6 Things You Can Do to Grow Your Business During COVID-19

Online sales for fashion and apparel have dropped over the last two weeks; however, we’ve also seen brands move fast and acclimatize quickly to the changing purchase patterns. Businesses from all over the world are taking the necessary steps to adapt to these times to create a positive impact on both their companies and consumers. 

We’ve listed down three brands and their strategies during the COVID-19 crisis:

Adapting Quickly:

1. Croatian fashion brand BiteMyStyle designed an entire line of bright and colorful antivirus masks. The designs are attractive, with eye-catching artwork that ranges from Disney characters to Pop Art –  a far cry from the regular, dull masks currently available. The owner Zoran Aragovic thought designing these masks would be a great idea after discovering a shortage of masks for people to wear. This quick thinking helped him boost revenue and meet genuine consumer demand.

2. Linda Finegold, also known as Kirill Was Here, is an American online clothing store. They quickly caught on to what customers would relate to & buy at this time; and designed an entirely new line of hoodies, t-shirts, crop tops, merchandise, and even onesies called “QUARANTINE & CHILL.””

To boost sales and move inventory quickly, they offered a 50% off sitewide.

3. Twoforone is an online food & drink aggregator where consumers can buy great deals from local businesses, which can be redeemed when they visit & make purchases from those establishments. Once they noticed the change in demand during COVID-19, they quickly changed their strategy to allow customers to order directly from the mobile app and go to the establishments to pick up the order.

They came up with offers and combos that clubbed food and beer since many consumers prefer to stock up on food and alcohol. This made it easier for customers to purchase and avail of new offers/combos or use previously purchased coupons.

Online Stores Vs. COVID-19: What You Should Do

Social distancing and quarantines have led consumers to remain online constantly. This gives D2C brands the complete upper hand. With an exceptional opportunity like this, brands need to think quickly & act fast. Here’s what brands can do to make the most of this situation

1. Adapt quickly: What used to be in demand in fashion now does not hold ground. Look for items being used now and create designs based on that – antiviral masks, hoodies & T-shirts with coronavirus-Esque phrases printed on them, sanitation products, hand sanitizers, or even workout gear to promote staying fit in the house. 
2. Club discounts with pre-orders: Offer brilliant discounts & gift cards to urge consumers to shop more. Enable pre-book/pre-order options on your online store; offer customers the option to pre-order products at a discounted price and ensure that the product will be delivered in a couple of months or when the lockdown is over. 
3. Localization: An immediate positive feedback that we can take is that there’s an instant increase in localization. If delivery is still active in your local area, offer deals to consumers to boost orders and deliveries there.
4. Focus on future projects: Since we all have more time on our hands, focus on future projects, product lines, or projects left on the back burner simply cause you didn’t have enough time. This is the perfect time to plan for the future. Come up with ideas that will cater to your audiences’ needs post-quarantine. Future projects aside, look at how you can streamline current procedures to improve efficiency and production. 
5. Get a mobile app: Consumers’ purchase behavior has shifted towards using a mobile app for all their buying needs. Prep your business for the future and a time post quarantine – use this time to develop an app for your eCommerce store. A mobile app will enable you to connect & communicate directly with the consumer on a channel you own. You’ll be able to collect data on user behavior, boost customer loyalty, showcase your products, offer discounts and make it highly convenient for consumers to make purchases. 
6. Build your community: Every consumer is on social media more – daily, every day. If you’re investing time in marketing, then now is an excellent time to build and engage your audience. Use videos and images – create virtual showrooms with your Instagram stories. Live streaming will help create a social experience to gather the masses, and visibility will lead to a better relationship with your audience. This will become the best platform to advertise on when the lockdown ends.

While the lockdown may be temporary, the aftermath will change eCommerce. Not only will businesses be presently trying a new approach, but they will be preparing for what is to post lockdown. The good news is there are no drastic changes to be made; all brands need to do is adapt quickly to the little differences.