The 2020 pandemic didn’t expose business owners to the idea that foot traffic is dwindling and brick and mortar storefronts are fading. 2020 did, however, show that all business owners could benefit from an online presence. When doors started to close, small businesses had two options, adapt or fail. 

Companies that rely on storefronts such as bakeries might not have realized the importance of a strong online presence but having to close the doors for a time puts things into perspective. Online marketplaces are here to stay, but you can learn from their success. 

The best example of a successful online marketplace is Amazon. When it opened, Amazon was a discount marketplace selling books. As they sold more books, more users came to the site, and in response, suppliers wanted to market and sell on the site. The concept snowballed, turning Amazon from a book reseller to one of the world’s largest online marketplaces.

Maybe you’re not the next Amazon, but you don’t need to be. All you need to do is supplement in-store sales with online sales. Here are three reasons to start an online marketplace for your bakery.

Make Some Money

Couches are comfy, TVs are big, and the online shopping can deliver almost anything. Why would anyone leave the house? Shoppers are becoming more and more used to shopping online for everything they need. Food delivery is relatively new, though, so there is a large market coming of age where they can have dinner and dessert delivered from many places that used to be dine-in only. You can’t afford to miss out on this opportunity. Whether you want to deliver baked goods yourself or rely on services like Uber Eats or Postmates, make them available for order. 

What else can you sell online? Selling baked goods for delivery isn’t the only thing you can offer, though. Make recipe kits where your customers can recreate some of your best items at home. Sell merchandise like shirts and mugs or something simple like stickers or buttons. 

Drive New Customers

Speaking of merchandise, nothing works better than a t-shirt or bumper sticker for free advertising. Opening an online store to sell marketing merchandise is a standard for many companies. Pens, mugs, shirts, etc., all make excellent brand ambassadors. You have a logo, social media, and a website. Slap them on merchandise, and let your customers do the marketing legwork for you!

Mutual Benefits with Suppliers

What else can you do? 

Resell. You have suppliers. You purchase ingredients and cooking supplies all the time, so why not buy a little more and resell it for a profit? How does Amazon make money? They mark up merchandise before listing it for sale. You can do the same. 

Selling merchandise at a markup is an easy win for you, but by becoming a reseller, your supplier is selling more, too. Negotiate discounts or lock up exclusive products to see directly on your online marketplace. 

Overall, opening an online marketplace is a simple, powerful way to drive traffic to your website, increase revenue, and attract new manufacturers and customers.