It would probably be an understatement to say that small business owners have dealt with a tumultuous couple of years. The shifting terrain of the pandemic landscape closed off many opportunities yet opened others for the hardworking dreamers and entrepreneurs who serve as the engine of our economy. A shift to eCommerce proved necessary for many businesses and enabled some to not only survive financial turbulence but thrive in an online-first environment.

Now, inflation presents small businesses with yet another challenge. The United States is dealing with its highest month-over-month inflation rates in four decades, and small businesses are feeling the pressure; 60% of small business owners are concerned about their business’s financial health as a direct result of inflation. (1)  80% of small business owners surveyed across the US, India, Australia, and New Zealand agree the rising cost of business is due to inflation. (2) This issue is further compounded by supply chain disruptions, something 82% of small businesses have experienced. (1)

eCommerce is not a fix-all for some of these deeper economic problems. But, when utilized to the fullest, meeting your customers where they are can help small businesses grow and thrive amid uncertainty. Here’s how.

An Expanded Customer Base

Perhaps the best and biggest benefit of eCommerce is its most obvious: the way it immediately expands a business’s potential reach. When a business is restricted to a particular locality, it lives or dies by fluctuations in that local economy. Connecting a business on Main Street, with customers on the opposite side of the country – or, indeed, the world – opens a range of sales opportunities.

Of course, this is easier for some businesses than others. An apparel seller can more readily transition to online selling than a restauranter. But with a little creativity, many businesses are finding ways to sell outside of a local physical storefront. Restaurants sell sauces and other canned and bottled goods online, breweries ship beer and cider nationwide, and bookstores digitize their inventory, and offer books for sale virtually – these are just a few examples.

A surprising number of industries can convert to online selling and appointment bookings or augment a brick-and-mortar operation with a digital component by broadening their horizons just a bit. And, with thin profit margins in so many verticals, that extra revenue can make a big difference.

Simplicity Itself

As exciting as the 1990s and 2000s were from a technological perspective, we are far past the early days of the Internet, and the online tools at our disposal today allow for effective and efficient platforms and digital channels to meet customers where they are in a rapidly changing ecosystem. Building a website – and configuring an eCommerce store specifically – is no longer a highly laborious process requiring coding and network engineering skills. By working with the right partner on the right platform, small business owners can leverage the power of simplicity and take advantage of accessible tools and systems designed to help them get their online store up and running quickly and optimize it for success over time.

We all work on the go now, from a range of devices, and small business owners should make the most of their mobility and flexibility to keep their inventory fresh and up to date and keep customers interested in their offerings. There are so many options available, from true DIY builders to Do-It-For-Me solutions delivered by the experts. Running a small business is complicated but using online solutions can be simple with the right online partner. That simplicity and ease of use is truly a powerful asset for the small business owner looking to grow.

A Unique Vision

Small businesses start with a dream. That dream takes shape, often slowly, sometimes arduously, over many long hours and late nights, all driven by the unique version of success envisioned by the person putting their time, money, and energy on the line to make it happen.

That singular vision shouldn’t be tied to just one place, to just one location. eCommerce empowers small business customers to share that vision with consumers everywhere, delivering their products to faraway doorsteps and expanding beyond the four walls of their physical business.

Selling online isn’t just about boosting revenue by reaching additional customers and making more sales – it’s about selling the vision of what a small business could be to a broader audience and unlocking new opportunities along the way. And with the robust customization options available through modern website builders, it’s easy to establish an online presence as unique as that vision.

Whether it’s a highly customizable theme on WordPress, the right mix of plug-ins, or an online store that can be updated for a sale in a matter of minutes, flexibility and customization are a must when it comes to online selling. Small business owners should look for an online solutions provider who offers a simple, easy-to-approach platform that can also be customized to clearly communicate what makes their business special.

Bringing It All Together

Inflation and supply chain issues are, unfortunately, likely to continue to impact small businesses for some time. But these problems don’t have to be showstoppers. By delving into the world of eCommerce, small business owners can sell to more customers, simplify their lives through easy-to-use online tools and bring their unique vision to a broader audience with a website and online store that is all their own.

Looking back now on the COVID-19 pandemic, we can see how many small businesses took advantage of online selling and made the most of a difficult situation, in many cases finding all-new avenues of success. In that sense, a challenge became an opportunity for many businesses. Our current economic difficulties present a similar chance for small business owners to make the most of their online presence, take advantage of a host of powerful eCommerce tools and unlock their business’s true potential.

1. by, Written, and Trevor Wheelwright. “The Effects of Inflation on US Small Businesses.” Business.org, July 14, 2022. https://www.business.org/finance/accounting/effects-of-inflation-on-small-businesses/.
2. “Bluehost Study – SMBS Go Digital.” Home. Accessed July 20, 2022. https://newfold.com/newsroom/bluehost-study-smbs-go-digital.