COVID vs. Ecommerce

Malcolm and Gareth came to share the effect of COVID-19 on Australian ecommerce! Gareth started by showing what changed during COVID. The main areas were travelling and dining.

Next was about what had not changed during the pandemic. People still bought clothing and used their money for gambling or stocks. The sales of online courses increased too. Online dating was still thriving as well. Therefore, ecommerce businesses that sell products that are good for gifts were performing well. Dog adoption rates had grown too. Lastly, humans still needed food.

What do these statistics mean? Malcolm started talking about how there are still plenty of business opportunities. He said the main point is to maximise and optimise yourselves to seize these opportunities. However, there is no rocket science to make this work. Malcolm said to stick with the basics of marketing.

Gareth then showed a graph showing the growth of ecommerce. His clients are all busy with this growth. He explained the reason behind this sudden increase. Due to the pandemic, everyone has to stay at home. They have nothing to do, so they start buying products.

Now, how do you take advantage of this situation? First, Malcolm said to know your customers. It is the basics of marketing and website design. Instead of being concerned about your competitors, focus on providing an experience. To do that, figure out your customers’ needs, wants and desires.

One way to do that is keyword research. Gareth recommended a Google Chrome extension app called Keywords Everywhere. When you search a word, it will provide data such as search volume, CPC, etc. It is partially free, so you will need to pay money to get detailed information.

Gareth then warned the audience to “do what is right”. He was referring to customer service and reviews. Nothing is more surprising than clicking on an ad and finding a 1-star review. It immediately reduces the conversion rate, and you will be wasting money. Therefore, make sure you provide quality customer service.

Then the two went through some ecommerce tips to grow during the pandemic. Tip #0 was to be trustworthy. Make sure to look like an authentic ecommerce business. Get testimonials, get functions commonly seen on ecommerce websites, work on your SEO, etc.

Tip #1 was delivery. Gareth shared a case study with one of his past clients. They had a good store presence in Melbourne and were doing well online as well. However, their deliveries took 3 to 5 days within the Melbourne area. Gareth advised to re-strategise their delivery methods. They eventually found a service that provides same-day delivery for a flat rate of $10. Their online sales had improved.

The next tip was the payment or refund method. Methods such as AfterPay and ZipPay were the trend at the time. Gareth shared a strategy where you give out credits after the customer made a return. It increases the likeliness of the customer returning to your store.

Tip #3 and #4 were related to customer service and business authenticity. Having a live chat and a phone number on your website will make it look more authentic. Plus, they are good ways for your customer to access customer service.

Malcolm talked about the next tip, mobile UX/UI. Mobile ecommerce was growing non-stop. Everyone is always on their phones, which explains the growth of purchase rates from phones. Malcolm said to provide the best experience and gain customer loyalty.

The two ran through the last four tips. Having a well-structured return policy, having a search function within your website, using Google Analytics and Google My Business.