Many different sectors and industries felt the economic strain in 2020, but small businesses, regardless of their wares, location or ethos, had to take the full force of the storm. As lockdown measures began across the world, many brick-and-mortar stores lost their connection to their audience, robbing them of the vast majority of their income. Unlike with major chains like Walmart or Sobeys, having an online presence is not guaranteed with your local bakery or bike shop.
As 2020 threw more and more curveballs at all of us, small businesses across Canada, the U.S. and beyond had to decide whether or not to make the leap into the unknown and into e-commerce. But once there, it’s not an instant guaranteed success. You need to reconnect with your audience, figure out the logistics that come with online sales, and stand out from the thousands of other businesses online. And so the question becomes: How do you adapt and survive online as a small business?
To say that “getting to grips with online is vital” is an understatement. 2020 showed us that having different channels is essential and can often be what keeps revenue coming in when the unexpected happens. One report found that by mid-April of last year, 22% of small businesses in Canada had seen their revenue drop to $0 due to lockdown and shoppers being more cautious in going into physical stores. In a matter of weeks, days, and in some cases, just hours, businesses found themselves cut off from their customer base and facing an unknown future. And for those that did not have an online presence, this brought with it a devastating impact.
This, in turn, led to a massive surge in stores moving online. Online sales rocketed, reaching record levels, while e-commerce platforms like Shopify saw unprecedented growth. The platform saw a 71% increase in new stores from the first quarter to the second quarter of 2020. But none of these moves guarantee success or reconnection with an audience. One step that does, however, is communication.
Source : https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2021/01/29/how-small-businesses-can-survive-in-an-online-e-commerce-world/
