DIY is moving online: catalogs, quotes and much more
And it wasn’t a difficult choice at all.
DIY stores have only had to look towards the future business horizon, grab their equipment and ride the wave of online sales. Is it a question of faith?
Not at all, it’s at best a matter of intuition, since online commerce has already demonstrated everything it had to in a variety of fields, within and beyond our borders.
At this moment, the DIY wave has gained volume and strength, its own identity. It is here and now, it is happening and it is not going to wait for anyone. That would go against its own nature. Those who prefer to wait for the return of the tabula rasa, have the right to do so, but this will only bring them calm.
Commercially speaking, this will only give them peace of mind, but financially speaking it will bring the opposite, because staying out of the market brings a lot of things, but peace of mind is not one of them.
Is it so conclusive as to say that DIY is going online?
Yes, that is very clear. This does not mean that physical stores are going to disappear, far from it. It is rather that the path is unfolding and that we must aim to reach everywhere. Ubiquity is a gift, it leaves behind its condition of being a miracle and becomes an absolute tangible fact because, if you are online, you are everywhere.
This is well known by the companies that paved the way, less than five years ago, by making online purchases in Spain represent more than 11% of total sales for example. (Yes, before the pandemic. We will address this important detail regarding online sales and purchases later on).
This refers to data from 2017 which if we move forward a little further, – only five years, pandemic included and this is the same as saying that we take into account the acceleration of E-commerce -, we find that online commerce grew by more than 20% in 2020, reaching 36%, and that forecasts indicate that a growth of 24% is expected in 2021.
Getting dizzy? Not a chance. Hold on tight and look for the best people to team up with, the adventure has only just begun. Take a moment to process the information. Perhaps this data calls for reflecting on decisions made five years ago, three years ago, one year ago, or just a week ago. Or more urgently, about a decision that needs to be made now.
Here’s a straightforward question, and a hint in case it helps: in a constantly moving technological ocean, would you rather surf or seek the calm? If you’ve chosen the first option, you’re in the right direction. Like DIY, you’ve gone online without giving up all other sales and business channels. You have decided to expand your possibilities, you’ve become flexible.
You are in a new league, your company is exploring a new dimension. What are the rules? What do you have to offer your customers in order to build customer loyalty?
The tools for online commerce are similar to those of traditional commerce. They seek to attract the attention of customers, all customers, the regular ones, the occasional ones and, of course, the potential ones. The difference lies in how they do it and in a unique and exclusive factor of E-commerce: speed.
Speed in providing a service, in committing to a purchase and in delivering it, leaving the customer fully satisfied.
Catalogs are responsible for providing an online preview of a business for customers who perform a specific search. They must be saved on company websites, designed so that the customer feels that he is being personally assisted in his search. That any doubt will be solved, that everything will go well.
How? For example, with personalized assistance follow-up that, among other things, can offer specific prices and budgets for the services the client is looking for. Online shoppers have been at this for a long time, they have become accustomed to the rhythm of any transaction, they have interiorized it and they would not change it for the world, there is no way they are going to accept a waltz if they are used to Rock and Roll and vice versa. Let’s be clear, if they don’t find what they’re looking for on a particular site, they’ll definitely go elsewhere.
What does a DIY store need to be able to start selling online with all the guarantees?
To open its eyes because a moment like this, such a perfect storm could not repeat itself in a long time. There is space right now, but probably not in a few months.
The pandemic has brought with it the explosion of E-commerce and its ripples have launched DIY into a kind of DIY renaissance.
DIY has moved online because it was about time to do so, it is true, but above all else, because the client has discovered a world of possibilities that were previously unknown to him and that allowed him to move forward in the exploration of DIY, new products and his own skills in a very enjoyable way.
Your DIY online store is right there, appearing at the top of the list before the eyes of that client who is looking for a friendly space on the internet where they can meet all their needs and solve their concerns and, do not forget, receive an instant response.
It is necessary that, when they enter you DIY online store, which will be when they need it, when it suits them or when they feel like it, – which is why constant availability for all kinds of inquiries is essential- they are attended to while feeling that the service they are receiving matches their expectation and E-commerce experience.
Offer them a catalogue that shows them everything they are looking for, at the best price and with customized promotions, with the guarantee of attention and follow-up in the post-sales process that will achieve the magic of loyalty.
They will not be disappointed because if your DIY business has moved online, it is because you are going to be up to it.
