No one will ever buy shoes online.
Or at least they didn’t, until Nick Swinmurn, founder of Zappos, believed they would. Free delivery, free returns, unparalleled customer service and 12 years later the Amazon acquisition boast annual revenues of over $2 billion.
So how do you feel about buying a car? Do you enjoy perusing the forecourts? Trying the seats for size? The free coffee, a test drive? (Even if you do have to put up with the ever-so-attentive sales assistant). Let’s face it, once you’re driving the thing around you’re sold, right? Hmm, maybe the thought of the sales process is enough to put some people off, but how can anyone resist that new car smell?
Well, it appears that smell is surplus to pre-sales requirements, as thousands flock to buy their next car online. No fuss, no haggling, no test drive. Just next day delivery. It’s a game-changer.
If you can buy shoes online, and cars online, you can sell your thing online too. Not just ‘can sell’. Must sell.
The relentless march online has been underway for years. £3 of every £10 is now spent online. 50% more than before the pandemic. Ecommerce was already growing substantially. The pandemic simply accelerated things. New online shoppers were forced to try it. And they liked it. Once habits form, behaviour changes forever. It seems certain more sales will happen online. And not just consumers. Because behind every B2B transaction is a human.
And even if you don’t sell products, you should be offering online bookings. Webinars, demos, or free trials. All smoothly transacted online. The successful churches we mentioned earlier all signed up to enable online donations. E-commerce isn’t just essential, it’s a post-pandemic survival skill.
A bonus 4th – Embrace adaptability
Overall, embrace adaptability. Creativity. Persistence.
Where there’s a will there’s a way. While there’s demand, a route exists to make it happen. And if demand has dwindled, then new opportunities will arise.
Don’t give up. We’re here for you now and we’ll be here for you on the other side.