Internet trade is gaining momentum every year. People like the convenience of shopping online, where everything you need can be purchased without leaving home, and at lower prices than in ordinary stores. 

Having assessed the prospects of this enterprise, many entrepreneurs began to persuade the decision to open their own business on the network. But in order for him to bring tangible income, it is necessary to take into account all the nuances in advance. In addition to selecting an assortment and reliable suppliers, developing a site design and launching advertising, you need to think about, what premises will you need in the future.

Content:

Склад и офис интернет-магазина фото

Often you can find allegations that online trading is beneficial because it does not require the rental or purchase of special premises. But is it so? Consider in which case you can do without an office, warehouse and showroom, and when you will certainly need them.

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Why an online store warehouse and office

Despite the name - an online store, only the site of this enterprise is posted on the Internet. But he sells quite material things, and not virtual creatures, but living people work in it either. That is, somewhere all employees and all goods must be placed.

You can completely do without a warehouse and office without prejudice to your enterprise only if your online store is work on the basis of droppings. That is, you will only accept orders, and redirect them to the manufacturer, and he will deal with their packaging and dispatch on his own.

In other cases, everything will depend on the scope of your enterprise, development prospects and the specifics of the product. 

Let's start with the warehouse:

  • If the volume of your purchases and assortment are large enough, or the dimensions of the goods are impressive, then you need a warehouse.
  • When you are going to trade online small goods in small volumes, you can store it at home. But think if it will be convenient for you? Do you have such a room that the boxes do not interfere, do not clutter the apartment, and do not create an uncomfortable environment in the house?

Нужен ли склад для интернет магазина

Now let's move on to the office

Again, first of all, the need for an office will be determined by the scale of the enterprise. If you are going to do business alone, naturally, you can do this at home and in general anywhere where there is Internet. And if you plan to recruit staff, then the choice between having an office and its absence will be more difficult. 

Therefore, consider all the pros and cons of having an office for your online store so that you can clearly see if you need it.

Pros:

  • Contact with buyers. Sometimes customers have questions that need to be addressed in person. Or some flaw is in the product, and the buyer wants to exchange it or return it. In such cases, it will be best to meet in your office. Agree that making appointments in public places or going home to each client will be inconvenient.
  • Workflow. Your employees, of course, can work remotely. But so you will not be able to control them properly, and you will not be sure that no one neglects their duties. And the corresponding situation in the office creates the necessary working mood for efficient work.
  • Prestige. Having an office at an online store increases confidence in it. Both customers and suppliers with whom you have to contact will positively evaluate this fact. And for you, your own office can become an incentive that raises self-esteem and focuses on further development. 

 

Minuses:

  • Additional costs. Very often at the initial stage of development of the online store with capital is tight, and far from every additional waste is possible. But if, given the above advantages, you decide that your online store needs an office, you can find a way out of this situation. For example, to rent an office with one of the owners of an online store in half.

Нужно ли интернет-магазину иметь офис

In order to save you can combine your own warehouse and office, it will be very convenient for you and for your employees and customers. But, pretending to be the upcoming costs, keep in mind - if you are planning to develop a business in the future, and there will be no warehouse and office, then you will have to turn to the services of auto-soring, which is also worth a lot.

What will give the online store the opening of a showroom

Now let's talk about whether your online store also needs a showroom. What is it and what benefit can its discovery give you?

Showroom literally means "demonstration hall. This is a real store., in which you can display and sell goods from your assortment of the online store.

Which visitors are designed for the showroom:

  • Despite the popularity of online stores, interest remains buyers who certainly need to see the “product face”. So to speak, get acquainted with it live, evaluate the real appearance and dimensions of household appliances and furniture, figured out how much it will approach the overall design of the apartment. Or try on clothes or sunglasses to make sure they are to their face. 
  • Fearing all kinds of tricks from online stores, and possibly once becoming a victim of unscrupulous sellers, or who heard about cheating from someone they know, people want to make sure that the goods and the store actually exist.
  • Impatient customers who do not want to wait for delivery, even the fastest, and prefer to buy here and now. 
  • And finally, there is a category people who just love shopping. And they will enjoy it just the choice and purchase in the showroom, and not on the website of the online store.

That is, there would be a showroom, and buyers who would need it will certainly be found. 

Нужен ли шоу-рум для интернет-магазина

In order for the costs of opening the showroom to pay off faster and it began to bring you income, you need it to be in a fairly visited place, and it had a well-visible and attractive sign of your online store. In this case people can remember you, and subsequently find on the network, even if at the moment they don’t get anything.

So the showroom is needed both to attract new customers to the website of the online store, and for additional profit.

As you can see, there are much more arguments in favor of the fact that your online store needs an office, warehouse and showroom than conflicting statements. But of course, this is decided only individually, taking into account your needs.

Does your online store have an office, warehouse or showroom? How effectively do they show themselves, and what would you recommend to novice entrepreneurs on this issue?

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