Ready for e-commerce?

The last 12 months have been quite tumultuous for the catering and foodservice industry, acknowledges First Internet’s Julaine Speight, who has some web site tips for café operators.

ALTERNATIVES

As doors were closed (then opened, then closed again) up and down the country, independent and chain cafés and restaurants alike have all looked for an alternative option - through takeaway, meal prep provision, or full delivery service – and meaning web sites need to be fit for purpose.

There’s been a whole new reliance on the internet as people seek products and services online (Forbes reported a rise of 141% in online shopping in the first quarter of 2020 alone).

For many café owners, a web site might have previously served as a simple online flyer – something to promote the brand, communicate the menu, and drive footfall into the premises. Covid changed all this, however, and bricks and mortar eating establishments are now increasingly looking to change their site to e-commerce, operating as a ‘dark store’ for the foreseeable future.

‘Dark stores’ are traditional retail units that have been converted to local fulfilment centres. There was a huge rise of them in 2020 in response to Covid, although experts have pointed out that they had already gained popularity in the US as larger retail centres fell empty and were used as warehouses and storage facilities.

Here in the UK, we’ve seen restaurants, bars, retail outlets and cafés all adapt and turn their hand to delivery - and based on the success of it, some could now be considering a split approach in the future, with a traditional offering supplemented by a delivery option for the newly home-based consumer.

This means that old web sites will need to be turned into viable, competitive e-commerce platforms. If you’re thinking of switching your offering in 2021, here are some tips on how to embrace e-commerce and turn your outlet into a sustainable delivery or takeaway business, and use all or part of your premises as a ‘dark store’.

First Internet (www.firstinternet.co.uk) is an awardwinning full-service digital marketing agency based in Altrincham, Greater Manchester. Services include website design and development, UX design, SEO, social media management and content marketing, and their lients have included family run pâtissier and chocolatier, Slattery, Greenhalgh’s craft bakery, Martin’s Bakery and Superior Catering.

GET THE BASICS RIGHT

Your food hygiene accreditations, your insurance, your optimum delivery time and distances, your potential busy times and your staffing all need to be researched, and there may be some trial and error. Take the time to look at what has worked for other food businesses and non-food delivery businesses in your area. Learn from their mistakes! Communicate all your accreditations on your site. Without the tactile café experience, it proves your credentials and earns trust.

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

You have an existing customer base, but you could be opening yourself up to a whole new audience with delivery, so make sure you communicate yourself well to both. Don’t assume people know everything about you; take the time to promote your story online – including your food and your staff. People buy into people after all.

GET YOUR IMAGES RIGHT

Make sure you optimise your images (compress them so they are the optimal file size and use next gen formats): specify width and height so that they are uniform and well presented. Uploading large files will affect page speed; optimising images greatly improves experience, as does employing methods such as lazy load so the user can scroll and interact with a page while off screen content loads as it’s needed rather than all in one go, which can take much longer and be frustrating for the user.

MAKE IT USER FRIENDLY

If you are making the switch to e-commerce, you are increasing the level of user interaction. Ease of use and encouraging people to place orders quickly is therefore the priority. This is becoming even more important due to Google’s increased prioritisation of UX Google - due to release a new algorithmic update in May 2021 which will show preference to sites it deems to have good user experience, thereby fulfilling Google’s Core Web Vitals Assessment. Sites deemed to have good usability will be labelled as such, immediately making them more appealing to consumers.

MAKE IT MOBILE

Over half of global traffic comes from mobile devices according to Statista data, so you need to make sure your offering is suitable to use across all types of device. It’s rare that you’d place a food order on your desktop, so your site being mobile friendly is even more important in this industry. In fact, it should be developed using a “mobile first” mentality - you may want to consider developing your own app as these are often more user friendly, especially in industries wishing to encourage repeat orders. An app also places your brand on a customer’s phone permanently, occupying valuable real estate and brand prominence.

KEEP IT POSITIVE

Over recent years, Google has introduced several assessments to rank the usability of websites. These assessments are conducted to understand how positively or negatively a person responds to a web page. To create a positive user experience, ensure your key content is clearly signposted and accessible, your messaging is clear and concise and you are guiding the user on their journey with strong and meaningful calls to action. Make the ordering process as simple as possible and make sure your comms are straightforward and easy to understand.

SECURITY

Security magazine reported that the UK has seen a 31% increase in cybercrime during the pandemic as less secure home servers are manipulated. Interpol’s cybercrime threat response team reported a “significant increase” in attempted ransomware attacks around the world. If you are asking consumers to pay online, or taking any information, you need to ensure your system is robust.

REVIEWS

According to Qualtrics data, 93% of consumers read an online review before buying, so it’s hugely beneficial to generate good reviews for your service – both on your own and on a third-party site. Don’t feel shy about asking for these reviews - 68% of customers will leave a review if asked, report Brightlocal. Include the best comments on your web site or social media profiles. If reviews start to get negative, it’s best to try to take the conversation offline or onto a private platform. It’s equally important to respond to negative, as well as positive, reviews; show your willingness to resolve any conflict and address any issues that may arise.

DRIVE TRAFFIC THE RIGHT WAY

You are competing with the likes of Deliveroo and UberEats now, so you need to invest in promoting your site through hyperlocal news sites, local media, other local businesses and social media channels. Use effective SEO (search engine optimisation), Google Ads and both organic and paid social media promotions. Promoting your own brand this way benefits you in the long-term: you’re not relying on Deliveroo and Uber Eats for example, where you’re up against a huge number of competitors and paying hefty fees.

Hopefully, 2021 will see a return to some semblance of normal, but for many café owners and restaurants, the combination of face to face food service and delivery may be the future - providing a guaranteed revenue stream and an opportunity to adapt to the different demands of the postCovid consumer.