UK consumers have become more conscious of sustainability in the last 12 months across their lifestyle and when purchasing products, a report on sustainability attitudes recently published by Deloitte suggests that, while this often centres around more obvious solutions such as packaging and recycling for consumers, attitudes of a third (34%) of consumers stated that their trust in brands would be improved if they were recognised as an ethical/sustainable provider by an independent third party. The e-commerce industry has many seemingly hidden areas where sustainability efforts can be made to create a more environmentally supportive business.

What does this mean for the e-commerce industry?

There is a real misconception that moving physical shops to being purely online would lead to a lower environmental impact. However, as more consumers become increasingly interested in sustainable solutions, the e-commerce industry will need to make strides to address potentially damaging factors within the operating practices. Indeed a multi channel approach to retail is really important. A blog published by IMRG says that Retailers must realise that customers are channel-agnostic. They could use anywhere up to 12 channels and devices to shop. Some may prefer to research a product online and buy from a physical store; others may order online and pick it up from the store. The prudent option for retailers would be to take a multi-channel approach.

Ways that e-commerce businesses can embrace sustainability in 2024

One of the ways that an e-commerce business can embrace sustainability is in its choice of technology partner. When choosing an e-commerce provider with ethical and sustainable credentials, it’s important to be asking the following questions.

1. How green is the hosting and the ‘system’ overall?

Running an e-commerce platform absorbs vast quantities of energy. Ask the question, How green is your hosting and the systems that you use? What measures are you taking to minimise the impact of your hosting solution on the environment?

There is a balancing act here. Robust hosting is critical for an e-commerce business. A slow or unavailable online store equates to a very real loss of revenue for every minute users can not purchase products. This is why at Webselect we chose Microsoft Azure as our hosting partner, Azure provides the essential reliability that we require but with a strong commitment to sustainability.

Microsoft has stated that they are committed to becoming carbon negative, water positive, zero waste, and to protect more land than they use by 2030. Specifically on the topic of carbon, Microsoft Scope 1 and 2 emissions decreased by 6% from the 2020 base year. This result is driven by their ongoing work to advance clean energy procurement and green tariff programs.

You can read more about Microsoft’s commitments to sustainability here: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/explore/global-infrastructure/sustainability

As well as Microsoft’s commitment to providing greener hosting, they also make available tools to our team that allow us to monitor and measure our carbon usage across our services for our clients. This allows us to implement new strategies for optimising our software and monitor the impact on those changes. This blog will be updated with an overview of our current consumption in July.

2. Has the website design been optimised?

Optimising website design to minimise data usage and loading times can reduce energy consumption. By using efficient coding practices, optimising images, and reducing unnecessary scripts websites can load using less energy than poorly considered websites.

At the most extreme a ‘black’ website is better – as it’s using less pixel energy from the end users device – it’s minor but scaled up across billions of websites it could have a positive impact. however this has to be balanced with UX and brand experience.

3. Does your platform facilitate lean and energy-efficient operations

Ensuring that your e-commerce platform and backend set up are lean and energy-efficient involves a detailed audit and analysis of systems and processes that run your e-commerce business and asking where efficiency can be improved. The team at Webselect did just this for HS Walsh when migrating the e-commerce platform from Drupal to SelectCommerce.. Read about the improvements that were made here: https://www.webselect.net/our-work/hs-walsh.

4. Is your data storage optimised?

Are you storing unnecessary data? Good data management is not only a requirement under GDPR. If you are hanging on to historical data just in case it comes in useful someday you are expending energy on data storage that is unnecessary. Is it really useful to be holding data for people who have disengaged with your brand years ago? Are you storing multiple records for the same person? Consider a thorough audit and data cleanse to ensure your databases are optimised and also compliant with Data Protection laws. Also consider where your data is stored, are there CRM options that themselves use green storage solutions.

Share your sustainability story and goals

Knowing what you need to do, what your intentions are and learning how you are going to make changes for the planet is a great way of including your customers into your vision. Let them be part of your business’s accountability.

However, you need to act on your intentions. Saying you will do something and then not is greenwashing, and that takes your story from being credible to a reputation killer.

Sustainability is no longer a nice to have option for e-commerce businesses – it is becoming a key factor for consumers when deciding who they shop with and what they buy.

Often classed as a more expensive option for many of the points raised above, the long-term benefits will be increased brand sentiment, improved customer experience and knowing that your business is putting the environment high on your company agenda.

Here at Webselect, we love Shopify sites because of how adaptable they are. No matter what you’re looking to sell, there will be a Shopify theme and plugins that can support you. That’s why we specialise in building Shopify sites, but if you’re new to the concept, you might wonder what makes them so helpful, and how one can help with the journey of your business.

We’ve put together this short introductory guide to Shopify, which will cover why you’d choose a Shopify site instead of another provider like Wix or WordPress, what themes are and how to choose one, and some of the most useful plugins we’ve found for our many happy clients.

Why choose a Shopify site?

A website is a tool that’s been built for a specific purpose. What are you looking to get out of your site? Do you want to sell products or services, or is there something else you had in mind?

The “front end” of your website is the part that visitors see, but there’s also the “back end” to consider. This is the Content Management System (CMS) that allows you to easily make changes and add pages and other content to your site, and you’ll want to pick a CMS that’s user-friendly, especially if you are the user!

So how do you choose? If your business doesn’t have a selection of products, you might look at Wix, Squarespace or WordPress site.

Wix and Squarespace are both set up so that you can use them without knowing code, or having to learn about website design, but that also makes them more limited in the ways they can look, and the things they can do.

WordPress is more flexible, but also more complicated. WordPress sites are more of a “jack-of-all-trades”, and so they can do lots of things, but this also means they’re not designed to be helpful to businesses like a dedicated e-commerce platform like Shopify is.

If you’re not sure what kind of site you need, we can help you work it out. Just drop us a line, or give us a call.

How do I choose a Shopify theme?

Once you know that a Shopify site is what you need, the next step is to decide what you want it to look like, and the functions you want it to have.

The way a Shopify site looks is determined by the theme that it uses. The starter theme that’s included as standard is called Dawn, and if you’re an SME, it’s probably all you need.

It’s not as feature-rich as some of the themes that are available from specialist third-party developers, but it’s the perfect skeleton to begin your e-commerce journey.

If your company is already established and looking to scale up, you’ll want to look at some of the richer themes on the market. There are specific themes available for different industries. For example, if you’re a clothing retailer, you might want to look at the Prestige theme by Maestrooo. It offers lots of specific functionality out of the box, along with great performance and accessibility.

Often, companies have already made a choice before we become involved in the process, and that’s fine too – our job is then to work with you to make sure it’s delivering what you need.

We can custom-build elements for specific themes, so even if you’ve already made a financial commitment but are feeling limited by what your theme offers, you’re not locked into the default set of features.

What’s the difference between a theme and a template?

When it comes to the look and feel of your site, the theme decides how it will look as a whole, and your templates define the layout and components of the individual pages. Shopify’s v.2 CMS allows you to create side-wide page templates, providing your theme also supports this.

For example, you might want to have a page for news, a top-level catalogue page, and then sub-category pages for the different kinds of item that you sell. If your theme doesn’t include a template that you want, we can build a bespoke version.

What are Shopify plug-ins?

If you’re running a business and using a Shopify site, plug-ins exist to make life easier for you and your customers. They can automate tasks, let you implement loyalty schemes and integrate with third-party systems to provide an entire range of services. Our team have suggested some of the plug-ins which they have used to help make the lives of our clients easier, so let’s take a look:

Easier postage – Royal Mail Click & Drop Shopify plugin

Do you have to parcel up and send lots of items via the Royal Mail? Their Click & Drop plug-in connects to your site so it knows what you’ve sold, and allows you to pay for postage and print the corresponding labels without having to enter the details from scratch.

Accounting software – Quickbooks Online, Xero, etc.

Shopify can link directly to several cloud-based accounting solutions, providing them with data from your sales. Most of the work will be done on the other side of this connection, but it’s still a great way to save yourself some time, and take back some of the time you’d spend doing your accounting.

If you’re a new business and your product range is small – Swatch King

If you’re a clothing retailer that’s just starting out, this plugin can maximise the impact of your inventory by generating variations in your product listings to enhance your customers browsing experience. This includes swatches, making it not just a clever name.

Integrate email marketing with Klaviyo

This one is more of an integration than a traditional plug-in, as a lot of the processing happens on the Klaviyo side. This data-driven integration will allow you to use customer data from your Shopify site to carry out email marketing campaigns, SMS campaigns and to send push notifications via Klaviyo.

This is more of a self-service product than the ones covered above, but we are able to help once we’ve been given access to your Klaviyo setup. We can also help advise you on your privacy policy so that your customers know how you’ll be processing their data, which is especially important if your customers are in the UK and/or EU.

Start your own referral scheme with Referral Candy

If your business thrives on returning customers and referrals, this plug-in makes it simple to provide rewards to your customers. It will automatically include referral options in your checkout process, and as a bonus, also tracks their success and provides statistics on how they’re improving your business.

Start building your trust signals with Judge.Me

Having a product review system in place is a great way to build consumer confidence, and with Judge.Me you can easily build them into your Shopify site. Even better, the free tier contains all the functionality you need to get started, with a paid tier available once your business needs to further expand.

Make your events easy to find with Elfsight Event Calendar

If your business has a packed calendar of events, Elfsight Event Calendar can turn your site into a showcase. Features allow customers to add the events to their own calendar, plus you can group listings and highlight any offers you’ve got running if the event is paid.

The Golden Rules of Shopify development

To close out this blog, we asked our dev team to give us the golden rules that they apply to help our clients. They said:

• Keep it simple – more complex sites introduce more friction for their consumers
• Don’t have too many plugins – as great as they are, the more you have, the greater the chance that they’ll clash
• The Dawn theme really is a great starter – don’t financially commit to another theme before you’ve spoken to us about what it can do
• Tell us what you want, and we can then find the best theme for the job

If you’re looking to make the first step into e-commerce, or you’ve already got a Shopify site that you want to upgrade, we can help. We’re official Shopify partners who are already trusted to help lots of customers build a presence online, so contact us today.

Get in touch

Introduction

Making the decision to move from one platform to another is always a big step, and a huge responsibility for the person or team who is going to implement it.

As an implementation partner specialising in retail e-commerce, we understand the challenges and opportunities that come with platform migrations. Throughout this blog, we’ll guide you through the migration process and highlight key considerations you need to think about to ensure a successful transition. As always, we want to offer you our expert advice and experience to ensure a seamless experience that maximises your business potential.

Embarking on a migration journey can be daunting. It signifies growth, evolution, and the need for greater efficiency and functionality. However, without proper planning and execution, it can also pose risks to your business operations and customer experience.

Why might a business consider migrating to a new platform?

• Existing platform unable to scale: If your current platform is struggling to handle the growing volume of data, transactions, or user traffic, a new platform with better scalability will help you accommodate your growth goals
• Outdated technology: Legacy systems or platforms that are no longer supported or have limited functionality can hinder your ability to stay competitive. Migrating to a more modern or new platform can provide access to the latest features and technologies previously unavailable.
• Cost savings: The ongoing maintenance and development costs of the current platform may be high, bespoke and not easy to do. Migrating to a new platform can lead to reduced operational expenses in both the short and long term.
• Improved functionality: A new platform may offer you more advanced features, better integration capabilities, or a more user-friendly interface that can enhance productivity and efficiency for the business and its customers.
• Competitive pressures: If competitors have moved to a new platform that offers significant advantages, the business may need to migrate to stay competitive in the market.

Platform Comparison: WooCommerce vs. Shopify

As a result of recent projects (see our case studies here), several of our clients have re-platformed from WooCommerce onto Shopify. In response, we wanted to highlight the differences between these two platforms, and outline things you need to consider should you feel this is the right move for you.

Comparison of key features between WooCommerce and Shopify

You’ve decided to move from WooCommerce to Shopify: what to consider next.

Technical Considerations

You’ve decided that moving from WooCommerce to Shopify is the right move for you. Before you start the process, we have created a checklist for you so that you know what to expect with an e-commerce website platform migration, and specific areas to pay attention to when moving from WooCommerce to Shopify.

Plugins and Extensions

• Create a list of all plugins/extensions you currently have, what their purpose is and why you use them. This is a good starting point for understanding your future needs.
• Knowing which existing WooCommerce plugins/extensions you want to match, identify equivalent or alternative solutions on Shopify.
• Check the Shopify App Store for apps that offer new functionalities required for your store that can form part of your customer journey wish list.
• Consider the cost implications of using third-party apps on Shopify compared to WooCommerce plugins as there can be discrepancies – however your implementation partner will be able to support you with this.

Data Migration

• Know your Products: Ensure all product data (titles, descriptions, images, SKUs, pricing) is documented in a central place for audit and design purposes, as this will be critical to check that everything has migrated accurately.
• Customer Data: Personal data held by companies in platforms is subject to strict GDPR laws, and we would recommend a CRM to ensure that this governance is adhered to. However, if you have consent according to GDPR, transfer customer data including names, emails, addresses, and order history.
• Order History: Migrate order details, statuses, and transaction data to enable benchmarking, forecasting and improved customer experience on your new Shopify platform.
• Categories and Tags: This is a great opportunity to review all your categories and tags to ensure a new, improved hierarchy offers the best experiences both internally and externally when transferred.
• Reviews and Ratings: Research shows that social proof helps customers make decisions.
• Decide whether to migrate existing product reviews and ratings.

Custom Functionality

• Identify custom functionalities or features implemented on the WooCommerce site and why they have been bespoke. It might be a lack of desired functionality or something that needs to be reproduced because of a specific business need.
• Determine if similar functionalities can be achieved on Shopify using apps or custom development.
• – Assess the feasibility of recreating custom code or integrations on the Shopify platform.

SEO Optimisation

• Pull all meta titles, descriptions, and header tags off your existing site and review, rewrite and optimise for Shopify.
• Monitor 404 errors where pages don’t exist or redirects no longer work, and implement proper redirects to avoid broken links and preserve SEO equity on your new site
• Configure shipping settings in Shopify to match existing shipping methods and zones from WooCommerce

Shipping Configuration

• Configure shipping settings in Shopify to match existing shipping methods and zones from WooCommerce and/or update them.
• Set up shipping rates, carriers, and fulfilment options based on business requirements. This is a chance to create revised policies, rates or information and communicate to your customers.
• Review Shopify’s built-in shipping features or third-party apps for advanced shipping needs to see if this is a possible solution for your business.

Performance Optimisation

• Before migrating, optimise images and assets for faster loading times on Shopify. Details of all image sizes can be found here: https://www.shopify.com/uk/blog/image-sizes
• Use Shopify’s built-in caching and CDN (Content Delivery Network) to improve on page image delivery, site speed and improved performance.
• Monitor site speed and performance metrics using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to see where additional speed savings can be made. The average eCommerce website loads at 2.5 seconds for mobile, and consumers expect between 0-4 seconds load time regardless of device.

Testing and Quality Assurance

• Your implementation partner will create a testing and QA plan, however when the platform is released to UAT, conduct thorough testing of the migrated Shopify site to ensure functionality, data integrity and any hidden design flaws.
• Test product pages, checkout process, payment processing, and any custom features or integrations as customers will expect the switch over to be seamless.
• Perform cross-browser and device testing to ensure compatibility and responsiveness and not just the most used device as shown in analytics.
• Ensure you use a ‘Bug Log’ (which may be a spreadsheet or a platform like Jira) to monitor all issues and the solutions being deployed, as you can check post go live.

Backup and Rollback Plan

• Your implementation partner will create backups of WooCommerce site data and files before initiating the migration.
• They will also create a rollback plan in place in case of any issues or unexpected outcomes during the migration process.
• Ensure data integrity and security throughout the migration process with documentation and testing to avoid data loss or corruption. More GDPR guidance about migrating customer data can be found here: https://www.complygdpr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Info-sheet-GDPR-Considerations-For-Database-Migration.pdf.

Post-Migration Monitoring and Support

• Monitor the Shopify site closely after migration for any platform issues or performance concerns. Your implementation partner should be supplying you with either ongoing support or a time frame to continually test and log bugs post go live.
• Provide support and training for staff members or administrators managing the Shopify site. This can be in the form of super users or creating online webinars or a portal where how to guides can be found. This won’t necessarily be included in your migration package so check with your implementation partner.
• Address any post-migration issues promptly and ensure that issues are implemented promptly according to how they are categorised (often Critical, Urgent, Low etc)
• Celebrate that your new site is live!

Conclusion

While there are always pros and cons with any platform, it’s important to be clear about what it is you want to achieve and what experience you want to give your customers. Remember: it is more important that the new website has a high level of functionality and supportability over the design.

It’s important to carefully evaluate your options and plan the migration process accordingly, both internally before you start and once you have a implementation partner in place. This could be a lengthy process depending on the size and depth of your website, so make sure you keep the communication up with internal stakeholders throughout.

If any of the above sounds like something you are in the process of looking at, our experienced team are more than happy to discuss with you. Whether you are right at the beginning of your journey researching options, to knowing you want to get onto Shopify and are choosing a delivery partner, speak to our team who can help answer any question you may have.

Top 5 Tips for Developing Your eCommerce Website Shop

Whether you’re launching your first online store or revamping an existing one, developing a successful e-commerce website requires careful planning, attention to detail, and a focus on delivering an exceptional user experience. In this blog post, the Webselect team shares their top 5 tips to help you build a successful e-commerce website shop that attracts customers, drives sales, and creates long term customer advocacy.

1. Prioritise User Experience (UX)

Creating a seamless and enjoyable shopping experience for your customers is key to the success of your e-commerce website. Thinking about how your users will interact with your site and designing it with their needs in mind will create a website that will have your customers coming back time and time again. Ensure that navigation is intuitive, calls-to-action are clear and in a logical place, and the checkout process is hassle (and bug) free. Shoppers are less tolerant of a difficult experience than they were, attentions spans online are very low. The aim is to give a great experience so that your customers return and recommend you.

2. Focus on SEO from the Start

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is key to driving organic traffic to your e-commerce website. Start by conducting keyword research to identify relevant search terms for your products or services and focus on building your top keywords up. Optimise your website’s meta tags, URLs, and content to improve its visibility in search engine results. SEO takes time, but it is the building blocks to visibility without having to spend advertising budget.

3. Optimise for Performance and Speed

Customers have an expectation that the websites they use will load quickly and perform seamlessly across all devices. Slow-loading pages can be frustrating and lead to higher bounce rates off a website. Optimise your e-commerce website for speed by minimising image sizes, leveraging caching techniques, and utilising content delivery networks (CDNs). By prioritising performance, you ensure a better user experience, increase on site conversions, and create brand trust.

4. Integrate Analytics and Tracking

Data is your secret weapon when it comes to optimising your e-commerce website for success. Set up web analytics tools such as Google Analytics to track key metrics like traffic sources, conversion rates, and user behaviour. This data will help identify areas for improvement, refine your marketing strategies, and make data-driven decisions to grow your business.

5. Work with a trusted provider

Working with a partner you can trust is key when building an e-commerce website as it ensures a smooth and successful development process from start to finish. Trusting your partner means having confidence in their expertise, reliability, and commitment to delivering high-quality results that align with your business goals. From design and development to implementation and ongoing support, a trustworthy partner will collaborate closely with you, and proactively problem-solving with you to overcome challenges and maximise results.

Developing a successful e-commerce website shop requires a strategic approach and a focus on delivering an exceptional user experience. Your e-commerce website is your digital storefront – make it inviting, efficient, and memorable for your customers.

Regardless of what business you are in, having a strong online presence is essential for retail businesses looking to drive profit and visibility in an increasingly noisy market.

Any business creating a retail eCommerce website needs to take the time to design not only the look and feel of the website, but to also identify clear objectives, enhance the customer experience and should be well considered, designed and maintained.

From reducing operational costs to increasing sales efficiency, here’s how investing in a well-thought-out retail website can lead to significant cost savings over time.

1. Streamlined Inventory Management

Effective inventory management is crucial for retail businesses to minimise stockouts, avoid overstocking, and optimise cash flow. A well-designed retail website with integrated inventory management tools allows you to track inventory levels in real-time, automate reorder processes, and accurately forecast demand. By streamlining inventory management, you can reduce the risk of poor stock sales, minimise storage costs, and improve overall efficiency.

2. Improved Customer Service and Satisfaction

Providing exceptional customer service is essential for building customer loyalty and driving repeat business. A well-designed retail website offers features such as live chat support, self-service options, and easy access to product information, helping to enhance the overall customer experience. By investing in customer service tools and resources, you can reduce the number of inquiries and complaints, increase customer satisfaction, and ultimately save money by retaining loyal customers and reducing churn.

3. Ability to Scale and Flexibility without starting over

As your business grows and evolves, scalability and flexibility become increasingly important but can often come at a price. Building your retail website on a reputable platform offers scalability to accommodate growth without the need for additional investments in infrastructure or expansion costs. Whether you’re adding new products, expanding into new markets, or launching promotional campaigns, a scalable website CMS can adapt to changing business needs quickly and cost-effectively.

4. Data-Driven Decision Making and Reporting

Data is key for retail businesses, providing insights into customer behaviour, market trends, and sales performance. Putting a website in place from the offset that collects and analyses data on customer interactions, sales metrics, and website performance will empower teams across the organisation to make data-driven decisions quickly.

CMS platforms should be able to leverage data tools and metrics to identify opportunities for optimisation, improve marketing strategies, and make informed business decisions that drive cost savings and revenue growth.

5. Staying Competitive through A/B testing

It’s increasingly difficult to stay ahead of your competition and taking the time to design your website customer first, and not being afraid of making changes, will ensure that you grow your profitability.

Designing a website that allows you to test page layouts, messaging, call to actions etc will mean that you are continuously improving your site. This means spending less time fixing big design issues later down the line, evolving your site as consumer behaviour changes and finding new opportunities to convert more sales through simple test and learn practices.

Creating a new website from scratch or re-platforming from old to new can be daunting for even the most seasoned eCommerce professional. However, making the investment in mapping the data, the objectives and the customer journey within your retail website can create significant cost savings for your business in the long run.

As you consider the future of your retail business, remember the importance of investing in an online platform that aligns with your strategic goals and objectives, and helps your team to optimise your operations.

London, September 2023 – The prestigious Indigo O2 in London was ablaze with excitement as Weird Fish, the iconic lifestyle fashion clothing company, secured Bronze in the coveted “Best Fashion Website” award at the eCommerce Awards 2023. This outstanding achievement not only reflects Weird Fish’s dedication to delivering top-notch fashion but also underscores its commitment to providing a stellar online shopping experience.

The eCommerce Awards, an annual celebration of excellence in the digital retail industry, brought together industry leaders and visionaries. Weird Fish’s win highlighted its exceptional approach to website design, seamless navigation, and cutting-edge features, all of which are expertly crafted and maintained in partnership with Webselect Ltd., their dedicated ecommerce platform partners.

Webselect Ltd., the trusted architects behind Weird Fish’s award-winning website, played a crucial role in helping the brand secure the title of “Best Fashion Website” at the eCommerce Awards 2023. The partnership between Weird Fish and Webselect Ltd. encompasses everything from building and maintaining the site to ensuring it performs at peak levels, converting visitors into loyal customers.

Weird Fish’s website is a striking fusion of function and creativity, a reflection of the company’s unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction. The intuitive layout, visually captivating design, and a comprehensive range of user-friendly features make for a seamless shopping journey for customers. Whether you’re in search of cozy knitwear to embrace the winter chill or vibrant graphic tees to make a statement, Weird Fish’s website offers a delightful and efficient shopping experience.

In an age dominated by digital communication and virtual interactions, the art of face-to-face communication remains a valuable tool in the world of marketing. Last month, a dynamic duo from Webselect Ltd., armed with business cards and a determination to connect, embarked on an inspiring journey through three industrial estates in Devon, reminding us all that there is no substitute for genuine personal interactions in building lasting business relationships.

In a candid account of their expedition, the pair recounted their experiences engaging with fellow businesses in a direct marketing campaign. Armed with the simplicity of a handshake and a warm smile, they set out to introduce themselves, establish meaningful contacts, and make a significant impact.

One of the key takeaways from this venture was the realisation that digital agencies are not mere faceless entities. Through their initiative, these Webselect representatives broke down the virtual barriers that often surround such companies and proved that there are real individuals behind the services they offer. In a world that’s increasingly automated and impersonal, this genuine effort resonated deeply with the businesses they approached.

Timing, as it often is, proved to be a crucial factor in this endeavour. The team discovered that their visits were sometimes impeccably timed, coming in as the solution to a pressing problem. For some businesses, the arrival of Webselect Ltd. marked the most beneficial introduction of the week. Others had just completed the construction of a new website, yet even in these instances, the engagement proved fruitful as a starting point for potential future collaboration.

While the immediate aim of landing a massive project was never the expectation, the experience affirmed the value of initiating genuine conversations. The courage to physically reach out, knocking on doors rather than waiting for them to open, yielded a sense of empowerment and agency. The face-to-face meetings not only laid the foundation for future working relationships but also emphasised the significance of the first move in establishing connections.

In the grand scheme of marketing endeavours, it’s easy to become enamoured with the allure of digital platforms and the potential for instant global reach. However, the inspiring journey of our intrepid duo serves as a poignant reminder that the power of human interaction remains unparalleled. By venturing out, making oneself known, and engaging in meaningful conversations, the team unlocked a treasure trove of future opportunities.

In conclusion, the value of personal connections cannot be overstated in the ever-evolving landscape of marketing. The tale of Webselect Ltd.’s expedition offers a valuable lesson for businesses big and small: don’t underestimate the impact of a handshake, a friendly chat, and a well-timed visit. As digital technologies continue to shape the way we communicate, there’s a timeless lesson to be learned – sometimes, all it takes is a pair of sturdy shoes and a genuine interest to create enduring connections that pave the way for success

With their expertise in e-commerce platform development, user experience optimisation, and digital marketing strategies, Webselect Ltd. can help businesses navigate the digital landscape with confidence.

Feel free to drop us a mail on [email protected]

or call 0208 066 1000 to talk more about how we can help you.

A round table perspective on the South West’s Food and Drink sector by industry leaders.

About the author and why this report:

Webselect is a brilliant e-commerce agency based in the heart of South Devon for the last 25 years, providing tailored and consistently solid e-commerce software solutions for accelerating online sales. Webselect builds the technology and user experience being the ‘secret sauce’ behind brands online success and it’s all engineered by a team who’ve been perfecting it for years. With a range of loyal clients across many sectors including fashion, lifestyle, gifting and food and drink, Webselect takes the time to understand a client’s business, advising towards appropriate solutions in digital channels now and for the future. As a member of Food Drink Devon, Webselect wanted to better understand the thriving food and beverage sector in the South West, take time to temperature check feelings and confidence for the year ahead with business leaders and give that insight back to the sector. The theme was ‘Surviving or Thriving?’

Executive Summary

The South West food and drink market is facing several challenges, with supply chains being a major concern. Surcharges on orders due to fuel prices, product adjustments, additional staffing, and courier costs have led to a knock-on effect, where businesses cannot offer set prices or develop products due to ingredient availability. The fuel crisis and ongoing supply delays for rural properties have also led to challenges, with businesses forced to raise wages and product prices multiple times to retain staff, while labour gaps have emerged due to the lack of seasonal workers since leaving the EU. Additionally, the monopoly of courier services and their strikes have impacted the market significantly. Sustainability and B-Corp values were discussed, but there are concerns that the value of such certifications may be diminishing.

The discussion examined the impact of e-commerce channels on businesses and highlighted the benefits and challenges of using e-commerce platforms, hiring digital agencies, and shifting to online operations due to the pandemic. The use of e-commerce platforms can streamline processes and help establish relationships with customers, but can also have high costs and limitations if not executed well. Hiring a digital agency can help businesses with digital presence but requires trust, transparency and communication. The article also notes the importance of targeting customer needs and creating a strong relationship between the business and the agency. The challenges and concerns surrounding e-commerce and digital agencies create barriers for SMEs looking to grow their online presence.

In summary

The South West food and drink market is facing significant challenges in its supply chains and labour force, which are impacting pricing, product development, and overall business operations. Recruitment, staff retention and pressure on salary expectations is and remains a significant challenge with concern for the remainder of this year. Marketing and marketing budgets are being squeezed in tougher times but there is agreement that progressive brands see the opportunity to maintain or perhaps ‘double down’ on marketing to gain a larger market share where others are cutting back. It was agreed that digital channels are vital to relationships with customers and trade partners and supply chain and building a trusting relationship with partners is key to ensuring that the outcomes match the business needs. Business leaders in the sector need guidance to help their business grow.

Is 2023 a year of surviving or thriving for the South West food and drink sector? The panel were mixed, however despite many setbacks and challenges ahead confidence remained buoyant, and the term ‘strive’ seemed to be the middle ground.

Supply Chains

“We have to sort of plan ahead and complete prices, and then we find out our costs have gone up in the meantime” – Norm Lewis, Summerskills Brewery

‘What are the key challenges to the Food and Drink market in the South West right now?’ The whole panel replied with supply chains. Amongst the issues raised were that prices are no longer set or predictable. An order may be placed and on receipt, the invoice may state a surcharge that was undisclosed at the time of order. These surcharges may be added to cover fuel prices, price adjustment of the product from the original supplier since the order was made and in some cases, additional staffing or even courier costs.

This has had an enormous knock on effect to the food and drink businesses present. They cannot offer set prices to their clients, or may have to review a price that was negotiated before their ingredients prices increased. Product development has been affected by ingredient availability. Popular products aren’t being made because the ingredients are too expensive or it’s not guaranteed that they will be made available in the near future. For fresh food producers, this has an immediate impact on the trade orders made fresh that week and whether they can fulfil orders to shops, delis, cafes and pubs. No one wants to make their produce and then find the customer can’t afford them or has to turn down their delivery, especially when fresh food spoils and can’t be reassigned to another customer on another order.

One business found this problematic as they are unsure how they are going to keep up with demand in a year where they are forecasting a 120% growth on last year, whilst a south west based soft drinks business are continually informing customers of availability on different lines each week, taking resources away from the business.

Cost of fuel

‘I bought some cask furniture (the closures for beer casks) and it came with an electricity surcharge of 19%’ – Norm Lewis, Summerskills Brewery

The ongoing fuel crisis from last year was also highlighted as a significant challenge. Devon may have the largest road network of any county but it remains predominantly rural. Many domestic and few commercial businesses are ‘off grid’ and rely on oil as their main fuel supply. These properties did not and do not receive any fuel support like those on mains gas and electricity. They are held at the mercy of the supplier getting out to them ‘when they can’. Deliveries have been delayed to accommodate larger customers, or they simply fail to show up on the days they’ve arranged. Due to the rural nature of these businesses, delivery times can take longer so the profit for the supplier becomes less – the small business fails to become a priority for the suppliers.

Staffing costs

“With the challenges around recruitment, I’m looking at digital to try and streamline processes and make the fulfilment of an order as efficient as possible.”- John Williams, Greendale

Last year, one company put their wages up 3 times in one year, and raised their product prices twice. This was to keep the staff happy and incentivised, feel valued and appreciated. The minimum wage keeps rising and to keep the skilled workers at the set rate above the minimum wages, there was a rise across the board. This equates to hundreds of pounds a week. Another business used to have a workforce come from abroad, seasonal workers, for 4 months. Since leaving the EU, they’ve not returned and a huge labour gap has been left. The business turned to a local college to try and fill these gaps but the staff turnover became high and increased the overheads for training and onboarding new staff. The problem still isn’t sorted or running as smoothly as it should, but they’re having to try different tactics to find a solution.

The term recruitment affected everyone at the table. With 71.4% of the table looking to offer jobs this year, here are a few reasons why they were not looking forward to the recruitment process…

• No one wants to work, or if they do it’s for 15.99 hours, the point at which it affects their benefits.
• Young people who would have typically gone out to get a weekend or holiday part time job – experiences at the table to date are that they have little work ethic. Common sense is lacking and there is no ‘gumption’ to just get the job done. They have more rights than ever and far better wages and work environments but this doesn’t appear to be enough.
• The hospitality industry is used as a holding ground before the ‘better, more desired’ job comes along.
• Agency staff are used to fill a staff gap but they cost the earth and usually don’t stick around long after training. They become transient. Any time taken to train or support new staff is time, money and energy lost and has led to some employers placing more work upon themselves – twist it around and it’s time saved, even though they themselves are then working harder. THis in itself is a risk to business as it is not sustainable.
• Businesses that had turned to the European market to fill seasonal vacancies lost out when Brexit happened and the UK market hasn’t stepped up to fill the gap.

The hospitality industry has been horribly underfunded for years and minimum wages have only served to attract temporary, low skilled, seasonal workers before they move on in their employment. After a 4 month placement, one worker left to start employment in her dream job. This was 4 months of time, training, effort, sharing of a passion… that was just wasted. It’s left a bitter taste in the employer’s mouth who is now finding it difficult to try and fill that place again, but rather just take on the extra work on themselves. When a small business invests in new staff, they are vulnerable to losing time and energy that could have been directed elsewhere in the business.

Reduced travel services and increased housing costs from ‘re-locating Londoners’ who do not invest in the economy all year round have crippled the labour pool of those people who love the area, who want to stay and be part of their heritage, landscape and culture. To buy into their community sometimes isn’t an option.

Sustainability credential / B-Corp

“It shows that you care” – Cheryl Ingram, Jolly’s Drinks

‘Is this something we should all do?’ If you’re doing it naturally and particularly if it’s part of the owner/founder’s personal beliefs, then Yes. The news of BrewDog losing their B-Corp status has shaken the table into deep consideration of ‘is it worth it?’ Views were shared that if your business genuinely holds those values, then an initial self audit can highlight whether you match the B-Corp values – on completion, you can determine whether it’s right for you. It was voiced that the B-Corp values can be used as a framework to support your business working towards those values without actually applying for B-Corp status.

The status of ‘being B-Corp’ was recently scrutinised when Innocent drinks gained their B-Corp certificate even though the parent company Coca Cola hadn’t. What made Innocent so different to Coca Cola if they are led by the same business leaders? BrewDog recently lost their B-Corp status leaving business leaders asking how it would affect them if the same happened to them. How would that tarnish the brand and what if it’s a factor out of their control, say a law or a change in supplier due to supply chain issues? Everyone agreed that it was a deeply personal choice taken by each business leader with many factors to be taken into consideration including those of the business culture accounting for staff, consumer and environment.

The panel was interested to discuss the emergence of a new target market. Whilst of a generation that were always the new up and coming generation, it feels like the pandemic has streamlined their requirements. Eco. Ethos. Brand values. This is a younger generation looking to reduce their carbon footprint and wherever possible, pay a little more to support their personal values and beliefs. They are far more engaged with social media and are more willing to showcase these values and brand support than previous generations.

The core dilemma for the panel was whether consumers and customers are making direct purchase decisions based on sustainability credentials and the cost of achieving a recognised accreditation, there was no clear understanding.

Couriers and outbound distribution

“We tried sending parcels to ourselves to get the full experience” – Cheryl Ingram, Jolly’s Drinks

The Royal Mail strikes in December 2022 really focused the spotlight on supply logistics with the inconvenience being emphasised just before Christmas. The whole table concurred that the situation had been stressful and created some difficult conversations and decisions, undoubtedly revenues and reputations were lost.

On the announcement of the strikes, businesses looked to couriers to fill the gap and couriers approached businesses to support where they could. With one less service being provided, it was placed upon the remaining services who in the time sensitive period before Christmas who then had their services oversubscribed. The perception was they’d been greedy. One leader had booked 300 slots for a courier collection which was hastily reduced to 70 leaving 230 courier pick up slots to be found. Some people turned to using 3-4 couriers and playing them off against each other to ensure a decent price and fulfilment of shipping goods. Others were ringing around trying to book slots at local shops and garages. A test run with 3 different couriers was made to allow the business to make the right choice for them – if they could see how they were treated and the product in transit, they could trust and rely on that courier as a partner.

2-3 weeks after the Royal Mail’s initial strike action had started, the courier’s customer service became sloppy. Complaints ranged from no communications, late pick up and even no shows for pick-up’s waiting for them – they’d effectively been ‘bumped’ for the larger customers. Business owners and management teams were taking out delivery vans themselves, anything to make sure that deliveries were made. To date, not a single business has returned to Royal Mail.

A handful of Christmas deliveries were never received. Refunds were duly made to the customer and claims were made against the courier, who did eventually refund the £7 delivery charge. Why should the small business lose out because of the courier’s mistakes? As a small business, customer loyalty and product satisfaction is so much more important as every order or transaction is buying into someone’s time and passion. With spending contracted due to press stories of a shrinking economy, orders reduced and couriers failing to deliver, Christmas was a much tougher time than normal. Typically it is that Christmas boom that can support a small business through the quieter months of January and February.

The press coverage on the strikes did ensure the public were aware of the delivery crisis and softened some awkward conversations when customers were placing or chasing their orders.

Marketing in hard times

“If possible, you’ve got to try and maintain your level of marketing activity, so when the economy recovers and consumer confidence returns, you’re at the top of the pile” – John Williams, Greendale

Universally, everyone agreed that they had thought to cut their marketing budget as soon as financial difficulties or priorities were changed. However, everyone also agreed that this was a ‘cutting your nose off despite your face’ reaction. When costs are going up and less people are investing in your produce, it’s natural to adapt your spending – we do it domestically and professionally. Long term however, it makes sense to have your brand known, still current and relevant for when spending does change and people are able to invest in that brand that’s been through the harder times with them. We just need to be smarter with it and adapt your marketing strategy to support a leaner budget. Be the business that people are excited to buy into when they are more able too.

One business at the table took the step of increasing their marketing budget when the financial news was building over the past 6 months. They wholly believe they are setting themselves ready for the upturn, when it happens.

Should producers sell online?

“It’s kind of becoming the norm isn’t it? So many people and generations growing up, as well as my children, they just buy everything online” – Matt Szczepura, Brickhouse Garden

The majority of the table does sell online and have had a shop presence online since before the pandemic. Everyone has different volumes being sold online and this is typically product dependent. Drinks cans are heavy and cost more to transport; fresh foods and hampers require refrigeration; veg bags are ordered and distributed locally – everyone’s experience of online retail was different.

There was a definite growth in online sales as the pandemic hit March 2020. In fact they rocketed. What has been interesting is that while the return of foot-to-floor purchases have reduced online sales overall, they have not fallen back to pre-pandemic levels. The trend to shop online has remained.

People are enjoying the convenience of a product being delivered to their door. This was noted during and after the pandemic where visitors to the region have remained engaged with a brand on their return home and continued to support the brand from a distance by ordering online. One chance encounter and an e-commerce platform are allowing businesses to engage and create a loyal customer base, build a relationship over a distance. A slick e-commerce platform and gateway allows this process to be streamlined without too much thought, making it easier for the customer.

E-commerce platforms

“We got recommendations from established companies and got introduced and because the cost of implementation was reasonable” – Matt Szczepura, Brickhouse Garden

The ‘as a service’ platforms such as Shopify do a perfectly good job for the here and now and can be built quite quickly at relatively low cost, but there were concerns voiced over how to have the site grow with their businesses or support a business change and way of working. The platforms can be very linear, limited templates that don’t always sit cohesively with the brand. There are many charges too – monthly subscriptions, security levels, payment charges, extras for additional functions for example sale banners, increasing Stock Keeping Units (SKU) numbers – they all add up to an unexpected sum each month. The time it can take to build, maintain and support a site yourself can and does take up a disproportionate amount of time away from running the business and is a frustration.

Amazon and Etsy were also used as a sales platform. They are able to offer your products ads, SEO, CMS, all in one tight package – you can see their appeal. Over time these platforms were dropped once extortionate bills were coming through with confusing bill charges – if their product was featured in an ad, even if they didn’t request it, an additional charge was made against the profit made from that product, reducing margins.

“Amazon could honestly be a full time job” – Harriet Judge

It was noticed that once an original product was uploaded onto Amazon , within weeks or even days, replica products would be available for half the price. In the current climate, for the same looks, people are opting to save a bit of extra money. If any of these giants went bust – all product reviews would be lost (no one leaves reviews on the company website. Itt’s too many clicks away and consumers are inherently lazy by nature), all energies put into ads or SEO would be lost.

Amazon and Etsy are great for wholesale fulfilment to consumer models, but if you are artisan or small in any way, they will not serve you well with minimal margins to be made and a significant amount of time.

Trying to stay local to keep business in the area, but quickly realised the skill sets aren’t necessarily easy to find for digital support – you have to look for the expertise pitching at your needs and budgets.

Digital agencies

‘What makes me really nervous is when I expose myself to a cost that I can’t control, trust with a partner is everything’ – Greg Parsons, Sharpham Cheese

Sadly this topic evoked a collective sigh around the table. Small business owners are quick to put their hands up and state wholeheartedly that they do not know how to do everything – but when they don’t fully understand what they don’t know, they’ll often give it a go. This is the very reason that GoDaddy, Wix, WooCommerce and Shopify exist. Why buy from an agency when you can complete a template yourself and you have full autonomy over it. This is perfectly acceptable until… the business grows, you cannot give the website the time to grow with you, you need to add a new function to your e-commerce page.

Digital Agencies are full of all these people who have the skills to complete these tasks in the click of a finger – but you don’t know what you don’t know, until you find out you didn’t know it. Frustrations lay with agencies failing to be transparent with the client or not listening to the clients specific concerns. Not being able to tailor services to each business’ timeline or area for growth development. There’s no point growing a website’s SEO and the digital presence if the business is unable to scale up production in the same timeframe. This is untenable. And anyway, why is SEO important?

The digital space that we now rely upon to support our business presence, influence, existence is such a fast developing arena that it feels intangible. Once we’ve grasped e-commerce, we suddenly have to learn about social commerce. Speaking of which, which socials best suit our business or time that we can give it? It is these concerns that create a barrier to SME’s taking the digital steps with agencies and businesses to grow their presence online.

Why hire that agency?

It all comes down to education and transparency. If an agency could model and tailor their services they’re offering to suit your business size, growth model and immediate needs, the table believed that they would be more inclined to use an agency, gain trust with them that they were working for their clients best interests – even if this service had to be tailored month on month or quarter by quarter. Costings. Be transparent please. What does £150 a month site support include? Why are this month’s fees so different from last month’s? Show us the analytics that prove that the work you are completing is working. Work with us to grow with us at the speed in which supports us.

Everyone around the table had experience of an agency stating that they would deliver, but on closer inspection actually failed to ‘see’ the business therefore ingraining a culture of mistrust or scepticism over services that could actually and genuinely create a positive customer experience and engagement with their brand.

Contracts weren’t always signed on trust and transparency alone. One business was fortunate to be able to tender their requirements and based the final decision on trust, transparency, skill sets, price, portfolio comparison (is this agency taking us on, only to focus on larger clients?) and did they like the team? Could the relationship work? Whilst this established client is extremely fortunate to be able to accommodate this process, it was discussed that not everyone was able to and were dependent on budgets, stage of the business development and growth, and immediate market focus. In the first instance, you might be bound purely by cost however there was a recognition that you ‘get what you pay for’ and an investment in a good well built, structured e-commerce site was an investment in the business for the medium to long term.

Social patterns, disposable income and product value

“If people are going out less, they want something nice” – Cheryl Ingram, Jolly’s Drinks

Consumers are significantly changing their disposable income spending habits. The recent financial news and forecasts are being reflected in consumer spending. Eating out is happening still, but most definitely on a smaller scale. When people do eat out or are looking to treat themselves, they’re aiming for quality over quantity, treating themselves to locally sourced, or an affordable luxury to enjoy at home. If disposable income is limited, there is a market who wants to make sure they are spending it in the right way on the right produce. This must be reflected in the product – a £20 plate of food must reflect £20 of quality produce and credentials, brand and origin story to back the price point.

Meeting a brand on holiday in the South West and then ‘taking it home with them’ not only showcases the products on a national scale but highlights the ease at which e-commerce can support brand loyalty and the introduction of your products to further afield than your initial local distribution scale.

Premium perception

A few businesses at the table were able to discuss the evolving change of ‘premium’. Premium is starting to be aligned with locally sourced, artisan, small batch, local produce rather than internationally known products and brands. One small distillery isn’t anything to worry about, but a whole evolving sector of many small businesses that are garnering local support, are knocking the previous brands from their once revered heights. They may be small but in large numbers they have created a concern for the renowned brands who have in reaction to this realisation started to knock on smaller doors to create bespoke collaborations and retain their hold on the markets.

Product value

At what point will people stop paying for your product and look for cheaper? This query was posed and no one was able to answer it. Cheaper products are already out there and readily available. The products at the table are conscious choices made by the consumer to support local, artisan, reduced footprint, brand identity and no one could answer when they knew the point at which customers would then take that decision to support a cheaper alternative. The

many factors affecting these ‘push’ decisions go far beyond our control and into domestic budgets. These are personal budgets that our supply chains, business rates and staff costs have no significance over. This is worrying when a typical business year would see one price rise usually made in line with inflation and cost of living but some businesses at the table have had to make 2 price rises in one year even though their suppliers may have made 3 or 4 for them to absorb in the same time frame.

It was widely agreed across the table that transparency goes a long way to building trust, engaging new and existing customers with your product and brand. If you’re honest about why costs are going up, why your delivery is going to be late and are willing to hold honest and open conversations, people are more likely to understand. It might not fix an issue but at least everyone can gain a perspective and empathy towards one another. A working relationship may well be put on hold for factors beyond your influence, but it’ll be there another day if factors realign to enable the relationship again.

International monopoly

A high level of frustration was vented over the increasing international monopoly larger corporations hold over blocking markets for smaller scale businesses. Packaging, couriers, ingredients, market pricing, taxes on imports (10%) over local produce (20%) – whilst everyone was doing their utmost to curb the impacts of these giants over our industry, it all feels a little bit helpless.

What can and is being done to support the industry’s tenacious business owners? Even though we’ve left the EU, we still have international companies deciding how they influence our supply chains and the regulations are still not in place to support our nation’s best interests or food security in these decisions, they are wholly out of our hands.

Packaging

“For an artisan quality product, we sought to present our produce in fine packaging. After speaking with our wholesale clients about the market and potential price rises to accommodate the new packaging costs, everyone said they were more than happy with the product, the packaging almost didn’t matter. We now supply a few customers using mushroom crates repurposed from a local business and a cheaper recyclable cardboard box whilst maintaining our sustainability credentials.” – Clair Harrison-Jones, Shepherd Shack Catering

The last few years have had an increasing awareness of being ‘eco’ and especially from your packaging. This really came to the forefront of businesses’ consciousness during the pandemic when cardboard prices increased tremendously as everyone turned to online shopping. Small businesses were now competing on the same platform as larger wide scale businesses and decisions had to be made about whether the consumer would be focused on fancy, eco, lightweight, protective packaging. Those decisions were made rather quickly in the first instance and as time went on and more packaging was required, businesses were able to reflect on what mattered to them, their consumer and ultimately, what they could afford to purchase in a turbulent market.

Finding packaging for the smaller individual items was more challenging as larger businesses were able to offer up front fees to ensure their supply didn’t suffer or diminish which posed a significant problem to smaller scale businesses who were not able to offer this financial incentive. Cans and bottles were ordered and in some cases were more expensive once an additional surcharge was added on delivery. The monopoly over being able to order large scale quantities really impacted on the smaller businesses who had no perceived impact on the markets.

Customer engagement

Meet your target market! A discussion was had about the buyers of the products and there was often a stark contrast in product lines being popular with B2B compared to those preferred by B2C. Fayres, tasting events, event support, markets, trade fairs – anything that can introduce your product to a customer became so much more important after the Covid pandemic. We were re-introducing our brands and reminding people of who we were, that we were still here and in some cases had developed even more or different product lines. You simply cannot ‘try’ a product online so putting it in front of people and finding out face to face what people like about your product, or don’t, or where they can purchase it is all such valuable information and feedback that online just cannot offer. This goes for wholesale too as they are often bridging the gap and getting your product onto the shelves.

Business Forecasts – ‘Surviving or Thriving?’

The final question: Do the Panel see this as a year to survive or thrive?

Businesses are looking to thrive. Business plans and financial decisions are being scrutinised more regularly to support short term and long term growth. Of the businesses around the table, some businesses were less optimistic and see this is a year to survive whilst a majority was looking to thrive. It was wholly acknowledged that the next 6 months would pose challenges and would potentially be seen as the ‘survive’ months but beyond that, opportunities were being sought after, the pandemic mantra of ‘adapt’ was key to embracing a wholly unwritable or predictable 2023. International events and corporations will continue to have an impact on the decisions made, the directions taken and will ultimately shape how these businesses look to complete 2023 and indeed if they look anything like they did at the start.

The panel agreed that to be a food and drink business owner, you have to demonstrate a fair amount of tenacity and agility and whilst it appeared for a while that this would be dampened, this group of representatives are clearly seeking to stand their ground, speak up and be proud of their achievements to date. Overall, there is confidence in the industry, all businesses continue to strive and are looking to the spring summer season, it looks like 2023 might actually be a year to thrive. Watch this space.

The contributors

Location: Webselect, 1, New Walk, Totnes, Devon

Attendees:

Harriet Judge
Marketing and e-commerce Manager, China Blue

Norm Lewis
Owner, Summerskills Brewery

Greg Parsons
Owner, Sharpham Cheese

Matt Szczepura
Director, Brickhouse Vineyard and Garden

Cheryl Ingram
Director, Jolly’s Drinks

John Williams
e-commerce and Marketing, Greendale Farm Shop

Clair Harrison-Jones
Business Development Executive, Webselect
Director, Shepherd Shack Catering

Matthew Hill
Managing Director, Webselect / Host of Round Table discussion

Reporting Authors:

It’s no longer news that eCommerce has become an increasingly important channel for businesses to sell their products. However, as more businesses seek to open up new channels, less obvious retailers such as horticultural nurseries are embracing the possibilities it brings to reach customers beyond their local area. According to a 2019 survey conducted by the Horticultural Trades Association, gardening is the most popular hobby in the UK, with an estimated 27 million adults actively gardening, indicating an enormous market waiting to be tapped.

Additionally, a study conducted by the Royal Horticultural Society in 2020 found that more than three-quarters of UK adults surveyed (77%) said that gardening had a positive impact on their mental health and well-being, adding another market segment for savvy retailers to appeal to.

In this blog, we will explore some of the key considerations for horticultural nurseries in the UK looking to sell online.

In addition to selling directly to consumers, horticultural nurseries in the UK may also want to target industry specific periphery businesses such as wholesalers, landscape gardeners, and even outdoor living and lifestyle. These businesses can be a valuable source of revenue, especially during times when B2C demand is low.

When it comes to choosing an eCommerce platform, it’s important to do your research and choose one that meets your specific needs. Some platforms are better suited to small businesses, while others are designed for larger enterprises. You should also consider factors such as ease of use, customer support, and ease of integration with other software tools.

It’s also possible that you already have a website that’s not delivering the results you need. If that’s the case. it’s time to consider digital marketing strategies – search engine optimisation, paid Google ads, social media advertising and email marketing are all effective ways to reach new customers and keep existing ones engaged with your business.

‘We use a lot of social media such as Instagram but we know we need to look at our website again. It doesn’t reflect us as a business anymore but we just haven’t got the time, or patience, to update it.’

Finally, if you have any further queries about selling online and eCommerce for horticultural nurseries, we’re here to act as a sounding board for your ideas and questions. Having a thriving business from home means you can focus on what you love – growing beautiful plants – while still reaching a wider audience through eCommerce.

Horticultural nurseries in the UK have a great opportunity to expand their business by selling online, and the demand is there. With the right eCommerce platform, digital marketing strategy, and mindset, your business can reach new customers and increase your revenue without sacrificing your love for growing plants.

To find out more, contact

By calling: 0208 066 1000

Or email us at: [email protected]

To see some happy gardening clients of ours, visit here