COVID-19 Crisis: 10 Tips to Cope with eCommerce Marketing Challenges

The outbreak of Coronavirus has disrupted all walks of life. The COVID-19 effect can be seen around the globe as it is showing a serious impact on the growth in all sectors of the economy. The cases are growing so fast and the global spread is affecting many businesses.

With this, the eCommerce markets are getting inflicted too. Even the sellers selling on the giant marketplaces like Amazon are experiencing a drastic impact of this pandemic.

Soon after the WHO (World Health Organization) declared it officially a global pandemic, people started stocking up the products to later avoid reaching stores.
With the enormous increase of COVID-19 cases worldwide, people have started preparing themselves for using digital methods for possible emergencies.

So, it’s high time to bring the scenario in your favor and ensure fast & frictionless experiences on your eCommerce websites as well as on mobile applications.

Here is how to challenge this crisis with 10 effective tips, let’s walk through:

1. Sell Smart, Sell Intangible Goods

The current scenario is that almost every country is on lockdown due to Coronavirus spread. There is a housebound situation everywhere.

Knowing the fact that selling intangible products do not rely on the global supply chain, merchants can keep focusing on selling digital goods on their online stores. There is no fear of in-person contact as the item is getting delivered online.

Thus, selling digital items can be an effectual option to keep making profit from your online business.
Know how to sell digital goods on Shopify using Multi-vendor Marketplace A pp.

2. Buy Online, Pickup in Store: Socially Distant Shopping

Social Distancing is key to fight against coronavirus pandemic!

This is the right time to opt for BOPIS i.e. Buy online, pickup in-store model for your online store. You can allow customers to buy products online and get the items picked up from the location without having direct contact with a person.

The process is as simple as that:-

The customer will order items on your online store by making an online transaction.
You will receive the order and prepare it safely in your store.
Once prepared, pack it properly and inform the customer to pick up the items.
The customer will reach your store location and find the package with his/her name.

That’s all.

3. Reduced Shipping Cost

You might be running a marketplace, having multiple vendors registered to it. Each vendor sells a specific category of items on your marketplace. It can be digital products or physical items that need to be shipped.

Now, as the global supply chain relies on the proper management of logistics to ship the items to the destination, your order management process may suffer due to the current COVID-19 situation.

So, the only way to avoid shipping cost at this current scenario is to implement the Store Pickup model into your eCommerce website that is stated in the above point.

Running a Multi-vendor Marketplace? Opt for Store Pick up option for your customers to avoid in-person contact during this pandemic!

4. Manage Orders Smartly

Consumers continue to shop as the coronavirus quarantine continues and self-isolation persists. So, retailers need to boost their capacities in terms of managing orders. Despite the fact that lockdown is creating problems for both retailers and consumers, local businesses need to be engaged with their customers with some smart selling strategies.

You are good to go with Shopify in this challenging time as Shopify helps you access resources to navigate your business if required.

Integrate Order Management for Customers on Your Shopify store!

Suggestion: Ask customers to add a small amount as a donation while purchasing items on your store to fight against Corona!

5. Introduce eWallet

Coronavirus pandemic limits the use of cash as people are avoiding in-person contact.

Thus, if you are selling physical items on your store, implementing the eWallet concept is the smartest idea to get each transaction run smoothly on your eCommerce store.

It’s time to turn into the cashless transactions to fight against this pandemic.

6. Start Selling time in Lockdown Situation

It’s beneficial to shift to a different product category on your online store in the current situation of the coronavirus crisis. Based on the current scenario, you can sell services online such as online tutorials, music classes, learning classes for kids, etc. You can transfer your courses online and help people learn things sitting in their homes.

Isn’t it the best way to keep ourselves safe and utilize time in Lockdown? Well, it is!

7. Grocery & Pharmacy is Need

Design your store according to the current scenario.
In this lockdown situation all around the globe, what people need the most? Grocery, right?

With your local business, you can benefit needy people with all the essential items you sell in your store. The current situation in India is that people are undergoing 21 days lockdown right from 25th March ’20. Online stores are supplying grocery items on demand, helping lots of consumers to fulfill all their necessities during the COVID-19 crisis.

Take a look: Magento 2 Grocery Mobile App

Tips: Keeping current demand in mind, add all the essential items (Eg. Grocery) as the trending products on your website.

8. Third-party shipping services suspended

Almost all the third-party shipping services are getting suspended for a while due to the coronavirus outbreak. Also, Amazon blocked all the non-essential items from their warehouses to fight against the pandemic.

Now, if you run a marketplace, it’s beneficial to focus on selling & supplying only essential household items and medical supplies amid coronavirus.

9. Sell with Subscription: Digital Streaming

Undoubtedly, COVID-19 is affecting many online businesses, but you have to understand the current scenario and online shopping behavior of the customers. Priorities are changed now.

Instead of focusing on selling luxury items, you can sell subscription-based products that will be extremely helpful for the people in the lockdown situation. Thus, better to find a new way to engage customers and keep your sales roll in.

If you have an Odoo store, check the Odoo Website Subscription Management plugin

10. Stop Fearmongering at this critical time

Last but the most important point: Stop Spreading fear!

COVID-19 is impacting all sectors of the economy. It’s not just a single business that is getting affected by this outbreak. So, don’t be the part of something that spreads fear among the public.

Some sellers are purchasing essential items such as masks, sanitizers, etc from various stores and resell them on eBay. This is definitely not the right way to cope up with the challenges.

So, better think of long-term benefits rather than running to make a quick buck. Start thinking of it from now as you never know how a planned idea can uplift your sales growth in the eCommerce world.

Wrapping

It’s time to support each other, take care of everyone around you and stay isolated during coronavirus pandemic. Hope we will soon overcome this critical situation.
For the time being, everyone needs to understand the fact that as soon as this pandemic passes, you need to prepare yourself with all the business strategies to line up things like before.

The downtime is for every business sector, enormously for the travel industries & luxury items sell. The online traffic will be either up or down depending upon the scenario. So, just buckle up and wait for the right time to come.

This is all one can do to reduce the impact of coronavirus to the world. Being self-isolated, you have all the time to come up with great eCommerce business strategies and make profit to a great extent.
Just take a glance at the above 10 tips to cope up with the eCommerce marketing challenges in this tough time & get sales for your business!

Hope You find this helpful. Do let us know in the comment section below or connect in case of any queries.

Don’t have an online store? Create One with Shopify! Convert your store into a multi-seller marketplace