6 Ways to adapt your eCommerce Business to the Coronavirus Quarantine
During difficult times, online businesses have to find new ways to make their businesses relevant and manage to make a profit. The Coronavirus quarantine has caused many physical stores to close but this doesn’t have to be the case for eCommerce stores.
On the contrary, this situation has caused most consumers to use online stores as an easy alternative. This way, they are still able to buy their favorite items while staying safe at home. Here are some of the most useful tips to help adapt your eCommerce business to this new reality and make the most out of it.
1. Inform customers about your urgent measures
First and foremost, you need to make sure to have a section on your eCommerce store dedicated to the safety of your employees, customers and business. While you might be taking all the measures necessary to keep your employees and customer safe, the later will have no way of knowing that. Therefore, it is important to let them know how your company is dealing with this situation.
In addition to this, it is important to let your customers know about any shortages your business might face because of the sudden demand. Many people end up having a lot of free time and this can lead them to buy things in large quantities. You should make sure you work closely with your suppliers and inform your customers so you can be prepared for such situations.
2. Provide online chat support
In order for your business to be able to survive this new situation, you need to make sure to provide your online customer with enough information about your products. Making your products attractive is important during this situation and the best way to do it is by providing as much information as possible.
The online chat support will help solve questions about product details, lacks in stock, shipping information and many other things. All of these are essential pieces of information which will help your customer decide on making a purchase. In addition, it will make working from home a little easier for your employees.
3. Offer sales and discount codes
While so many people end up having a lot of free time, they tend to do a lot of internet shopping for various items. If you were going to launch a promotional campaign for a sale or give away some discount codes, this might be the perfect time to do so. You can target both existing and new clients and expand your sales easily.
You should definitely try and make this sale targeted towards the Coronavirus crisis and how you wish to welcome new people and allow them access to their favorite items. Making your sales all about the current situation is the most important thing when trying to increase your sales during a crisis. Any sale you decide to hold should be Covid-19 targeted so you can promote it accordingly, even if the products you are selling are not exactly related.
4. Consider offering free shipping
Something many companies have been trying to implement during the Covid-19 crisis is offering their customers the option of free shipping. This is a tactic you could use instead of a sale on your eCommerce website and you can advertise it.
The number one thing you should expect is a big rise in your sales, and you should be able to make a deal with the shipping company you are working with, especially if you will be sipping our more orders than usual. This will make your customers a lot more likely to purchase more things, since they will not have to worry about the shipping costs.
5. Reply to emails quickly
While the live chat option might satisfy certain customers, others will still want to reach out to you in a more traditional way. People being at home all day can become a little impatient so you should make sure that your employees get back to everyone on time. Shipping might be a little delayed because of the whole situation but you can reassure your customers that their orders will arrive.
Emails should still be an option for anyone that has questions about their orders and does not mind waiting for a little. While a live chat provides immediacy, emails can supply the customer with more information. You can also easily use proofreading tools of your choice from any writing services websites and make sure your emails are free of any errors that a live chat agent can accidentally make.
6. Use social media to your advantage
Social media platforms would be one of your top priorities during this time. Targeting new customers is going to be important even during this time, as you need to be able to increase your sales and keep your store open. Your social media platforms can be a great means of immediate communication with your customers where you can promote your business and products easily however you wish.
Another great idea is to host giveaways on your social media platforms during the quarantine. Since people will have more time on their hands they will be more likely to go through your page after seeing your giveaway post. This can help you increase your sales easily and help your business survive the crisis.
Helping your business thrive through the pandemic
While this situation might be difficult for many store owners, there are quite a few different tactics you can implement in order to make sure your eCommerce store thrives. No matter what you choose to do there are always new things to try and find which offer the best results.
Just remember to be as helpful as possible and show your customers that you care about their shopping experience even during these difficult times. This will set you apart from other stores and help you build better relationships with your customers, both new and existing.
