Andrew Sirianni

Australian's are embracing technology, yet many businesses still do not have an online presence. If you're a retail business, then there's even more incentive to join the online community now! Online sales are already booming and the trend is set to continue, so ensure that you capture your online market early to make sure that you build a strong and recognisable online brand that will bring you strong result as the competition grows.

It's well documented that online sales in Australia are booming. And one of the key aspects of online sales are the low barriers to entry. So if you're a retailer, look to how you can leverage online sales to grow your business.

As an early mover to the online space, you can ensure that you give yourself time to develop your brand online. As your online brand grows, you implicitly build a brand/position in the market that can help protect you from other competitors that decide to come online at later stages.

The benefits of selling online are well documented - the ability to reach a wider audience, reduced costs to market, the ability to work 24/7 and economies of scale. However it is also important to note that there are disadvantages to selling online. And addressing these disadvantages can help to ensure that your e-store is successful.

Have a plan.

A plan will ensure that you are working to a goal and also help you ensure that your online store represents the brand of your business. It can also help you to review all options before commencing the development of the site (saving you time and money).

Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

As you're building your online business, don't ignore the things that make your 'physical' business great. An online store should take advantage of the things that you do offline and leverage this for competitive advantage in the online world.

Put together a team to help you.

While you may be able to capitalise on your experience on retail, online sales are very different and ensuring that you have a team to help you will ensure that you get the best results - both now and in the long term.

So if your business is not online, take the move today to get your business on the Internet. And if you're selling, add an e-store to your online offering.

Moving early will allow you to build your brand and create a niche for your business online that will protect your online position as competition grows. However, don't forget what made you successful offline when forging a position online.

At the end of the day, you can look to put your business online, but if it's not done well your conversions may be limited and it may damage your brand. Getting your online strategy right can be difficult; but not impossible. In this day and age an online presence is a necessity, but consider how your business can execute an online strategy to achieve the best results.

If you are looking to get your business online, contact us to find out how we can be of assistance. As IT consultants, we can help you to develop a strategy and then build the tools that you need for your website and e-store.

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