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There are fewer and fewer impulse buys

There are fewer and fewer impulse buys
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Entrepreneur.com this week posted “The Top 6 Small-Business Trends on the Rise,” but one of the six wasn’t really new.

According to the Independent We Stand (IWS) campaign, 97 percent of Internet users conduct online research on local products and services before committing to buy. This is a trend that has been steadily building over time and the various places to look have proliferated. Despite this, nearly half of small businesses still don’t have a website and nearly half of the ones that do don’t have a website that is mobile-friendly.

Increasingly tech-savvy shoppers search for reviews and testimonials and look closely at a business’ website before deciding to buy and then – perhaps more importantly – whether they share your business or product with their friends, family and coworkers.

Kuhfs is a startup. Amy Olson of Illinois had a concept for a fashion accessory aimed at suburban moms who wanted a high-end fashion look on a middle-income cost. She needed the design, imaging and way to show off the story. She sells her products under the unified theme of “One Accessory … Endless Styling Possibilities.”

It isn’t just small businesses who need to take a better look at their websites. Thinker now works with Littlestar Plastics of Machesney Park, Ill. Littlestar isn’t new either. It celebrated its 25th year in business last year and has thrived and grown by tackling problems that other companies wouldn’t attempt on trimelines other companies couldn’t achieve. That didn’t come across well on its website and even less on a mobile device. Now, the company better shows off “What’s Possible With Plastic.”

What is interesting about Entrepreneur’s take is that it pushes small business owners looking for high quality to low-budget options such as Wix, which has limited choices, and Squarespace, which looks nice but lacks flexibility as your business grows. Thinker uses a proprietory framework to hand craft custom websites and provide complete flexibility. Alternatively, Thinker will build a website on the platform of your choosing, but the look and feel will be entirely your own.

Most business owners have to make critical decisions on cost. In today’s world, where almost every customer does a cavity search online before spending their money, is your look online the place you should skimp?