Are online sales the new normal for retailers?

Anecdotal evidence suggests e-commerce is caning it at the moment. However with a six week lag in publication of statistics we will have to wait until August to see how consumers were spending their money in July. In ordinary times, online sales make up just 9 % of New Zealanders annual retail spend. In June, Retail NZ speculated 30 % of all future spending could be online.

Many brick and mortar retailers came out of lockdown with an e commerce presence, figuring building an online shop was a good way to spend seven weeks of lockdown. Judging by how crazy-busy Taupo town was during the July school holidays, it would seem people who would normally spend their money on an overseas trip during the winter are home, travelling to the regions and spending in the regions and online.

Wix and WordPress are great options for those who like the idea of building their own websites. Others will want to get a pro to do it and there are quite a few things to think about. The main thing I advise my clients when they are investing in a digital asset is to make sure they establish a strong brand. It is important to send a consistent message about who you are and what you do. Recently I had a client who had an email address that was different to their Facebook address that was different to their Instagram address and they were wanting to redirect their old web address that was different again to their new website.

Every time you make a decision about your digital assets have a think – what is it that differentiates your business from your competitors? Then make your decision. An e-commerce professional can’t tell you what is the best product to sell, however they should be able to advise on an overall digital strategy and apply search engine marketing to every single one of your products or services. From tea pots to tee shirts, a good internet marketer should be able to bump up your product on Google Search.

For tips on getting more customers to press ‘Add To Cart’ while they are on your site, get in touch with Taupo local Rachel Canning from Tangata Media Ph 021 677 398 email rachel@tangatamedia.co.nz