{"id":25143,"date":"2022-03-09T08:00:12","date_gmt":"2022-03-09T14:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/taxprocenter.proconnect.intuit.com\/?p=25143"},"modified":"2022-11-04T10:31:03","modified_gmt":"2022-11-04T15:31:03","slug":"reasons-for-clients-to-move-their-brick-and-mortar-businesses-online-at-least-partially","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/accountants.intuit.com\/taxprocenter\/client-relationships\/reasons-for-clients-to-move-their-brick-and-mortar-businesses-online-at-least-partially\/","title":{"rendered":"10 reasons for clients to move their brick-and-mortar businesses online (at least partially)"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s no secret that the internet has changed the way we do business. Not only are there more ways to shop and more things to choose from than ever before, but the opportunities (and pitfalls) for business owners are also numerous.<\/p>\n

Chances are that you have clients who own a brick-and-mortar business, but don’t yet have an online component to their business\u2014or even much of an online presence at all. There are some great reasons to embrace the next step in the evolution of business, and help them sort out the pros and cons along the way.<\/p>\n

A brick-and-mortar business is any business with a physical storefront, where people go in person to do their shopping. It might be a used car lot, clothing store, or even a private consulting or therapy office. Some businesses have gone entirely online, many maintain a hybrid of virtual and physical stores, and others are still resisting the idea<\/a> of going entirely online.<\/p>\n

Moving online: How hard is it?<\/h2>\n

As far as the details are concerned, moving online depends on the business, but there are definitely pros and cons. Let\u2019s start with the pros.<\/p>\n

1. Online is accessible<\/h3>\n

One limitation of brick-and-mortar businesses is that they have brick-and-mortar hours. If your customers can\u2019t get to the store or place of business when your clients are open, they’re simply going to have to wait until they\u2019re open again\u2014or, worse, go to a competitor. With an online business, customers can shop at their discretion, ordering goods or services at any time of day, week, or year.<\/p>\n

The increased accessibility of an online business can also apply to people who are older, disabled, have transportation issues, or otherwise might not be able to get to a physical location as easily as they’d like.<\/p>\n

2. Clients will have a larger clientele<\/h3>\n

When a client owns a brick-and-mortar store, the customer base might be limited to the people in that state, city, or neighborhood. When they take their business online, they have the potential for a much wider audience. With enough success, ambition, and good marketing, a business might even go global. When shopfront is on the internet, people aren’t limited by their location or proximity.<\/p>\n

3. Enable customer data and customization to build relationships<\/h3>\n

While it’s entirely possible\u2014and even common practice\u2014to get to know customers personally in order to cater to their preferences and keep them coming back for more, this relationship generally isn’t an option in online sales … or is it?<\/p>\n

One of the major advantages to taking a business online is the amount of data your clients can collect on their customers. If someone comes into a brick-and-mortar shop and buys something, that only tells you a little bit about them. Loyalty programs and mailing lists will only take them so far in terms of customer data, but with the right e-commerce software and technological support, they can collect all kinds of information on their customers without going to a lot of extra trouble.<\/p>\n

4. Personalize the experience<\/h3>\n

When customers buy online, the owner might get access to:<\/p>\n