Don, the hardware store owner, in Concrete, Washington. He’s busy helping customers, not thinking about how eCommerce technology is changing.
What holds local businesses back from selling online? Local retailers have a lot of natural advantages in selling online. It’s part of being Rural OmniLocal, but several key challenges hold them back.
This article is adapted from an interview I did with Bob Dunn. Hear the whole interview or read the transcript at BobWP.com
The first challenge keep local stores from selling online is just knowing what is available to sell online. They’re aware that they could have a website and sell online, but they’re not aware of the kind of tools that have evolved and the amazing technology that is at the fingertips of those who are used to working with these tools. Lots of store owners have an idea in their head of what kind of website they could do that is tied to a 1990’s or 2000’s type of experience. They don’t necessarily believe they could afford something more modern and capable. They don’t spend everyday keeping up with what’s available in technology. They spend everyday keeping their business going.
Understanding that technology is the next challenge. When you try to explain to a bricks and mortar business owner what kind of technology is available it’s hard to translate from the technical language of eCommerce into the technical language of retailing. The technical language of retailing is a different language from technology. To understand the business owner’s perspective and figure out what would work for them takes translation between those languages. Then to present it to the business owner in business and retail language they can understand is a high art, definitely a skill worth developing if that’s the market that you want to work with.
The third challenge is finding someone to work with that they trust. Business owners don’t know who to trust in eCommerce. They don’t know how to evaluate who is trustworthy, and they don’t have a lot of time to invest in evaluations. They are constantly bombarded with pitches, marketing messages, advertisements, emails, and phone calls from people who claim they know what they’re talking about. How is a business owner supposed to sort out the good from the bad? They have no way to evaluate who they should trust or can trust. Like anyone else that doesn’t have information, they are fearful of making a decision that will haunt them for years. That’s a human reaction. When we don’t have enough information to make a good decision, our response is to not make a decision.
If you are an eCommerce professional who wants to work with local businesses, spend some time thinking through how you’ll help them address these challenges.
This article is adapted from an interview I did with Bob Dunn. Hear the whole interview or read the transcript at BobWP.com
Insights on eCommerce, Rural Businesses and Omni-Local with Becky McCray
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Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.
