E-shop with services

On the Internet you can offer more than just items. How are selling services and products different? How to run a service model in e-commerce, the Shoper platform advises.

It all starts with the search engine

A search engine starts looking for an employee health and safety course, a sushi making workshop or an escape room adventure. This is the main argument for selling services online. - In addition to e-shops based on the traditional model of selling products, those with services also operate on our platform. The store becomes a convenient way for them to distribute services, from their presentation and promotion to fast and secure payment and acceptance of terms and conditions," enumerates Tomasz Tybon, director of marketing and sales at Dreamcommerce, provider of Shoper online store software.

What are you actually selling?

In the case of an e-commerce site with services - whether it be child care rental, a cooking course or legal advice - the object for sale becomes time, knowledge and the service provider himself. Although the service is virtual, the benefit that will induce the customer to buy should be a tangible result - such as learning a new skill or solving a problem.

The presentation of the service provider is very important - while the "about us" tab in a traditional online store is at the bottom or on the side, and the focus remains on the products, here information about the service provider plays a major role. Presenting him professionally affects the credibility of the services he provides.

What should be included in an e-service store?

Just like the products sold, the services offered should be comprehensively described and include specifics. In addition to the intended effects and benefits, also the duration, dates, location, information on who the service is intended for. What convinces new customers to take advantage of the purchase are the opinions of those who have already used the service. So it is worth updating the description on the site with the opinions of participants and photos showing the course or effects of the service.

The store platform allows you to clearly present your offerings and add descriptions. If the services do not have specific prices, they can be hidden in the system. But it is the clear presentation of the price list that is the main advantage of the e-shop. The costs given and the rules of cooperation specified in the terms and conditions give the customer a sense of security and confidence in the execution of the order. On the other hand, adding to the shopping cart and buying with a payment order obliges the customer to fulfill his obligations, which is an advantage for the e-shop.

For those offering tickets for events or training courses on different dates, it will be useful to plug in a calendar so that when placing an order, the customer selects a specific date. The booking system will thus help the service provider not to sell more than he can perform.

It is worth thinking about introducing the option of buying services "as gifts." Such forms of gifts are very popular. They provide inspiration for those who have no idea and help for forgetful people who buy and print a voucher at the last minute.

Thinking about expanding your offerings

- According to our recent report, systematically enriching the offer is one of the key factors influencing sales. Adding new products to the store encourages former and current customers to buy again and influences the acquisition of new ones. When expanding your offer, you need to be guided first and foremost by the needs of buyers, suggests Tomasz Tybon of the Shoper platform. If one type of training is successful, it is worth creating other modules that deepen the problem or relate to a similar topic. It's also a good idea to tailor workshops to different target groups. The Best Food Catering Group (http://thebestfood.pl), which runs the Cooking Academy, offers general cooking workshops, workshops for companies, and workshops for children, among them classes for schools and kindergartens, for teenagers, and birthday and half-day cooking camps.

Workshops or trainings also often appear as a supplement to the offer of a store selling products in a selected field. E.g. Gohero.pl film equipment store selling GoPro drones and cameras has created for its customers a Filming Academy, consisting of various training courses on operating drones. Operating this type of equipment requires passing exams, for which experts from the store prepare - thus helping customers realize themselves not only by selling equipment but also tailored services.