Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. Historically, it’s the biggest shopping day of the year for brick and mortar retail stores. But online sales have been steadily increasing, and this year online buyers set a new record of $648 million. Does that mean online retail has come of age?
I don’t think so. I think it means we’ve got a long way to go. But it also means that we’ve come a long way. And I’m looking forward to seeing the Internet grow and grow.
There’s no doubt that buyers are spending more money online each year. I think there will come a day when online buying will rival real-world buying. That day is still far into the future, but if you understand that online retail is growing day by day, year by year, then you should be planning your online retail strategy. Some day will be too late.
What should small retailers be doing right now to take advantage of the online retail growth patterns? Here’s a basic starting list.
- Build a website
- Ensure your website is easy to navigate and offers a secure method of payment
- Include your shopping cart is full of products
- Encourage people to buy from you by offering coupons and discounts for online buyers
- Promote your website and your products with articles, a blog, social media campaigns, and link building campaigns
Online retail is here and it’s growing. Black Friday is just the latest evidence of that. Now is the time to get started on your own online retail initiatives. Are you ready?
