By now, you must have heard about Flutterwave Store and Market. And if not, where have you been?! Well, fear not, we are here to refresh your memories and tell you everything you need to know to get the most out of your Store and therefore the Market.
First things first, at Flutterwave, we focus heavily on SMEs because we believe that they are the backbone of society, the stores that may not have the capabilities to manage all the logistics of creating a website and selling online.
So, what is Flutterwave Store? It is basically the best and easiest way to launch and manage an online store without having to create a website yourself. It also accepts payments both locally and internationally and in multiple currencies through a wide variety of payment options. It brings your business online seamlessly.
Meanwhile, the Flutterwave Market is essentially a collection of Stores. Think of a physical market or supermarket, how you can find so many things at once, in one place. Do you need groceries? There’s a section for that. Do you need some clothes? Another section for that. Do you need to buy some electrical appliances? There’s a section for that. Now bring that all online… that is what we have done with Flutterwave Market.
The Market also has great and useful features such as product search, category display and country filter, which all enhance the overall shopping experience for your customers.
If you don’t have a Flutterwave account or Store, then you cannot join the Market. So, create an account here and read about how to set up your Store here. Once your store is set up, click on the “Store setup” tab and navigate to “Add store to Flutterwave Market”. You should view the list of criteria first. When you are satisfied with the criteria, click “Apply now” and fill out the necessary details to finish. Then you will be added to the Market.
When do you know you need these tools?
If you are looking to grow your business’s visibility and awareness, then Flutterwave Market is perfect for you. It brings your store to the forefront, regardless of which category it falls into. In the Market, every store has the chance to be easily visible when customers are shopping.
Tips for increasing your Store’s visibility on the Market
1. Update your product inventory
Make sure your product catalogue and inventory are up to date. This way, it’s easier to fit them into categories on the Market, and customers can find them quicker. An updated inventory also avoids the disappointment of customers wanting to buy something but only realising at checkout (or even after!) that the product is out of stock.
2. Make sure you have great product photos
Do not underestimate the power of great product photos. The photos you decide to use as the face of your products will play a big part in a customer’s decision to buy that product or not. A great photo will likely enhance the chances of buying. Of course, we all know about “what I ordered vs what I got” so make sure that the photo matches up to how the product looks in real life.
3. Deals, deals, deals!
Rewarding your customers with deals periodically is never a bad idea. Not only does this increase customer loyalty and retention, but it also has the ability to increase your sales. Customers are more likely to buy more when they get a good bargain – this could be discounts, promos, bundle deals, and seasonal discount sales (such as Christmas, Black Friday etc.). There is a ‘Deals’ section on the Market page, specifically for boosting all products that fall under these categories.
4. Promote your Store online
You can also increase your Store’s visibility on the Market, and generally too, by promoting it. This could be through social media posts, email marketing to your customers, and even WhatsApp status updates. Promoting your Store in any way will inform more people about your offerings and increase the chances of your business coming up in conversations, thus expanding your customer base.
At this point, you should be convinced that signing up to Flutterwave Store and Market is one of the best things you can do for your current and potential customers. Your business will be amongst the fastest-growing online marketplace in Africa, and you will have many tools to help boost your business. It’s just a click away!