How To Get On Board For eCommerce Success On A Budget

Tom Su of HP Flooring, located in Markham, Ontario, knows that quality, expertise, and carving out a leading reputation in the flooring industry comes at a cost. When prices and consumer preferences for online shopping increased during the pandemic, nailing down a high-performing eCommerce website to capture growing online demand was made possible through free eCommerce tools like the ShopHERE powered by Google program. 

Serving all of southern Ontario, news of the COVID-19 pandemic impacted HP Flooring’s business operations in a big way. As a retailer and wholesaler of high-performance, high-quality engineered hardwood, vinyl flooring, stairs, and hardware, Tom is no stranger to constantly evolving his business to meet changing trends and customer needs.  

Early on, Tom recognized changes in how people shop and do business amidst an uncertain, ever-changing public health landscape. More and more customers were moving towards purchasing products and services online that they normally would in-store, which, for many small businesses, meant that creating a new website or upgrading their existing one went from a “want” to a “need”. 

Even as the world slowly moves into a post-pandemic era, the importance of creating and maintaining an online presence remains a key focal point for many small business owners and teams. This challenge is made even more tangible by the current economic issues facing the business community today. 

There is some good news, though, for small businesses currently looking for free one-on-one support with building a new eCommerce store. The ShopHERE powered by Google program is still in small business’ corner, with a friendly, highly skilled, and resourceful team of ShopHERE Coordinators ready to get to work on supporting with building a new eCommerce site that can grow with your business. 

According to Tom, the ShopHERE program is a, 

“Very helpful and powerful tool for small businesses. After the pandemic, many customers are turning to shopping online. [We] were planning to spend about $4,000-$5,000 on a new website. I stumbled upon the ShopHERE program, which was exactly what we were looking for. The process of engaging was painless, and best of all it saved us thousands of dollars!” 

ShopHERE Coordinators also work with businesses to build websites with the design, structure, and content needed to succeed in competitive online marketplaces, empowering small businesses to stay on top of industry standards. 

“[ShopHERE] revamped our site with customizations that meet our needs and the needs of our customers.” 

The ShopHERE powered by Google program stands firmly in the idea that there is no “one size fits all” approach to building eCommerce solutions for small businesses. That’s why the program’s Coordinators work closely with small businesses to ensure that the end product is not only functional, but tailored to the unique nature and needs of each participant. 

“Elson was very helpful and resourceful. On topics he was not too familiar with, he did proper research and came back with relevant suggestions.” 

For Tom, upgrading his website through the ShopHERE program not only made strategic sense- it also made sense for his small business’ budget, too. 

“It’s FREE! And the end result speaks for itself. Unless your business is looking for a complete custom website, the ShopHERE program can achieve what you are looking for, and free up capital to invest in other areas of your business.” 

Want to learn more about HP Flooring? Check out their website here. If you’re a small business on a budget and would like to learn more about getting on board the ShopHERE powered by Google program, please click here.