A few months ago, I embarked on a small experiment: building a website for a local suburban Melbourne shop, my newsXpress Mount Waverley shop, on a tight budget and following the advice I give to other retailers.
The goal was to test the waters: to see what could be achieved with minimal investment, to see if the advice provided, when followed, is financially valuable.
Starting with a modest product range, the website quickly began generating sales. As I discuss in this video, which was shot late last week, in the seven weeks to filming, this simple online store has raked in over $18,000 without any additional marketing spend or inventory investment.
In the last week sales have surged further, the website has delivered over $5,000 in revenue in seven days. Not one sale has been to an existing customer. On top of this, the website has driven excellent growth in in-store shopper visitors: they find the product on line, find out where we are, and they shop in-store.
This video takes you behind the scenes on what we have been able to do through the Hugs and Love website integration with our Tower Systems newsagency POS software into the Shopify website.
The Hugs and Love website (www.hugsandlove.com.au) is a prime example of how seamlessly integrating Tower Systems POS software with Shopify can streamline online sales and fulfilment processes for local businesses. This powerful combination allows businesses to efficiently manage their inventory, process orders, and fulfil purchases both in-store and online. By leveraging the strength of these two platforms, local shops can:
- Expand their reach: Attract new customers and increase sales beyond their physical storefront.
- Simplify operations: Streamline inventory management and order processing, saving time and reducing errors.
- Enhance customer experience: Offer a convenient and efficient online shopping experience.
The experience with this website has been valuable in helping us see what is possible in the shop.
I am always telling retailers who are creating their first website to launch early and launch often. Where we started with Hugs and Love in terms of products is different to where we are at today. We quickly discovered opportunities, and we leaned (hard) into them. This has been a key factor in making money. It has also provided a runway into 2025.
I see newsagents, and other retailers, make mistakes with their websites, big mistakes, expensive mistakes. Keeping it simple and developing on a frugal budget is best. Having as much control yourself as possible is key too.
The most important advice that the Hugs and Love experience has reinforced is that a good website is a good plan B. It provides you opportunities outside of the shop you know, in case you want an option away from the shop.
Now, here’s the pitch: what I’ve done with www.hugsandlove.com.au is bring together the newsXpress retail experience and the Tower Systems newsagency software experience to create a solution that could work in any newsagency regardless of location or size. As I said, it’s a pitch. It’s also an explanation of how you can make money: take the Tower tech, the newsXpress expertise, a frugal budget and some of your time and you can achieve a return on investment that is likely to be better than the return you are getting from your shop today.
When we consider the newsagency of the future, one option is that it is this, it is playing away from the boundaries of your four walls and the expectations and restrictions of the newsagency shingle. It is about harvesting shoppers far away from your business, learning form the data they share and turbocharging your business growth with almost no additional capex, labour investment or space investment – delivering bonus net profit to your bottom line.
I’d be happy to talk one on one with any newsagent on this 0418 321 338 or mark@towersystems.com.au) , to take you further behind the scenes or to verify any of the information I have provided here.