There’s no doubt that the rise of COVID-19 and businesses closing physical locations will result in a devastating impact for some people and for future local tax budgets that rely heavily on sales tax revenue. Some businesses have made the decision to move sales online, which has been a saving grace for many. However, with new systems come new processes and changes in order for it to be successful. Thankfully, there are many e-commerce platforms on the market that are easy to integrate into inventory and accounting systems that are already in place. In fact, some of these systems could run your entire business, if needed.
Tracy Steinkamperkins, the owner of StrawberryHedgehog.com, was already using Squarespace to help with the online sales part of her busy, vegan soap shop in downtown Phoenix. The physical store is currently closed to the public for now. “Online sales have completely saved the business and allowed our team to remain employed further into the pandemic than most, especially with our storefront being closed since March,” said Steinkamperkins. A piece of advice for those getting things up and running: “Don’t think it has to be 100% perfect or complete before starting, just get a few items up and you’ll be encouraged by the response.”
Most platforms are not a “one-size-fits-all” solution. Some have different features and capabilities, so you’ll want to do some research before selecting a platform. Most of them have a shipping integration, too, for those who will be also relying heavily on that. If you collect sales tax, this information can be configured in to automatically calculate the rate and collected at the time of the transaction. And some solutions integrate into even larger platforms like eBay and Amazon.
Josh Duren, the co-owner of Cider Corps in Mesa, AZ, said they went to online sales, using Toast, because of the pandemic. “It’s been huge for us. It’s been a significant amount of the to go sales since the beginning of the pandemic. It’s also sparked avenues and ideas that we will continue beyond covid related restrictions,” said Duren. The taproom is currently closed for the time being, but people can still stop in to pick up orders placed online. Duren also had some creative advice for businesses looking to pivot sales avenues, “Our business has some unique rules and sometimes flexibility that other industries don’t. One thing that could translate is to constantly be listening and researching your industry for new avenues of growth that may not currently be something you can tackle. But could be in the future or could come in to play during extreme times like right now. Being comfortable in your current model causes stagnancy that can cripple a business.”
Keep in mind that not all e-commerce platforms are the same. They vary in features, pricing and capabilities, so be sure to do some research to find the best one for you.
- Take a look at integrations for tax collection and accounting. Some platforms already offer a quick solution to making your inventory available online.
- If you have to ship products to customers, look at options and make sure your packaging dimensions are spot on.
- Don’t use high resolution images for every product unless you have to show detail. Images can slow down your e-commerce site and result in a negative customer experience.
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