You love cake, and you love going online. So, why not put the two together and start an online cake store? It’s a great way to make extra money and share your passion with the world.
Cakes are one of the most popular desserts in the world. Whether it’s for a birthday, anniversary, or another special occasion, cakes always seem to make an appearance. With an online cake store, you can reach people all over the world.
Not convinced about why you should put up an online cake store? This article will discuss six online cake store benefits. An online cake store:
1. Gives Customers More Choices
Providing more choices to customers is always a good idea. In this case, it also shows that you are receptive to market realities. Just look at the statistics. According to the American Bakers Association, 36% would be willing to purchase fresh food such as cake online with a fast delivery option. The figure increases to 45% if millennials are surveyed.
When you have an online cake store, you don’t just provide customers with the online purchase option. You also give them more product alternatives. You can do this because you don’t have to worry about running out of physical space for your products. After all, your products would be displayed in a digital space. You don’t necessarily have to have the products you display on hand. You can just make the cakes as soon as you get an order.
That said, what kinds of choices can you provide your customers with an online cake store? The possibilities are endless. You can:
Offer a broader range of flavors: If you only have chocolate and vanilla cake, why not add some flavors like lemon, strawberry, or even pistachio? Ambalacakes, for example, categorize their cakes by shape, type, and flavor.
Customers will be excited to see new flavors and may even be willing to pay a little more.
Offer a variety of sizes: Not everyone wants a gigantic cake, so it’s also a good idea to offer smaller sizes. Here are sample size options:
You could even provide mini-cakes or cupcakes for customers who only want a small treat.
Offer different styles: Some customers may want a traditional cake, while others prefer something more modern or unique.
Offer different price points: Not all customers are willing to spend the same money on a cake, so offering cakes at different price points is vital.
Finally, you could make it easy for customers to personalize their cakes by providing a range of customization options, such as different frosting colors and toppings. You may design your cake at Justcakesbc. Pick your preferred size, flavor, and other options.
You can also offer options for businesses to buy wholesale cakes. That could include providing a discount for larger orders or having a set price for orders of a specific size. To simplify things, you could also limit the flavors and decorations available for wholesale orders.
By offering more choices to customers, you’re sure to please everyone. More choices also mean more selling opportunities, so it’s a win-win for you and your customers.
2. Helps Reduce Operating Costs
Compared to a traditional cake shop, there are several ways an online cake shop may help you save money on overhead. This can make it easier for you to grow your business.
With a physical storefront, you have to factor in the cost of hiring and training employees and their salaries and benefits. ll that’s left is to take the desert to the people who ordered it. Ensuring effective cake delivery in Melbourne every time will elevate the reputation of the store and this way you can attain a loyal customer base. Further, with an online store, you don’t have to worry about maintaining a physical storefront and all the associated costs like rent, utilities, and insurance.
An online cake store requires much less labor because there’s no need for customer service representatives, cashiers, or stock personnel. The only employees you need are bakers and delivery drivers. Also, you can automate many aspects of running an online cake store, from creating shipping labels to sending thank-you notes to customers after their purchase.
With an online cake store, you don’t have to worry about rent, utilities, and insurance either. You can also market your business on social media for free or very little money.
3. Allows for Late-Night or Early Deliveries/Pick-Ups
Late-night or early delivery is a service that many online cake stores can offer. This service allows customers to order cakes at any time of the day or night and have them delivered to their doorstep. What does this mean? More sales for you.
You can do several things to make these deliveries easy and convenient for your customers.
First, make sure that you have a robust and easy-to-use website. Your website should be easy to navigate. Second, make sure that you have a reliable delivery system in place. Your delivery system should be able to deliver cakes promptly and without errors.
If you already have a physical cake store, you can do what others do and allow for late-night or early-morning pickups, too. For example, Sugar Bakery allows you to choose a pick-up time early in the morning:
Just make sure you have a team of skilled bakers who can create delicious cakes at any hour of the day or night.
4. Enables Multiple Payment Options
Here’s one of the most crucial online cake store benefits: multiple payment options. An online cake shop that offers multiple payment options is viewed as more customer-friendly and trustworthy than one that doesn’t. This improved reputation can lead to even more sales.
So, online bakeries need to accept various payment methods, whether by credit card, debit card, or other options.
Consider your target market when adding payment options to your online cake store.
Who are you selling your cakes to? If you’re selling primarily to people in your local area, then you might not need to offer as many international payment options. On the other hand, if you’re selling primarily to people outside of your country, then you’ll need to provide international payment options like Paypal or Google Wallet.
Also, consider your price point. What are your cakes priced at? If they’re relatively inexpensive (under $20), then customers might not be as concerned about paying extra fees for using their credit cards. However, if your cakes are priced at $50 or more, customers might be more likely to choose a cheaper option.
5. Helps Customers Compare Prices
As a cake seller, you can help your customers compare and contrast products easily by providing critical information on your website. Including price per slice, the total number of servings, and delivery fees will allow your customers to find the best option, whether it’s from a competitor’s shop or from your product arsenal.
Even if they don’t end up choosing you, they’ll appreciate you for making it easy for them to do their “research.” You’ll still be top of mind with customers if they buy something else in the future.
Here’s a look at the factors you should include in your website to help customers compare prices:
Price per slice: List the price per slice prominently on your website. Customers need to quickly and easily see how your prices stack up against the competition.
Carlosbakery is an example of an online shop that provides this critical information:
Total number of servings: Most cakes come in standard sizes (e.g., 6″, 8″, 10″). But you can’t assume your customers know this. So, you should include this information on your website. Customers need to know how many servings they’ll get out of a cake to know which would make for the best office Christmas party food, for instance. Two cakes may cost the same, but one may only serve 20 people while the other serves 40.
On BakeshopVA.com, for instance, you can see a menu with the size and number of servings.
Delivery fees: Delivery fees can add a significant amount to the overall cost of a cake purchase, so be sure to include this information upfront.
Customers will appreciate you for your honesty and transparency if you give them all the information they need to compare and contrast cakes.
6. Offers Better-Quality Products
As a cake business owner, offering products of the highest quality is essential to building a good reputation and attracting new customers. After all, nobody wants to order a subpar cake that looks nothing like the beautiful photos on your website.
A quality cake will use fresh, high-quality ingredients and be made with care and attention to detail. Since online cake stores often work on demand, you can ensure that your product will meet high-quality standards and taste delicious. This is one of the critical online cake store benefits.
Also, an online cake store helps you tailor your products to meet your customer’s demands. On your website, you can just leave a form where customers can specify their cake requirements. This is something customers typically can’t do if they buy from a physical store. Customers’ instructions in physical shops are typically given verbally, which means shop personnel can be prone to mistakes.
In Closing
If you have a passion for baking, you should consider setting up an online cake store. With more people shopping online than ever, it’s the perfect time to take your business digital. An online cake store allows you to reach a wider audience, sell more products and boost your bottom line.
Plus, there are many online cake store benefits. An online cake store:
- Gives customers more choices
- Helps reduce operating costs
- Allows for late-night delivery
- Ensures multiple payment options
- Helps customers compare prices
- Offers better-quality products
So, what are you waiting for? Start setting up your online cake shop today!
Richard Fowler is the Head of Sponge and has been with the business since its inception, working his way up the ranks to Managing Director. He is responsible for leading and managing the operation of Sponge, from New Product Development, to baking, packing and trade operations – keeping quality and customer satisfaction at the forefront of our values.
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