The e-commerce industry grows every year. If you haven’t yet opened an online store for your brick-and-mortar business, you’re probably losing out on sales. Adding an online element to a well-established business is not as complicated as you may think, and it can provide you with valuable opportunities to reach more customers. Here are five benefits of taking your business online:

1. Low Starting Costs

Compared to the cost of operating a brick-and-mortar company, running a Shopify store or other e-commerce business is very inexpensive. You don’t have to pay for rent or utilities, and you probably won’t have to hire extra employees. All you have to pay for is your domain name and e-commerce platform.

Some people spend thousands of dollars on digital marketing, search engine optimisation, and other services. However, these aren’t necessary to get started, especially if you already have an established customer base.

2. Wider Audience

While your company’s physical location can only serve local customers, your online store can reach anyone in the world. Taking your business online is the best way to reach a wider range of customers.

Opening a Shopify store can even make you more accessible to local customers. Many people search online for products or services before buying them, and customers often prefer making online purchases over driving to the store.

3. 24/7 Access

Your brick-and-mortar business probably closes at night, but your online store is always open. When you open a Shopify store, your customers are no longer limited by your business hours. Even if your business only offers traditional offline services, your customers can send inquiries or requests online when your store is closed. Then, you can follow up as soon as your business opens, so the communication process is faster and more convenient for your customers.

4. Stronger Company Image

If your company’s website is outdated, hard to navigate, or lacking helpful information, your site visitors probably won’t become customers. If you don’t have a website at all, you’re missing out on lots of potential customers.