Getting on with Business Online
We caught up with three local business owners to see how they are adapting to operating in the shadow of Covid-19.
Words: Pattie Pegler Photography: Supplied
In early March, Caryn Hardy, skin guru and founder of Pamper Pod was already disinfecting door handles and the EFTPOS machine after each customer. But nonetheless when the level 4 lockdown came, like many of us, she was thrown a little off course.
“It took me a week or so to find my new groove,” says Caryn. “But there’s always a way around things. This is my livelihood. This is how I put food on the table. So, by week two I was thinking ‘how can I adapt things?”
Not an easy question when physical proximity to customers is so key to your business. But Caryn tapped into some professional groups and did a lot of research. “The more reading I did, the more possibilities I saw,” she says.
She decided to start running online skin consultations and focus more on marketing her skincare products online. She hired a web developer to get the techy side of things running. Whilst she ensured all the processes around online sales and consultations would work smoothly.
The response from her clients has been great. Regardless of how the future pans out, Caryn plans to keep this online arm of her business operating.
But she admits that in part, staying positive has meant not dwelling too much on the situation. “I’ve tried to literally take one day at a time,” says Caryn.
It’s a thought echoed by Debbie Reeves, owner of Shoe Therapy in Kaiapoi.
“The key thing is not looking too far in the future,” says Debbie. “We’re in level 3 [at time of writing] so what can I do in this level that’s in my control? I think it’s about being more present and trying not to speculate too much.”
When lockdown came Debbie was already selling online but having only opened in September last year, she didn’t have a huge customer base to work with. So she focused on her marketing – Google Ads and building followers on social media. Discounts and sale prices have added incentives to buy online but, as she points out, sale prices keep stock moving but make very little actual profit.
It has been a tough couple of months but Debbie sees one positive. “One thing that is great, is that I think it’s really highlighted the idea of supporting local,” she says.
Delicious Produce had an established local customer base. And they were on the “essential list” so were able to operate even at level 4 of lockdown. But it wasn’t business as usual says owner Angela Dartnall. She had always sold her avocados and fresh fruit at farmers market and more recently, Christchurch’s Riverside Market, with those options suddenly gone she had produce but no way to get it in front of customers.
“I immediately thought. ‘how can we make this work? How can we keep going?’” says Angela.
She was able to fulfil some email orders in the early days but then it was a case of getting a website up and running for online orders. She found a local company to build the site and has then been able to promote it on her social media channels.
“I knew I should be online but it was always a case of finding the time to do it, which this situation allowed me to do,” she says.
But there were practical issues – not least of which was getting the produce to customers. The first courier company got her to fill in pages of registration paperwork before telling her they couldn’t transport perishables.
The move online has provided a different outlet for Angela’s produce and gives shoppers the convenience of ordering 24/7 with next day delivery – both positives. But Angela is looking forward to the day when that real-life shopping returns.
“I do miss my customers, I have a very loyal customer base and I can’t wait to get back to the farmers markets and see them,” she says.
Getting It Right Online
Rachel Klaver, Auckland-based marketing strategist, loves to see businesses getting online and thriving. And she is clear, online shopping should be seen as the companion to bricks and mortar stores, not as a case of either/or.
“If you are online yourself and you’re on the high street, in-store sales will build alongside your online sales. From our clients we know this is true,” says Rachel. “The more they’ve moved online the more their online sales grow and the more their in-store sales grow alongside.”
When it comes to creating an online store, Rachel’s advice is to keep it simple and opt for one of the “big three” e-commerce platforms – Shopify, Woocommerce or Bigcommerce. These are set up to make online stores easy and affordable for business owners and whilst some web designers may suggest you use their own platforms this can often require “deep pockets” and extra coding.
Give some thought to the sales process too says Rachel. “You need to have systems in place. How are you going to get the product to someone without it breaking, for example? How fast can you get things out? How are you going to keep customers informed? What if something is out of stock?”
It’s not enough to just have a website of course, you need to tell people you’re there and what you’re selling. And you need to tell them this regularly – not just once. So marketing is vital.
“I always tell people to put as much effort into your website as you would your physical store,” says Rachel. “It’s not a case of build it and they will come.”