The previous year hasn’t been good for small-scale retailers, merchants, and brick-and-mortar stores as they faced several challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The global spread of the novel coronavirus brought unanticipated changes in consumer behavior as we saw a substantial rise in online shopping. To mitigate the risk of exposure, a majority of customers chose to shop online, even for their everyday essentials. As a result, a large number of offline retail stores incurred heavy losses due to limited customer outreach. On the other hand, the eCommerce industry witnessed a multifold increase in online sales spurred by the rise in COVID cases across the globe.
In 2021, even with several vaccination programs underway, the virus continues to spread in many countries. Despite several relaxations in lockdown restrictions, the changes in consumer behavior (instilled by the pandemic) are expected to last long. It is, therefore, the right time for retailers and store owners to step up and focus on strengthening their online presence. This post highlights the importance of eCommerce app development for retail shops. Besides, it focuses on why retailers should build their own digital presence instead of selling on Amazon, eBay, and Walmart.
eCommerce App Development For Retail Shops: Why It is Important?
A majority of retailers and brick-and-mortar store owners refrain from investing in eCommerce app development services due to obvious reasons. The general notion is that listing their products on online marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, and eBay is more beneficial. Of course, these platforms let you gain traction on the web and you can leverage their massive customer outreach to sell your products online.
For most small-scale retailers, Amazon can be the main source of online income, That said, they can definitely do without developing an eCommerce store from scratch. Then why should one invest their money in eCommerce development services, knowing that it won’t generate as much revenue? Well, it all comes down to the most basic question? “Whether you want to develop a solid brand identity or you are satisfied with the passive income that you get through Amazon and offline sales.” Evidently, the former option would require developing a robust online store in addition to selling on online marketplaces like Amazon.
The Omnichannel Approach
eCommerce app development for retail shops is a crucial part of the omnichannel retail strategy. The omnichannel approach suggests that retailers should focus on providing seamless connectivity to their customers for all types of communications through smartphones, laptops, and physical store access. For example, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat could be good sources of income for most retailers. Besides, they can use these platforms to engage their customers, grab their attention through promotional campaigns, offers, discounts, and more. More importantly, the omnichannel strategy requires retailers to proactively manage their customer interactions and respond to their queries as quickly as possible.
With more retail stores turning to the omnichannel strategy, it has become important for small-scale retailers to follow the trends. eCommerce app development for retail shops is a tried-and-tested way to strengthen your brand’s online presence and gain a foothold in the market. Besides, it gives you the opportunity to generate new revenue streams edge ahead of your competitors that are still using traditional marketing methodologies. Above all, it could be the first step towards becoming a multi-million dollar brand with several franchise outlets at multiple locations.
You may also be interested in reading
How We Help You With eCommerce App Development For Retail Shops?
We, at Oodles ERP, provide end-to-end eCommerce app development services for retailers, merchants, and small-to-medium B2C enterprises. We have a team of experienced UI/UX designers, developers, and QA engineers to provide hassle-free product delivery within the stipulated timeframe. Our proficiency in using open-source software platforms like Odoo, Magento, Shopify, Prestashop, and WooCommerce enables businesses to develop a remarkable online presence for their brands. We have successfully completed several full-scale projects related to eCommerce app development for retail shops and brick-and-mortar stores with a focus on delivering seamless customer shopping experiences. For more information or technical queries, please drop us a line at [email protected].
