[Pandemic Online Store Strategy] 5 Things You Must Know About Starting an Online Business During the Pandemic!

[Pandemic Online Store Strategy] 5 Things You Must Know About Starting an Online Business During the Pandemic!

Under the impact of the fifth wave of the pandemic, all industries have been severely affected. However, what comes with it is a significant increase in the public's reliance on online shopping platforms. Those who want to start a business during the pandemic will turn to online stores. With the government distributing consumption vouchers in April, how should you seize this opportunity? Here are 5 things you must know about doing business during the pandemic!

1. Choose Suitable Products Based on Hong Kong People's Needs

For online stores with small capital, having your own特色 is very important, but it's even more important to closely align with customer needs or preferences. Affected by the pandemic, Hong Kong people have been unable to travel abroad for nearly 3 years. Additionally, many people need to work from home due to the pandemic. Whether purchasing anti-epidemic supplies or daily necessities, they have turned to online shopping platforms. Therefore, when sourcing products for your online store, consider products that cater to Hong Kong people's preferences and needs, such as anti-epidemic products (e.g., rapid test kits, disinfectant sprays, cloth masks), daily necessities (instant noodles, toilet paper, snacks from various brands), products from countries that Hong Kong people frequently travel to, and products with longer shelf lives.

2. Pay Attention to Delivery Service Changes, Try to Choose Contactless Delivery

The second point to note is that many people choose to shop on online shopping platforms precisely because they are worried about the pandemic or don't want to go out to pick up items. Therefore, stable and secure delivery services are essential for doing business. Online store owners must always pay attention to news about changes in different delivery services. For example, Hong Kong Post recently announced the suspension of parcel and express mail services, and SF Express once only provided self-drop-off and self-pickup services (now door-to-door delivery has been restored). Knowing the news early and arranging alternative delivery methods for customers can increase the chances of customers coming back. The most popular delivery method now is contactless delivery, which can reduce risks for both the deliverer and receiver. ThinkShops can also connect store owners with SF Express delivery or other self-set delivery methods, improving delivery efficiency and flexibility.

3. Control Product Inventory

The government will distribute consumption vouchers in April. Although the government will gradually relax some pandemic measures, given that confirmed cases remain high, many citizens will likely continue to shop online. Therefore, many online stores may see a surge in orders in April. Store owners need to pay attention to their store's product inventory: monitor which products are more popular and restock them in a timely manner, pay attention to the shelf life of food and medicine, don't sell expired or soon-to-expire products to customers, and avoid overstocking too many products. Keep your product inventory at a stable and sufficient level, which also helps ensure your shipping speed and enhance your online store's reputation. ThinkShops provides backend product inventory management functions, including product quantity and out-of-stock reminders, making all product management clear at a glance, allowing store owners to more efficiently control their store's product inventory.

4. Choose an Online Shopping Platform That Accepts Consumption Vouchers

The government announced that the first round of consumption vouchers will be distributed to citizens in April 2022. Initially, approximately 6.8 million eligible citizens can receive them. This purchasing power should not be underestimated. Therefore, to do business, store owners must ensure their store can accept consumption vouchers. However, due to fierce competition, to stand out, you need various promotional activities and discounts: At such times, a fully-featured online shopping platform with customizable electronic coupon functions is crucial. First, they can accept consumption vouchers. Second, you can use the platform for promotional discounts to expand your customer base - it's killing two birds with one stone. ThinkShops is one of the few platforms that can simultaneously support 3 types of consumption voucher platforms (AlipayHK, WECHATpay HK, and Tap & Go), helping you capture the most diverse customers. You can also customize promotional activities and electronic coupons to launch various different promotional activities at any time.

5. Choose a Secure and Reliable Online Store Platform

Following up on point 4, when choosing an online shopping platform, since online shopping requires customers to enter a lot of personal information such as name, phone number, address, etc., online store owners also need to consider data security factors to protect customers and the store's own privacy, preventing hacker attacks or data leaks. The online shopping platform ThinkShops uses SSL security certificates to protect the safety of transaction data and customer data, fully safeguarding customers and business secrets.

In summary, during the pandemic, people are increasingly relying on online shopping, and their requirements for online stores are also getting higher. Therefore, choosing a fully-featured and easy-to-manage online shopping platform is your key to success.