Small Companies Missing Out by not being Web-wise
Latest press releasesManchester's small businesses are losing out by not making the most of the internet says Professor David Storey, head of SME research at Warwick Business School.
According to a report he contributed to for telecoms company TalkTalk Business, 79 per cent of Manchester residents use the internet to find out about a product before buying it. However, about 133,500 of those people refuse to buy from a small business if no website is available. This is bad news for small companies who have not taken the leap into the online age.
Professor David Storey, who was involved with the research for the report, believes small businesses are still lagging behind when it comes to making the most of internet.
He said, "A third of us would prefer to buy from a small businesses. However, small businesses are missing out on this goodwill as in many instances they do not have a website or if they do, it is not a good representation of the business."
The report, Online Futures, examined consumer attitudes to small businesses and the internet. When asked about what they wanted from a good small business website, consumers ranked an online ordering function and customer service number as top priorities.
According to a report he contributed to for telecoms company TalkTalk Business, 79 per cent of Manchester residents use the internet to find out about a product before buying it. However, about 133,500 of those people refuse to buy from a small business if no website is available. This is bad news for small companies who have not taken the leap into the online age.
Professor David Storey, who was involved with the research for the report, believes small businesses are still lagging behind when it comes to making the most of internet.
He said, "A third of us would prefer to buy from a small businesses. However, small businesses are missing out on this goodwill as in many instances they do not have a website or if they do, it is not a good representation of the business."
The report, Online Futures, examined consumer attitudes to small businesses and the internet. When asked about what they wanted from a good small business website, consumers ranked an online ordering function and customer service number as top priorities.
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