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Some estimates suggest retail businesses lose 10–30% of potential sales by not offering online purchasing options — and multichannel customers spend four times more than those who only shop in-store.
But many boutique and craft stores thrive on touch, feel, and in-person interaction. How much can a website increase sales for those businesses? The numbers speak for themselves:
- 80% of people find local businesses by searching online.
- Customers are 2.7 times more likely to trust businesses with completed Google Business Profiles.
- 55% of customers prefer to browse a store’s inventory online before visiting in person.
A great website goes beyond online shopping — it drives visibility, earns trust, and brings customers through your door.
That said, you don’t have to be an IT expert or a marketing professional to build a strong online presence. Here are seven important statistics and practical tips to help you create a website that increases sales.
1. Many Local Searches Lead to Store Visits
76% of “near me” searches lead to a store visit within 24 hours — and 90% of those visitors make a purchase within a week. A strong website puts your store in front of those shoppers at exactly the right moment.
Today’s shoppers aren’t strictly online or in-store. Many — especially younger customers — research businesses online before visiting in person.
To capture these hybrid shoppers, it’s important to have detailed information online, including:
- A solid home and about page that emphasizes your expertise (i.e., why people should trust you)
- Updated contact information and address
- Detailed product descriptions that show off your niche
- A clear, easy-to-navigate list of products and services
Work local keywords into your product and business descriptions, too. Phrases like “Denver-based craft store” or “handmade accessories from local Atlanta artists” make your store more likely to show up in local search results.
Finally, keep your product and pricing information accurate and up to date. If a customer comes into your store only to find your prices don’t match your website, you might lose their trust. Avoid these mismatches by using an e-commerce platform that syncs your inventory information automatically. That way, you won’t be scrambling to make manual updates.
2. Most People Find Your Website Through Google
Google accounts for 92% of all searches — and 46% of those searches are for local information. For boutique and craft stores, that means Google is where most potential customers will find you first.
To increase your online visibility, start with search engine optimization (SEO).
The most important step is updating your Google Business Profile so your store appears in “near me” searches and on Google Maps. Make sure your profile includes your:
- Business name
- Contact number and address
- Opening hours
- Website link
- List of services
The more detailed your Google Business Profile, the better. Prioritize Google, but don’t forget to update your profile on Bing and Apple Maps to cover additional search traffic.
Related Read: How To Find the Perfect Craft Business Name
3. The Majority of Google Searches Happen on Mobile
71% of people who search on Google are doing it on a smartphone. If your website doesn’t work well on mobile, you risk losing potential customers before they ever see your products.
Use a mobile-responsive web design — one that automatically adjusts layout and images to fit any screen size. Most modern website builders handle this by default, so it’s worth checking that yours does too.
Speed matters just as much. For boutique and craft stores, large image files are usually what slows a website down. Use a free tool like TinyPNG to compress images without losing quality. This ensures your website’s loading times are snappy.
4. Online Reviews Help Build Trust
When researching a business, 90% of shoppers start by reading reviews. Good reviews, bad reviews, or no reviews — all give customers a picture of your business.
For local craft and boutique stores, competing on price with corporate giants is increasingly challenging. Positive reviews can give your business the customer service edge those companies lack.
Encourage happy customers to leave a review, especially after an in-person event or sale, and take time to respond to reviews — positive and negative. It signals that you’re engaged and care about the experience.
Also consider adding product reviews to your website. They provide transparency for shoppers and can surface consistent issues with a particular supplier or brand before they become bigger problems.
5. People Spend More When You’re Multichannel
Adding an online sales channel can meaningfully grow your revenue. Customers who shop both in person and online spend four times more on average than in-store-only shoppers — and 10 times more than online-only customers.
Moving to online sales can feel like a big step, but starting small reduces the risk. Adopt an e-commerce platform that syncs directly with your point of sale (POS) so your inventory stays accurate across both channels automatically.
You don’t need to list everything online right away. Start by making a small selection or specific product categories available for shipping, and use your POS inventory management system to control which items are eligible for online sales. This gives you time to establish workflows for digital orders and get the hang of things before expanding further.
Related Read: How To Start an E-Commerce Craft Store
6. Email Marketing Is Still Effective
When customers buy something on your website, you collect their email, and when used effectively, email is a great tool for marketing. In fact, 60% of people have completed a purchase after receiving an offer via email.
Send emails featuring new arrivals, upcoming store events, and current sales and discounts. To take your email marketing to the next level, segment your customers into groups based on their purchase history.
A POS system makes this straightforward. Look at the customer sales data from your website or loyalty members and filter it to find specific groups. A craft store might create segments like:
- Painters: Customers who’ve bought canvases, paints, or painting supplies in the last three months
- Cross stitchers: Any customer who’s purchased cross-stitch thread in the last year.
- Stationary lovers: Customers who’ve spent over $50 on stationery.
Once your customer segments are set up, you can then send targeted offers to each group — a mix-and-match promotion on cross-stitch threads for stitchers, or 15% off select painting supplies for painters.
7. Data Can Help Improve Your Website
70% of online shopping transactions end in an abandoned cart. The reasons vary — unexpected fees, slow shipping times, stockouts, or inaccurate product descriptions — but each one represents a sale you almost made.
As you ramp up online sales, pay attention to more than just completed transactions. Use your website analytics tools to see where in the checkout process people drop off, then make targeted adjustments to reduce friction at those specific points.
Simplify Your Online Sales With Rain POS
Whether you’re a brick-and-mortar store aiming to boost your online visibility or expanding to online sales for the first time, a convenient, easy-to-use website is the key.
The right POS system unifies your online and offline sales (without a major IT investment). Rain POS simplifies website building and online sales with integrated e-commerce, marketing, and inventory management built into one platform.
Find out how Rain POS can help your boutique or craft store grow online by scheduling a demo today.
