Informed Webmaster

Our local Health Officer had a good suggestion for businesses when she once again was bugged about when Covid-19 restrictions are loosened or lifted: Plan now how your business will move forward in the new way things will have to be done for at least the next year to 18 months. e.g. set up order online, pick up at store, hold more virtual meetings, staggered office hours, working from home.

Have you thought about this yet? What ideas have you come up with?

When you have something physical to sell these threads might help:
Calculating Shipping Rates
Pricing Accuracy Policy
How Difficult is Your Return Policy?
How Professional is Your Email Address?
How Professional Does Your Business Appear Over the Phone?

If you have not joined the ecommerce world yet these sections of our forum could be helpful:
Ecommerce
Web Marketing

Here we are 6 months after starting this thread and it's not looking good.

Some in person small businesses have closed due to the snowball effect of lack of foot traffic and their landlords needing their rent to survive also.

Just this past week Le Chateau announced it is closing it's stores in Canada plus the GAP announced it is closing stores also.

Where are the not so tech savvy people going to shop - even for day to day items?

e.g. We needed a new electric can opener as of Friday. I searched online for stores that had them in store for pick up. I went to one store that was supposed to have a number of choices while out yesterday. They only had 2 that were priced way more than I wanted to pay. I ended up with a new manual can opener for $10 but even the manual ones there was limited choice compared to what was supposed to be in store.

How are these bigger retailers handling returns (after they con you into buying a bunch of stuff to meet the minimum for free shipping)? There are certain things that you need to touch, try on or feel before you make your selection. Sears catalogue shopping was ok. You could order a bunch of stuff, pick it up and return no problem if it wasn't suitable.

Even Walmart before the pandemic had limited choice in store.

Small appliances always (here) go on a big sale for Black Friday. That would be the time to buy your can opener though I'm not sure I ever saw one of those on sale.

I suspect the non so tech people go to Wally World or Target. I suspect in the less Matro areas it could be tough and most likely going to get tougher. There is going to be a glut of empty retail space a year from now.

We have accumulated a lot more Amazon boxes than in a normal year. With prime shipping and returns are free (here).

Just yesterday I did a survey for Staples comparing it with Amazon. It was mostly comparing pricing and convivence.

I still think all businesses need to do better accommodating the non tech savvy and touchy feely people. e.g. if a senior doesn't have someone in house (at the moment) to help them they are basically screwed.

I did order some office stuff from Amazon based on price and free shipping offered. It was not really what I wanted and poor quality.

Another company I ordered something online. It came on sale in store. Went to store while out to get the price difference back. They wanted me to send the online item back, buy the on sale item and wait for price refund. Hardly worth the time and effort required. Guess that's what they were counting on.