Small businesses go Online for the Holidays

This holiday season, shoppers will be savvier, more informed, and more connected than ever before. That’s because three quarters of Canadians say they will be doing online research before buying holiday gifts this year.

But nearly two thirds of small and independent retailers in Canada don’t have an online presence.

An online presence helps shoppers find your small business whether they're down the street, across Canada, or around the world. At the same time, more than half of small business owners tell us that it is more difficult to be a small business today compared to 10 years ago.

• More than a third of SMB owners say that the way customers shop has changed
• More than a quarter say that customers are doing more research before coming into stores
• One in four feel that its harder to reach customers today

That’s the inspiration behind Retail Spark, a new initiative that we’ve launched with Retail Council of Canada and Shopify, to help small and independent retailers connect with new customers and grow their business during the crucial holiday season and beyond.

The response from the small business community has been tremendous - we’ve connected with more than 600 small business owners at events in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, and thousands more online.

We heard from retail industry leaders - big and small - who shared how their businesses have prospered on the web. Event attendees learned how to have their stores found on Search and Maps, as well as how they can promote their businesses online. Small businesses also met with gurus from Shopify, who shared how to set up an eCommerce shop and start selling online.

Getting online can make a big difference for small businesses. Retailers that are interested in learning more about the digital tools available to them can download a free Digital Starter Kit. Success stories and videos from the events are also available at retailspark.withgoogle.com. 

Thank you to the small and independent retailers everywhere that joined us on the road. See you on the web!

Posted by Jenn Kaiser, Communications, Google Canada