Page 30 - NECO News

Industry News
Online Presence a Must For Success in Retail Sales BY JOHN WHITE, EVP APPLIANCES, BRANDSOURCE
IN THE RETAIL SALES BUSINESS, an online pres- ence has become absolutely imperative in order
to remain competitive in today’s market-
place. Despite the growing popularity
of online sales, the majority of customers continue to buy products such as electronics
and appliances in-store. However, the first step in
For these reasons, a coherent and sophisticated web presence is absolutely indispensable to any retail sales company, particularly an
independent outfit.
The rewards of an online
the buying process begins
with an examination of the
product’s specifications,
features and price on the
company’s website. The
website is also the primary
means through which a
store’s location is found.
In essence, a retail business’
online presence acts as not only
an avenue through which the
customer may purchase a product
electronically, but also the jumping-
off point for a potential in-store sale. The
website essentially succeeds in providing a dual function by facilitating both varieties of purchase.
presence are most obvious in terms of e-commerce. A company’s website is an easy way to increase sales without the customer even visiting the sales floor. The continued growth of online sales does not appear to be slowing. According to the Census Bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce, the estimate of U.S. retail e-commerce sales for the 1st quarter of 2016 was $92.8 billion, which represented a 3.7% increase from the fourth quarter of 2015. This sales phenomenon is due in no small
part to a functional and alluring website.
30 NECO News DECEMBER 2016
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