Covid-19, bad as it is, has ushered in a new dawn for online business in Trinidad & Tobago that’s NEVER going to set, EVER. This E-Commerce sea change is permanent and it will continue to grow in size and magnitude. At some point in the future, ‘the dust will clear’ and things will ‘settle’. It’s definitely not this year (2023) as all market players and stakeholders are wide awake, or as they say now ‘woke’, and still scrambling around to get their act together.

The nanosecond the gate opened and merchants realized what was happening, the mad scramble was not only for survival, but for opportunity. It’s never been so ripe and palpable as it is now, they can virtually taste it.

As you may know, Forward Multimedia not only has a decade of experience in online, but is also the leading expert in local E-Commerce. At the moment, we have at least 20 live online stores in T&T, more than any other web designer in the country. Many of our projects are complex- Point of Sale (POS) inventory integrations, DHL shipping integrations, extensive catalog work, photography, videography etc.

With a team of about twenty now, we have the experience and expertise to deploy small and large sites, our largest online store is Almandoz Hardware in Tobago, with a product catalog of 18K products.

Bottom line, we know E-Commerce inside out, up, down, left, right and center… we don’t guess.

In this feeding frenzy it will be survival of the fittest and you have to get in the game now. How formidable you’ll be depends on a number of factors which I’ll describe below. The odds are not going to get better if you watch from the sidelines to ‘see wha go ‘appen’ because you feel like ‘trying a ting’.

Even if you have to start small with a handful of products, say even 20, you’re not going to have a fighting chance on DIY platforms like Wix, Fygaro, or even WiPay’s WiShops, no matter how affordable and budget friendly they may be. That’s because your competitors are going all out on WooCommerce. Your DIY effort will be akin to bringing a caps gun to a shootout.

With a Woo Commerce store, you’re at least going to be on the same playing field even if you’re not on the same level. But you’ll have room to grow. No such chance with DIY.

On the same playing field David can slay Goliath. Even with 20 products you can have a humming business doing good volume. As long as that store looks and feels professional- nice template, crisp, clean graphics, great product pics and galleries, detailed descriptions and solid functionality you have a solid base to steadily grow your store.

This you already know, but you have to really work your Facebook and Instagram, Trinis love their Facebook. Yes, Facebook has made it harder to reach a your market organically, so you may have to pay- boosted posts, sponsored ads.

These days, short-form video is king and while TikTok is on everyone’s lips, Facebook Reels, IG Reels and YouTube Shorts have made up ground and in many cases converting better than TikTok. Bear in mind that views and reach don’t necessarily equate to sales, which is what you want.

It’s a numbers game, you have to get in front of your audience. I’ve clicked on many a Google ad for local websites, most out of curiosity, but therein lies the numbers game. There will be a percentage that would convert, or at least be know you exist which will put you at the Awareness point of the conversion journey: Awareness > Interest > Desire > Action.

If you’re not using videos, you’ll always be on the back foot. Videos are absolutely essential today. Not all have to polished and professional, but some should, and you can get get good mileage with simple video shot with your phone. Mobile phones these days have exceptional cameras, excellent quality. There’s also something about some raw video that’s appealing because it makes you real.