Ecommerce business can boom if you have a popular product line, efficient systems and good customer service. People will always need to buy things, and being able to order a product from their smartphone while sitting on the couch means that you have an edge over the brick-and-mortar sellers.
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With some hard work, luck and gumption, you can make some serious profit. Some people combine their ecommerce business with life as a digital nomad. What's that precisely, you ask?
A digital nomad is someone who travels the world while they work, utilising digital technology to perform their duties while seeing the sights and lapping up experiences. You might think this is impossible, but it's definitely not.
Are you managing an ecommerce enterprise as a digital nomad? If yes, this informative article will share some top tips for managing an ecommerce enterprise as a digital nomad, ensuring you get the best of both worlds. Continue reading to learn more.
Be a Savvy Spender
When travelling overseas, you need to make your money stretch. As such, you should explore travel cards or perhaps even credit cards with no international fees for all your purchasing needs.
International fees can add up quickly, as they're applied to every purchase you make and are typically around 3% of the purchase price. A no-fee card is an ideal tool to utilise when you live as a digital nomad. Many banks offer them, so shop around for the best one.
Other spending tips include booking accommodation with a kitchen so you can buy groceries and prepare meals in your room instead of eating out, which can quickly add up. You can also catch public transport instead of booking rideshare services, and think of other clever ways you can save money.
When you're managing an ecommerce enterprise as a digital nomad, you’re travelling ‘long-term’, so don’t feel the need to blow your budget on all the tourist experiences as soon as you get to a place. Soak up the atmosphere, adjust to the environment, and experience where you’re staying more authentically before you move onto the next place.
Invest in AI Customer Service
A large part of managing an ecommerce enterprise as a digital nomad is dealing with customers. People will want to know about all sorts of things, such as if you have items in stock, enquiring about their tracking, late deliveries, damaged items and more.
A great first line of customer service is AI, such as a dedicated chatbot. This can be used for initial website enquiries, and can be programmed to give pre-prepared responses to these common questions.
If the bot can't address the issue, you can program the bot to prompt the customer to fill out a form which will go to either you or a customer service agent, who can then further investigate the customer's issue.
Check for Wi-Fi facilities at Your Accommodation
When booking your hotels or hostels, or your lodgings and Airbnbs for your digital nomad lifestyle, you'll need to enquire about their internet availability and connectivity. You will need a secure, fast and stable internet connection so you can stay online and keep track of your business.
This is particularly worth doing if you plan to travel to some remote destinations. Check in advance about the internet availability, and if a remote location doesn't offer it, you may have to reshape your travel plans.
You can always visit the remote, pristine locations during a weekend or on a week off. Then you’ll have more time and mental energy to explore, and it will feel like a true holiday.
Save the Booze for After Hours
A holiday isn't complete without cold beer, cocktails, and lovely wine. That said, you should only drink when you're not online managing your business. It may be tempting to grab a cocktail and laze by the pool tapping away at your laptop, but it's a recipe for disaster.
When managing an ecommerce enterprise as a digital nomad, you want to be sharp to address any problems or fix urgent issues with your website that might prevent customers from placing orders.
Save the booze for when you've logged off for the day, and try to make your working hours as professional as they can be. It will not only help your productivity, but also your mindset, and make it easier to switch off when you do finish for the day.
Invest in Drop Shipping
Part of a successful digital nomad strategy for a viable ecommerce platform is investing in dropshipping. This means that you outsource your order fulfilment and shipping to another company, but your stock listings and customer service are hosted on your website.
Unless you have pick-and-pack staff employed in your country of operation, there's no way you can fulfil orders whilst in a remote part of the country. A viable drop shipping operation will ensure you can send orders no matter where you're currently working from.
Consider A Virtual Assistant
Part of managing an ecommerce enterprise as a digital nomad is understanding that your time is valuable, and knowing when to outsource the more burdensome tasks. For instance, it can be tricky to enjoy your life as a digital nomad if you're trapped doing bookkeeping, admin or stock management.
Consider hiring a part-time virtual assistant who also works remotely to manage the more time-consuming aspects of your ecommerce enterprise.
This way, you can focus your time on higher-level activities such as strategy, market, product performance analysis and other essential tasks, in order to grow your business. You’ll also have someone who knows your business to ask for a second opinion, should you feel the need to.
Successfully Managing An Ecommerce Enterprise As A Digital Nomad
This informative article has shared the top tips for running or managing ecommerce enterprise as a digital nomad. From investing in AI customer service tools to savvy spending tips, we've covered it all.
With an understanding of how to best set up and maintain your ecommerce site, even if you’re far away from the physical goods, you’ll feel more relaxed and better able to enjoy your time travelling between working hours.
Striking the perfect balance is the key to happiness when managing an ecommerce enterprise as a digital nomad – and your profits will help fund your ongoing travel!
