Introduction
The concept of converting a traditional brick-and-mortar firm into an e-enterprise is quite intriguing. It might present several possibilities as well as obstacles, but it is all worthwhile. It is an excellent method for companies to develop their business while keeping up with current trends. Therefore, the local seamstress would contact different sorts of clients regardless of where they are through internet commerce. However, she must address a few essential factors and techniques when establishing her online business, such as drafting and revising a business strategy, designing the product line, and developing and optimizing the store-line website.
Business Plan
Before beginning anything, a market analysis must be prepared to understand the broader picture of what she needs to accomplish in the future. As a seamstress, she must be aware of and investigate the latest fashion trends and styles to stay on track and capture clients’ attention. She should also have specific milestones and deadlines outlined in her business plan, such as the company’s short-term and long-term objectives (Frew, 2017). This will assist the business in developing and maintaining its brand image. She should also determine who her consumers are by reviewing demographic and interest evidence (Frew, 2017). Thus, the entrepreneur will know whether or not her enterprise is focused on the targeted consumers.
Furthermore, while transitioning from a physical to an online business, evaluating how client requirements and desires will alter is essential. Some consumers, for example, maybe situated across the state rather than simply in her town. This might imply introducing new sales channels such as an online store, social media posts, collection and return sites outside of physical shops, on-demand deliveries, and regional or countrywide shipping (Gunness & Oppewal, 2020). However, a wise approach would be to reconfigure a portion of her facilities to make it simpler to accommodate these new services.
Creating a Budget
The businesswoman will need to consider distributing funding as the brand transitions from a brick-and-mortar retail to an online company. Budgets enable a company to develop a financial roadmap by defining goals and working toward them. She will need to create a budget to help her prioritize and thus better manage her expenditures, which will eventually lead to a successful start-up and more considerable earnings (Frew, 2017). She will need to invest heavily in website and platform enhancements, internet marketing, client satisfaction, and less time on shop maintenance and personnel. Furthermore, the seamstress will have to consider issues specific to internet businesses, such as privacy protection, accepting electronic payments, local taxes, and safeguarding her online marketplace from an e-Commerce scam (McKeown et al., 2016). All the above will cost a significant amount of the allocated money.
Strategize About the Product Range
The next critical step for the seamstress is to assess her product line and determine whether what she previously supplied now makes sense in the new setting. Shipping and logistical difficulties, for instance, may impact whether everything accessible in-store is also available on the website. Thus, she must utilize her sales analysis to find what has performed excellently in the past and what is selling well today, as this may give guidance on inventories (Lal, 2017). The businesswoman might also consider altering the packaging of her goods and upgrading to more fashionable designs. This might imply that the product line is being expanded.
Updating the Marketing Plan
When a company goes online, internet marketing becomes even more essential; therefore, the seamstress must determine the best methods for attracting the perfect client. Individuals have been searching and purchasing items online for a long time, but current revelations have increased the transition to a digital-first approach. Thus, it should be in her best interest to capitalize on this factor by providing high-quality goods and constantly developing new ideas and products to remain competitive in the market.
Creating and Optimizing the Website
The formation of an internet presence is critical to the success of a business. To convert and grow her company, the business lady must first have a website created and the company domain name. This allows the entrepreneur to personalize her email to quickly identify business clientele (Wicaksono et al., 2021). Likewise, the website should be user-friendly, searchable, and should provide all the necessary information. Launching an email marketing plan is critical since it enables customers to learn more about the company and any new products. Considering consumers will not have in-person discussions with workers to get their queries answered, accurate product explanations are vital on her webpage (Lal, 2017). It is also recommended to include a shopping cart to process and complete purchases. Through the above, the internet presence will expand, increasing sales and leading to profitability. Consequently, she can now structure her firm to move from brick-and-mortar to online business effectively.
Conclusion
In summary, to transition from a brick-and-mortar store to an internet business, market research or a business plan must first be completed to understand the larger picture of what the firm needs to achieve in the future. The next step is to create a good presentation for the things to be sold, which will assist in demonstrating how distinctive and appealing the products are in the eyes of her consumers. Furthermore, a well-designed and successful website will result in significant traffic and income. The seamstress may utilize several e-commerce applications and websites as a framework for her e-business, which is already a complete bundle. In terms of marketing strategy, social media platforms are currently highly beneficial in making an online business more lucrative and less expensive.
References
Frew, D. (2017). There is hope for brick and mortar retail: A time to transform the business model.IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine, 6(4), 105-106.
Gunness, A., & Oppewal, H. (2020). How mindset and store familiarity impact online stockout responses.International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 48(4), 326-347.
Lal, P. (2017). Analyzing determinants influencing an individual’s intention to use social commerce websites.Future Business Journal, 3(1), 70-85.
McKeown, Niall, & Durkin, M. (2016). The sixth principle of digital business strategy— Engine of growth. In The seven principles of digital business strategy (pp. 79-93). Business Expert Press.
Wicaksono, F., Haryoko, H., & Sari, N. (2021). Creating a village website as a supporting medium for community members’ business productivity. MITRA: Jurnal Pemberdayaan Masyarakat, 5(1), 71-80.