Each year we see more and more Brides and Mother’s of the Bride shopping the internet for the wedding supplies they need, to plan what is likely one of the most significant events in their lives. They visit us through the wondrous technology of the Internet, just as though they walked through the front door of our store.
From Wedding Gowns to Flowers, and from Ring Pillows to Pew Bows, the number of Internet-based wedding businesses supplying these buyers is also growing. There are Internet-based businesses physically located in just about every city in the world. You, as buyers, have access to all of them through your home computer. The products you purchase come carefully packaged and delivered right to your door. It’s an exciting process, and one that has a few advantages over more conventional shopping methods.
Internet Shoppers very soon realize there’s huge savings to be gained by shopping online. Most Internet-based businesses do not have large and elaborate showrooms, warehouses or storefronts. They don’t need an extensive sales staff. The lack of overhead usually translates into lower prices for the buying public. 50% to 70% off retail price is not uncommon on the Internet.
Internet-based businesses also offer a wider variety of products from which to choose. Buyers can find dozens, if not hundreds, of very talented wedding designers – dressmakers, bow-makers, florists and stores, supplying virtually any type of wedding accessory them may need, accessible to them from the comfort of their own home. It can be an incredible and very rewarding experience.
It occurred to me very shortly after I began my own Internet business that those with whom I come in contact, usually via email, will never meet me or the other fine sellers on the Internet. We remain anonymous, not by choice, but by circumstance. And yet, we ask these buyers to take a tremendous leap of faith by putting their trust in us. We ask that they trust our expertise. We ask that they trust our commitment. This is a tremendously large request we, as business owners, make of our potential clients.
Most of us take the commitment very seriously. We work long hours, and in many cases, work just as hard for our clients, as do shopkeepers in cities, everywhere. I’m at my computer about 12 to 15 hours, 6 days a week, and I believe most Internet-based Business owners are no different.
Many online shoppers forget that Internet-based Businesses are much more than a computer somewhere in the world. They are owned and operated by people. People as real as those who shop, and as human as those they work to service. Many of them have families. Most of the business owners who are serious about a successful business on the Internet are willing to devote much of their time to building your trust and earning your confidence.
As much as there are benefits to shopping online, it’s also important to shop wisely. Once you’ve searched and found a site that provides a product you want, check the site for contact information, a phone number, mailing address,and email address to which you can send questions. A site with a registered domain name is most reliable (Do a whois search for the domain/website address so you can see who owns it), and an email address using that domain is usually a little less anonymous than a gmail or yahoo account.
Don’t be afraid to test the dedication of an Internet-based business. Before selecting an Internet-based supplier, check his or her dedication. Send an email. It should take very little time to receive a response from a business that has your best interests in mind. Just as you would not likely patron a store who’s doors remain locked during a normal business day, you would not buy from an Internet-based business who does not respond quickly to your efforts to purchase the products they offer. If you don’t receive a response during a normal business day, within 24 hours, find another supplier.