Online shopping has become a standard for the retail industry. It’s demanded and expected by the average modern consumer to make their purchase as convenient as possible. Not only does online retail benefit consumers, but it also boosts profitability for businesses.
Shoppers spent $517.36 billion online with U.S. retailers in 2018, a 15 percent increase from the total spent in 2017. With ecommerce on the rise, retailers cannot deny that an online shopping portal is not only in demand but expected of all modern retail businesses.
With the launch of Play It Again Sports’ ecommerce marketplace, we are continuing Winmark’s goal to meet customers where they want to buy: online.
After a test run of the ecommerce site in 2017, we launched the full service in May 2019. The service allows franchisees to decide what items they allow for sale online and whether or not those products are available for shipping or have to be picked up in-store. Since the launch, there’s been a noticeable increase in how quickly higher-priced retail items have sold compared to in-store, with golf, hockey and baseball equipment leading the sales.
The Demand is Digital
The digital consumer trend is growing. Nearly two billion people made a purchase online in 2019 so far. By 2021, over 2.14 billion people are expected to make an online purchase.
One of the driving factors behind the booming digital marketplace is the value consumers see in finding exactly what they are looking for after just a few clicks. Sixty-two percent of shoppers cite this benefit as a reason they shop online.
Our franchisees’ stores are stacked to the brim with quality used and new sporting equipment. Since those stores’ inventory depends on what equipment the community sells our franchisees, the stock can vary. By allowing customers to shop from all Play It Again Sports stores online at once, the ecommerce site is the perfect way to give more customers more access to more inventory.
Boosting the Brand
At Winmark®, our brand gives our franchisees a leg up on other retail competition. By being a sustainable, reputable and proven resale franchisor, we provide our franchisees with trustworthy and respected branding to leverage for success.
A key aspect of building the Winmark brand into what it is today has been exposure. In today’s digital age, gaining that exposure is just clicks away. With the launch of Play It Again Sports’ ecommerce service, we can now reach an entire nation of potential customers within seconds.
Consumers want shopping to be easy. They want to shop from home, browse, read reviews and compare products from their couch. The introduction of online shopping for Play It Again Sports increases our visibility and credibility as a retail brand by letting consumers shop how they want, when they want.
Offering an ecommerce site for Play It Again Sports allows our franchisees to widen their reach and attract customers from all over the country. The service provides an additional revenue stream for franchisees and a universal shopping cart for their customers.
Do you want to own a retail business with a strong presence in today’s digital marketplace? Contact us today!