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Hack the Gap presenter outlines five practical ways for Hennepin County small businesses to add online storefronts
Summary
Caroline Karanja of Hack the Gap laid out five approaches—dedicated ecommerce sites, third-party ordering, social-media shops, marketplaces and appointment-based sales—plus integrated POS options and key operational tips on inventory, fees, shipping and taxes.
Caroline Karanja, a presenter with Hack the Gap, delivered a step-by-step guide on adding online storefronts in a session produced in partnership with Elevate Hennepin of Hennepin County. She said digital storefronts give businesses “additional flexibility” to sell when a physical location is closed and provide opportunities for growth and sustainability.
Karanja outlined five core approaches businesses can use to sell online and explained the trade-offs for each. “Adding an online storefront is really important because it helps provide additional flexibility to your business,” she said, emphasizing that different business models favor different solutions.
A dedicated ecommerce website gives a business full control of branding, customer data, search-engine optimization and analytics, Karanja said, but requires more time to set up and a reliable operations system to prevent inventory mismatches…
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