Search
News
November 28, 2014
Small businesses missing out on online sales
Government research has found that 55% of UK consumers find it hard to support local small firms because many businesses aren’t online.
Two million sole traders and small companies (39%) are missing out on business because they have no online presence. With total website sales in the UK worth £164 billion, small businesses and sole traders that don’t have a digital presence could be missing out on substantial revenue.
Today’s shoppers increasingly start their browsing by searching online. The research found that 52% of consumers go straight to search engines when looking to buy from local businesses, nearly double the number that ask for word-of-mouth recommendations.
With Cyber Monday fast approaching, the government is offering a raft of support to help small firms improve their digital skills. In 2013, there were 115 million visits to retail websites by UK internet users in the run-up to Cyber Monday.
British shoppers are forecast to spend over £1.3 billion on presents this weekend (Friday 28th – Monday 1st), according to research by RetailMeNot conducted by the Centre for Retail Research.
The government has allocated £2 million of funding to 22 Local Enterprise Partnerships to help small local businesses increase their digital presence. It is also launching a campaign to show small business owners how to do more with their business online. Business owners looking for help can visit the government website or call the business support helpline on 0300 456 3565.
Business and enterprise minister Matthew Hancock said: “Thousands of potential customers are searching online for local small businesses and without an online profile businesses will lose out.”
Having a website is now more important than having a landline, said the government entrepreneur-in-residence, Simon Devonshire. “Online is the new landline,” he said. “A landline number used to be a mark of authenticity for businesses. The move to a digital economy has meant consumers are more likely to trust a business with a website and consider a business more credible if they offer the ability to transact seamlessly online.”
The research has found that, of those that do have an online presence, over two thirds are not transactional.
The government is working with Go On UK to increase small business digital skills. More resources can be found on the Digital Skills website.
Related resources:
Small business technology advice, tools and resources | IT Donut
Copyright © 2010-2015
