5 reasons to care about selling online
Selling parts online has become a part of the industry. The REAL reason to really care about this trend is of course to capture more sales. Everyone needs to make money to keep their business running, employees paid, water running, etc.
But additional benefits surround placing your inventory online. Important factors in how your store is seen by your community and by the marketplace at large. Let's explore them!
1. You can leverage your online presence in your store
Having your parts online generally means you'll have photos of your parts on the shelves available at the tip of your fingers. When customers come in, you can easily pull up a picture of the part they're looking for,, saving you and the customer time skimming the shelves.
It can also help you redirect traffic. Representatives taking calls can route customers to your web site, which will drive traffic to your site and prevent credit card transactions via the telephone and give customers more security performing the transactions online.
2. Reduce transactional costs
Selling online can help ease certain labor and miscellaneous transactional costs such as...
- Document preparation
- Mail preparation
- Telephone calls
- Overtime
- Supervision
3. eCommerce is open 24/7
You can't be at your store all the time, so let your online store do the work for you. That's when online shopping is happening anyway! Internet Retailer says that 46% of online shopping occurs between 6 and 9 p.m. Make money while you're making dinner!
In addition, online sales can generate sales on weekends and holidays, and in places you never thought you'd be able to sell - across the country and back again.
4. eCommerce is growing faster than retail shopping
In the last nine years, eCommerce has exploded, growing by 287%. Meanwhile in that same time frame, retail has grown just 35%.
5. An effective online presence will drive traffic to your store
There are two big drivers for online shoppers in your area, the first is the ability to buy online and make returns at your store. The second is the ability to buy online and pick up at your store. In either scenario, the customer is in your store, meeting your staff and able to familiarize themselves with your operation to set up trustworthiness and hopefully, future purchases.
Additionally, research suggests that by 2018, 90% of all sales will originate online. If your parts aren't there to search, your parts won't get chosen for sale.