Key takeaways
- Combining a physical store and webshop provides reach and personal contact.
- Keep one inventory, price and customer base across both channels.
- Offer click & collect and returns in store.
- Microcart links cash register and webshop so that everything runs synchronously.
Your customers do not think in terms of “online” and “offline”. They see something in your window and order it on the couch in the evening. Or they discover you on Instagram, have doubts, and come by to see it in real life. For you as an entrepreneur, this is not a problem but an opportunity: by making your store and your webshop work together, you reach more people and sell to the same customer more often. The condition is that it goes together smoothly behind the scenes — otherwise it will cost you time, mistakes and angry customers. This guide will walk you through it step by step.
Why online and offline reinforce each other
A store and an online store are not competitors; they fill each other's weak spots:
- A store provides trust, personal contact and the opportunity to grab something — but is tied to opening hours and a street.
- A webshop is open day and night and reaches the whole of the Netherlands — but it misses the human element and the “just feeling”.
Together they cover both. Your storefront continues to sell on your website overnight, and your website sends people to your door. Research has shown for years that customers who know you through more channels spend more on average and return more often than customers who only know you through one channel. So you don't have to choose — the combination is almost always stronger.
A recognizable example
Suppose you have a clothing store. A customer sees a new sweater on Instagram, checks your website to see if her size is available, reserves it and picks it up in the store. She tries it on there, immediately takes a scarf that she sees lying around, and signs up for your newsletter at the checkout. One customer, four channels (social, web, store, email) — and a larger purchase than online or offline alone would have yielded. That is what collaboration produces.
The foundation: one stock
The biggest stumbling block when selling online and offline is stock. If you sell the same product in the store and on your website, those numbers must always be correct. Otherwise, this is what happens: you sell the last one at the counter in the afternoon, and in the evening someone orders it online — which you no longer have. Result: a disappointed customer and an annoying email.
The solution is one central stock that is automatically debited with every sale, whether it takes place at the cash register or in the webshop. If you sell a sweater in the store, the online stock immediately decreases, and vice versa. This way you never sell anything twice. The basis for this is in inventory management for your webshop; it becomes extra important as soon as you combine multiple channels.
Work from one system, not from separate islands
Many entrepreneurs start with a cash register system for the store and a separate webshop that do not know each other. The result: you enter products twice, your prices vary, and you do not have a complete overview of your sales. That takes time and causes errors.
A setup in which your checkout and webshop are connected automatically shares your products, prices, stock and customer data. You enter a new product once and it is everywhere. You can see in one overview what you sold today — online and in the store together. This not only saves work, it also finally gives you insight into how your business really runs. You can read how to arrange sales in the store and online from one whole on our page about sales in your store.
Make it easy for the customer across channels
The benefit lies in the smooth transition from one channel to the other:
- In-store pickup for online orders — saves the customer shipping costs and draws them into your store. See click & collect.
- Return to the store for what was purchased online — lowers the barrier, and the customer often buys something new when returning.
- Show in the store that you also sell online — a sign or QR code to your webshop, so that customers can find you later.
- Recognize regular customers across both channels, so that your service and any savings promotions remain personal, whether someone is at the cash register or online.
Keep prices and promotions consistent
A customer who sees a different price in the store than online feels taken advantage of. Therefore, keep your prices basically the same across your channels. If you want to make a conscious difference — for example an online-only promotion or a store discount — explain this clearly, so that it feels like a conscious choice and not like a mistake.
Don't forget your local visibility
Having a store and not being found online is a waste of reach. Make sure people searching nearby (“clothing store nearby”) find you through your free Google Business Profile and local SEO. Getting found online brings people to your physical door — see local SEO. And if you also sell on markets or pop-ups, that counts as another channel that feeds your webshop: sell on markets and pop-ups.
Common mistakes
- Separate inventories for store and web, resulting in double sales and disappointed customers.
- Separate systems that do not connect, causing you to enter everything twice and miss the overview.
- Different prices online and in store without explanation.
- Do not show that you also sell online (or have a store).
- Neglecting online findability even though you have a store nearby.
Frequently asked questions
What does combining online and offline sales mean?
That your store and webshop work together: the same inventory, products, prices and customers across both channels, so that customers can seamlessly move from viewing to buying — wherever and whenever they want.
How do I prevent double sales between store and web?
Work with one central stock that is automatically debited with every sale, regardless of whether this happens at the cash register or online. Then your stock is always correct.
Do I need two separate systems?
I'd rather not. A design in which the cash register and webshop are connected avoids duplication of work and errors: products, prices, stock and customers are in one place, and you have one overview of all your sales.
Can customers order online and pick up in store?
Yes, that's called click & collect. It saves the customer shipping costs and draws him into your store, where he often buys something extra.
Do I have to charge the same prices online and offline?
Usually yes, for clarity and confidence. If there is a conscious difference (for example an online promotion), explain it clearly to avoid confusion.
Does combining really yield more?
Yes. Customers who know you through multiple channels spend more on average and return more often. Your shop window and your website reinforce each other.
Get started
Start with your stock: ensure that the store and webshop draw from one central stock, so that you never sell anything twice. Then connect your cash register and webshop so that you work from one place and have one overview. Make it easy for your customer with collection and returns in the store, keep your prices consistent, and make sure you are easy to find locally. So one plus one becomes three. Read more in sell in your store and click & collect.
