COVID-19 Fallout Business Survival Guide
Move Sales Online, Until It’s Too Late
We are seeing closed stores — and the boost in online sales, at the same time. Will it get back to normal after the COVID-19 pandemic ends? Sure. To a totally new normal.
Now let’s get to the point. A business would only survive and would have resources for expansion in the aftermath, if and only if it manages to sell its products or services during lock-down. Luckily, the humanity already has a vaccine, and it’s called the Web.
Newbie
If your business is not present online to date — fix it now! Wordpress is a free platform which does not require any technical skills to set up a website. Put some descriptions/photos of your products there along with contact info, and it will be a good start.
Most hosting providers such as Bluehost offer ready-to-use Wordpress websites for almost no cost. You only need to fill it up with your content.
Intermediate
Suppose you have a website, but used to sell tangible products offline and finished up with your store closed. Make it possible for your customers to buy online, at least via order form. If you are running Wordpress, you can use Woocommerce to set up an online store without much hurdle.
WooCommerce is a free e-commerce system which powers over 28% of all online stores. You can optionally add interactive 3D views to your store (see below).
Advanced
If you used to sell online, you may have good cash flow now. Until your competitors catch up with you. It is the right time to invest in conversion rates and better online experience. 3D interactives proved to be increasing the conversion rate of websites from usual 2–3% up to 20–30%.
A freelancer designer can create appealing 3D product views with solutions like Verge3D at a reasonable price.
Expert
Selling equipment which comes with different options, things with custom imprints or personalized products? Let the client decide what color and what size he or she wants, and order it right away. It’s time for 3D customizers to rise and shine.
Beyond Commerce
Let’s admit that COVID-19 just accelerated the long-running tendencies of moving everything online. It affects our life style, the way we learn, work or entertain.
shops/stores → eCommerce
schools/universities → eLearning
work at office → remote work
manual production → automation
tours and museums → virtual tours and museums
events and conferences → virtual events and conferences
The present, however distressful, creates demand and opens new opportunities, for which the Web (including 3D) can be of great help too. I wish all of us good health and patience on the road to the new reality.
