Canada generates $136B in online sales.
How much of that business are you winning?
We here at MoonSoar Services are often asked why your small business needs a website. The answer can frequently touch on valuable information such as promoting your brand and demonstrating to clients you’re a serious contender.
But deep down I’m pragmatic and analytical guy, so I will get straight to the core of the issue. Large sums of money are being left on the table and if you don’t try to win that business someone else will.
Findings published by Statistics Canada showed Canadian Businesses collectively sell $136 billion in goods and services online, which is a mind boggling number. However, only 42%of Canadian small businesses have a website.
Canada is one of the most connected countries in the world according to thenetmonitor.org, a research project based out of Harvard University. In fact, 87%of Canadian individuals are accessing the internet. We are in an exceptional position due to widespread broadband and mobile penetration, combined with a technologically savvy population.
Even better news is Canadian shoppers love Canadian Business. In fact 82%of them had placed an order from a company in Canada in 2013 (source). When you realize that customers also research where to do business prior to calling or walking into a store it’s clear to see this is a market which organizations can ignore only at their own peril. As technologies continue to improve and demographics shift, this trend is accelerating.
The ship has not yet sailed and the best way to gain access to this ever growing market is to launch your business website sooner rather than later. The beginning steps are not necessarily expensive nor complicated ones. In fact, a great starting point for many small businesses is to do the virtual equivalent of turning on their “We’re Open” light and putting a sign on their building. This allows prospective customers to find them and get in contact. The process involves registering a domain name, getting hosting, designing your website and publishing information about who you are, what you do and how to get in contact. We go out of our way to make this as simple and understandable as possible. If your needs are more complicated than that, we’d also like to hear from you to develop a solution for your business needs.
We are always happy to hear from you with any question or comments, even if you just want to bounce some ideas around. Feel free to get in touch with us.
Photo by r. nial bradshaw
