# Ecommerce Strategy for Canadian Retailers: Build an Online Business That ScalesnnWhen Shania decided to add ecommerce to her jewelry retail business, she could have just launched a basic Shopify store. Instead, we developed a complete ecommerce strategy: which products to sell online (not all), how to price online vs. in-store, how to handle fulfillment, how to market online, how to integrate with physical stores.nnKey decisions: (1) offer all products online at same price as in-store, (2) offer buy online pickup in-store as primary fulfillment, (3) use Instagram and Pinterest as primary marketing, (4) staff stores for ecommerce fulfillment support.nnResult: Year 1 online revenue was 15% of total retail. Year 2 was 25%. Year 3 was 40%. More importantly, the strategy prevented channel conflict between online and retail.nn## Ecommerce Strategy FrameworknnWe help retailers: (1) define ecommerce vision and goals, (2) choose business model (direct ecommerce, marketplace, subscription, etc.), (3) establish pricing and margin strategy, (4) design fulfillment model, (5) develop marketing strategy, (6) plan technology stack, (7) establish integration with physical retail.nn## ROInnEcommerce strategy typically generates 2-4x revenue within 3 years with proper planning and execution.nn## Next StepsnnIf you’re a retailer planning ecommerce, let’s develop a strategy that works for your business.
Frequently Asked Questions #
How long does it take to build an ecommerce strategy?
A complete ecommerce strategy for an existing Canadian retailer usually takes four to eight weeks: discovery, channel decisions, pricing and margin model, fulfillment design, and the technology roadmap. Implementation then runs across the following quarters.
What is the biggest mistake Canadian retailers make when going online?
Treating ecommerce as a separate store rather than an integrated channel. That creates pricing inconsistencies, inventory conflicts, and customer confusion. The strategy must define how online and physical retail reinforce each other from day one.
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Buy online, pickup in-store or ship-from-store: which model first?
For most retailers with existing locations, buy online pickup in-store is the simplest first step. It uses existing inventory, lowers fulfillment costs, and brings online customers into the store, where average basket size is higher.
