Businesses are capitalizing on the shift to online in 4 ways

 Businesses are capitalizing on the shift to online in 4 ways

        Wait before you see the new figures if you figured Americans had an online shopping epidemic.

        E-commerce is forecast to rise 18 percent in 2021, according to a new eMarketer report. The rise is due to a boom in click-and-collect distribution services, such as curbside, as well as new shoppers entering the online shopping craze.

        Businesses around the country have taken steps to capitalize on the digital revolution, as predicted. Famous distilleries have switched to producing hand sanitizer in recent months, and live entertainment has gone interactive.

        Amid the pandemic, with a little imagination, you can keep the lights on and even expand your company. Use these inventive ideas to keep your imaginative juices flowing, and consider how these cutting-edge solutions could affect your bottom line by the end of 2021.

1 - Video is the default setting.

Video is the default setting.

        Video reigns supreme in the era of TikTok and lives to stream. Since shelter-in-place orders effectively halted in-person operations, companies resorted to streaming video to carry out their preparations.

        Though it can seem less intimate, converting live activities to video has many marketing benefits. Instead of welcoming customers into your room, digital events encourage you to reach them where they are — in their homes — making them more available. The video's internet distribution extends the event's existence and broadens its future audience. Hosting a free event generates positive publicity while hosting a paying event will generate revenue.

        Consider if you could turn the in-person retail experience into an immersive interactive one, in addition, to live events. A fabric store in San Antonio used Facebook Live video to make the shopping process more virtual. Each fabric was given a number, and an employee displayed each choice to the audience during the event. Customers may order by leaving a comment with the fabric number and yardage desired.

        How do you make a digital link with your clients while also having a satisfying experience? Take any advice from marketers in a variety of businesses who have successfully used video to reach out to their target markets.

        Virtual meetings are all the rage these days. Live concerts are streamed on Facebook and Instagram by musicians. Digital book talks are being sold in bookstores, with physical copies of the books being mailed to buyers ahead of time. Ballet companies are streaming free shows on YouTube in the hopes of attracting a new audience. There are endless opportunities for a little imagination.

2 - Essentials can be purchased online.

Essentials can be purchased online.

        Not all companies need a physical location to succeed. Since early March, Nurx, a telehealth provider that pioneers user-first, open healthcare, has seen a large increase in birth control requests.

        Nurx patients will have some prescriptions shipped right to their door after filling out an online admission questionnaire and engaging virtually with a medical provider. It's tempting to avoid a doctor's visit and a pharmacy visit, particularly now that the CDC advises using telemedicine and deferring regular care wherever possible.

        Even though many cities have reopened, shoppers may be wary of going out for business as usual due to rising case figures. Though your company might not be as well-suited to the internet as Nurx, think about what important resources you might provide online and via video services. Above everything, make getting your inventory and brand online a top priority.

3 - Pick a Partner

Pick a Partner

        When the vendors at one Missouri farmers' market noticed a big drop in foot traffic this season, they decided to band together. They collaborated to launch online orders for selected market boxes that included products from some companies. The boxes were a success, and they continue to sell out daily.

        Everyone needs the United States' economy to make a spectacular recovery because as we work together, both investors and businesses profit. Consider selling local produce in packs on your website. If you sell beer, for example, consider putting together a basket of local snacks. If you're going to go the video event way, see if you can have other local companies or artists to make it more interesting.

4 - Take it with you

Take it with you

        With their shipping and pickup choices, national brands have won big this year. Due to its strong ordering offerings, such as food delivery and ship-to-store, Walmart's e-commerce sales increased by 74% in the first quarter. To profit from the click-and-collect trend, the company does not need to be a mega-brand.

        Anyone will have curbside delivery, and it will get you bonus points if it is contactless. It doesn't have to be elaborate; there's no need for an app or a complex user interface. In reality, you do not even need a website.

        Enable consumers to put orders over the phone by calling ahead. Collect their payment details so they can be picked up at the curb as they return. Take things a step further and set up an outside pickup box or basket where you can drop off orders while customers are on their way.

        Consumers would certainly not think twice about nearby delivery or curbside choices from their preferred small businesses before COVID. They're now posing a crucial question. Customers are more likely to buy locally and with you, if you have these services. Customers can choose to shop with you or with your rival if you offer flexible pickup.

        There's never been a better time to get into e-commerce than now. By not being present in the digital retail room, you are losing out on future gains. You would do that, too, if the movie industry would truly reimagine its business model and focus on the internet.