefer a wholesaler with a more up-to-date website that answered all of your questions and concerns?

You’re more than likely going to go with the first website since it had what you were looking for and was updated to match the current trends. While the other wholesaler is probably just as qualified, their outdated website caused them to lose out on a potential sale.

Why?

When customers search for products online, they’re looking for someone that they feel they can trust. They want to feel secure in spending their money. An outdated site gives the impression that your business doesn’t care, which provides a level of uncertainty for your business. It can even cause customers to worry about the quality of the final product, regardless of any images. Keeping your website updated is crucial for the continued success of your business.

Let’s wrap it up.

Like your brick-and-mortar shop, managing your online store is all about attracting customers and convincing them that you’re the best at what you do. Don’t value one store over the other—each one is unique and a reflection of your business as a whole. Maintaining your online store and your physical store will help you show off the amazing products you create and sell while building long-lasting relationships with your customers.

Not sure where to start? FGmarket is here to help! Check out our website services to see how we can help you get set up with a website that reflects your business today!

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