By
Bena Ilyas
April 18th, 2024
Local businesses setting up eCommerce shops is a good idea. People like and want to shop locally, but they like the convenience of online shopping.
Small businesses, “mom-and-pop” stores are in danger. As a recent Financial Times article argued, small businesses have been served a one-two punch. Banks have been hesitant to fund small businesses, especially as larger companies have moved into the scene to steal clients and money away. Second, the pandemic has forced many businesses to close or limit their storefront operations. President Trump has done little to assist them, and now local storefronts are teetering on the edge.
But there is a way out. Shopkeepers need to adapt to survive and need to abandon the institutions that have failed them. The answer is to adopt Bitcoin and move to eCommerce websites. The future for small businesses is accepting Bitcoin and WordPress as a popular option to facilitate that. Many business owners should consider using a Bitcoin WordPress plugin.
People still want to shop local. But storefronts are becoming harder to manage these days with restrictions, and people just not wanting to go out to do their shopping. Shifting resources into ecommerce makes a lot of sense, already a number of other industries do it. Grocery stores have partnered, or developed in house online ordering systems, with delivery or pickup. In March, during the beginning of the pandemic, over 30% of U.S. households said they used an online grocery ordering system. That number has only grown. Restaurants too, are in the game, offering online takeout and delivery through apps like UberEats and DoorDash. These industries have tapped a huge market, one which has allowed them to operate relatively well even with lock downs and decreased foot traffic. Small businesses are closing. They need something to keep them operating.
Ecommerce provides that answer. People want to shop at local businesses, they like supporting local. But people also love the ease of shopping online. Local eCommerce can provide both options. And these days it’s easier than ever before to operate an ecommerce store. WordPress/woocomerce makes it easy to set up a website, run a store, and process orders. It means local shops can operate their local areas on a hybrid model. They can still run their storefront, but capture a larger market in the local area, through those that want to shop online. These days, WordPress captures a huge section of the market, and it is really easy to use. Over 26% of the eCommerce market is powered by Woocommerce. Even people who are not very technically savvy can set up a WordPress site, and it will allow them to tap into an important local eCommerce market.
One example is a local popcorn shop in Pittsburgh. They have set up a rather sophisticated eCommerce site that allows customers to order online for pickup. They built it themselves, using Squarespace. It became so sophisticated, the local government contracted with them to supply popcorn at city-sponsored drive-in movies. Using their website, moviegoers can order the popcorn online and pick it up when it is ready (usually not too long because most are pre-popped and bagged). They’ve picked up a lot of business thanks to their sophisticated eCommerce site.
But shifting to eCommerce is only half the equation. Banks have let small businesses down. Those same banks that offer terrible interest rates for small business owners are bankrolling the big businesses like Amazon that are putting hard-working people out of business. It’s time to fight back. Small businesses need to start using Bitcoin to bypass the institutions that are causing them their woes. Take the difference between the eCommerce payment giant PayPal, and a Bitcoin payment processor like Blockonomics.
PayPal holds businesses money, and if you break arbitrary “rules,” the money can be lost. Fees are high, and transactions are insecure. With Bitcoin payments on WordPress through Blockonomics? Fees are low, transactions far more secure thanks to the blockchain and the money is sent directly to the wallet of the merchant. No middle-man holds onto the money. Bitcoin is also an instant investment, as the price has historically increased. Store owners would earn interest on their sales. Minority small business owners are especially having a tough time, and Bitcoin offers a way to combat that systematic racism. Bitcoin allows business owners to take control of their sales and money, and bypass the institutions that are supporting the businesses that are trying to force them to shut their doors.
Local businesses setting up eCommerce shops is a good idea. These days, it might even be needed. People like and want to shop locally, but they like the convenience of online shopping. Local businesses, meanwhile, are struggling. By setting up local eCommerce, consumers can get the best of both worlds, and businesses can see a boost in sales, and entries into new markets. Currently, big names control eCommerce. Local businesses have been pushed around enough, it’s time to get innovative. Adopt Bitcoin, move the business online. Small business owners of the world, fight back.