Tips for Managing Your Online Store on the Go

One of the more appealing facets of eCommerce is the absolute freedom and flexibility it provides. Liberated from the confines of an office and an overbearing boss, an eCommerce store owner requires only two things to successfully run a business from nearly anywhere in the world: a computer and an internet connection.

Countless individuals have entertained the dream of quitting a nine-to-five day job for a work-from-home position. But what about those who crave a bit more adventure? The Bali Sea, the canals of Venice, the resplendent Taj Mahal – the world boasts countless majestic locations, none of which can be explored when tethered to a desk.

But eCommerce doesn’t need to be synonymous with desk work. The beauty of an eCommerce business is that it’s portable. Working from the road is not only feasible, it’s incredibly easy too.

Whether you’re looking to bring your business with you on your next family vacation, or are looking to spend your days driving cross-country, check out the following tips that will help you avoid pitfalls and turbulence while managing your store on the go.

Keep a Close Eye on Daily Affairs

The health of your business relies on numerous components, most of which are automated. Nonetheless, there are several key areas that you’ll want to keep a close eye on: orders, social media chatter, and website performance.

In the likely instance an issue does arise, such as an unkind customer complaint plastered on your Facebook page, you’ll want to address the issue in a timely manner. Consider using a site monitoring service such as Pingdom and Google’s media monitoring service Google Alerts to easily stay on top of important time-sensitive matters at all times.

Maintain a Secure Connection

Depending on where your travels take you, finding a signal may prove to be a difficult task. But however tempting a 5-bar signal may seem, don’t fall prey to insecure connections.

Rather than connecting to the internet via public Wi-Fi, which can expose your business to malware and worms, stick to secure hotspots through your smartphone or mobile hotspot device.

Outsource As Much As Possible

The fewer responsibilities you have during your travels, the smoother daily operations will run. Carve out more time to enjoy for yourself by outsourcing order fulfillment with the help of a service such as Amazon Fulfillment or ShipWire, and utilize the expertise of professional eCommerce experts for everyday (yet time-consuming) issues, such as a webmaster service.

Conclusion

If you’re planning on hitting the road soon, take time to thoroughly examine if your business is travel-worthy. Before you hop on the next plane to Hawaii, test out the waters in your neighborhood to get a feel for how things will operate when the comfort of your home office isn’t within reach.

And where ever your travels may take you, always keep a close eye on your trusty laptop – the last thing you’ll want to hear is that the airlines have misplaced your hardware-containing luggage.

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