How to add online sales to a business that sells mostly in person
For a business that has sold mostly in person for years, adding an online sales channel is not simply a matter of putting the catalogue on a transactional site. Whether sales happen in a store, a branch, a showroom or with the help of a sales rep, the challenge is the same: letting customers make online a decision they used to make with the help of a person and a physical setting.
- An in-person sales experience performs at least five important functions in the purchase decision: understanding dimensions, assessing materials, getting advice, feeling confident about the supplier and understanding logistics.
- The site has to take over these functions gradually so customers can move forward without always having to talk to a salesperson or travel.
- According to Gartner, 67% of B2B buyers surveyed say they prefer a rep-free buying experience. The survey was conducted among 646 B2B buyers between August and September 2025.
- The online channel does not necessarily replace in-person sales. It can also prepare a visit, an appointment or a conversation with a rep, and make the customer much better informed.
- For an established business, the first online orders may come from existing customers. That is an excellent way to test the new journey before investing more in acquisition.
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In many industries, the point of sale and the team do much more than present products. They help customers understand what they are buying, compare options, ask their questions, feel reassured and settle the details of delivery, installation or configuration.
A site that does not take over enough of these functions can generate traffic and information requests without generating many orders.
So the issue is not only choosing a good platform. You need to determine what the in-person sales experience brings to the purchase decision today and how to reproduce those elements online.
What is a function of in-person sales
A function of in-person sales is a role the point of sale or the team plays in the purchase decision, beyond presenting products: understanding dimensions, assessing materials, getting advice, feeling confident about the supplier and understanding logistics. Adding online sales means taking over those functions on the site, gradually. The ones missing online can generate information requests rather than orders.
Why in-person sales are hard to replace with a simple online catalogue
When customers visit a store, a branch or a showroom, or meet a sales rep, a large part of the decision happens almost automatically.
They see a product's proportions. They touch a material. They compare two finishes. They ask whether the product suits their project. They see that the business really exists and looks well established. Finally, they get answers about delivery, lead times, installation or configuration.
All of these interactions reduce perceived risk.
On a website, none of that is automatic.
That is why a business can have a beautiful site, plenty of products and even plenty of traffic without getting the expected volume of orders.
The problem is not necessarily eCommerce itself. Customers may simply be missing some of the information they used to get in person.
The five functions in-person sales performs in the purchase decision
1. Understanding dimensions and proportions
In person, customers can immediately judge a product's real size.
Online, a few numbers on a spec sheet are not always enough.
The site should make it easier to understand with:
- complete dimensions;
- photos showing the product in a real setting;
- reference objects that help judge scale;
- where relevant, visualization tools.
The better customers understand what they will actually receive, the more confidently they can order.
2. Assessing materials and finishes
In person, customers can touch a fabric, compare two textures or look at a finish from different angles.
Online, that experience has to be offset with more information.
This can include:
- close-up photos;
- precise descriptions of materials;
- several views of the product;
- explanations of the differences between finishes;
- samples sent out when the product's value justifies it.
For a $2,000 product, for example, sending a sample can cost much less than a return.
3. Getting advice
In person, customers can immediately ask the question that is holding up their decision.
This is probably one of the most valuable sources of information for building a good transactional site.
Salespeople and reps already know:
- which questions keep coming up;
- which products are often compared;
- which features cause confusion;
- which objections keep some customers from buying.
Those answers should appear directly on the product pages and in the site's content.
Much of the content needed to improve online sales already exists. It simply lives in the sales team's heads.
4. Feeling confident about the business
When customers visit a business that has been around for twenty or thirty years, part of its credibility is immediately visible.
They see the facilities, the employees, the products and the business's activity.
Online, that credibility has to be stated much more explicitly.
The site can show, among other things:
- the year the business was founded;
- the business's experience;
- the number of projects completed;
- service locations;
- warranties;
- partners;
- certifications;
- projects or customer case studies.
A business that is highly credible in the physical world can look surprisingly generic online if it does not present these elements.
5. Understanding delivery, installation or setup
Before buying, customers often want to know:
- the real lead time;
- the delivery cost;
- the regions served;
- what is included;
- the installation conditions;
- the steps after the order.
The later this information comes in the journey, the higher the risk of abandonment.
Logistics should therefore be explained clearly before the customer reaches the cart.
Where to start when opening the online channel
A common mistake is wanting to put the whole catalogue online right away.
For a business with hundreds or thousands of products, that is often the most expensive way to start.
A gradual approach lets you learn much faster.
1. Start with one category
Choose a relatively simple category:
- products that are easy to explain;
- data already available;
- few complex variations;
- low risk of returns.
The goal is to test the journey on a manageable scope.
2. Structure product data before choosing the site's advanced features
No platform can make up for incomplete product data.
Before thinking about features, you need the essential information:
- dimensions;
- weight;
- materials;
- variants;
- lead times;
- technical specifications;
- delivery conditions.
For many established retailers and distributors, this is where most of the work lies.
In an example scenario from our framework, opening a channel costs about $42,000 in the first year, with nearly three quarters going to content and product data rather than the platform itself.
3. Test with existing customers first
Current customers already know the business.
They need less convincing about its credibility and can serve as a first test group.
If they start ordering online, that validates several elements:
- the product pages;
- the ordering process;
- payments;
- logistics;
- the post-purchase experience.
You can then fix the setup before investing more to attract new customers.
4. Invest in acquisition next
Google Ads, Meta Ads, SEO or other channels can then speed up growth.
But sending traffic to incomplete product pages fixes nothing.
Before increasing acquisition, the site should already answer the main questions that keep a customer from buying.
eCommerce should not come into conflict with the sales team.
For a business that has sold in person for a long time, internal resistance can become a significant issue.
A salesperson or rep may naturally wonder what will happen to their commission if a customer checks the site after meeting them, then orders directly online.
That question has to be settled before launch.
Two common approaches assign the sale:
- to the service location associated with the customer;
- to the salesperson or rep who had already worked with that customer.
The method matters less than the clarity of the rule. The full subject is covered in our article on channel conflict.
If the team believes the site is taking sales away, it is unlikely to contribute much to the project. Yet its knowledge is exactly what you need to create good product pages and answer customers' questions.
The site can also improve in-person sales.
The success of the digital channel should not be measured only by orders placed directly online.
Customers can do almost all their research on the site and then decide to visit a store, a branch or a showroom, or to book an appointment with a rep.
In that case, the site still played an important role in the sale.
Customers who arrive after doing their research already know:
- the products;
- the prices;
- the dimensions;
- the main options;
- sometimes even the model they want to buy.
The conversation with the salesperson starts much further along the buying journey.
According to Gartner, 67% of B2B buyers surveyed say they prefer a rep-free experience. This figure concerns business-to-business purchasing and should not be applied automatically to all consumers, but it illustrates a clear trend: a large share of buyers want to be able to move forward on their own before contacting anyone.
How to measure whether the channel works
Sales made directly online obviously remain important, but they do not tell the whole story.
We recommend tracking at least three indicators.
1. Orders completed online
This is the most obvious indicator.
It tracks the revenue actually generated by the transactional channel.
2. In-person interactions preceded by a site visit
This indicator is measured far less often.
A simple question asked during a visit or an appointment can already provide information:
Did you look at our website before coming in or booking an appointment?
After a few weeks, you start to see how many visitors actually use the site to prepare their decision.
3. The closing rate of those visitors
Then compare the closing rate of visitors who consulted the site with that of other visitors.
If customers who did their research online buy more or decide faster, the site contributes to sales even when the final transaction happens in person.
The mistakes that can lead you to conclude too quickly that the project isn't working
Judging the channel after a few months
A business that has sold in person for thirty years does not change its customers' habits in a few months.
The first orders can come relatively quickly, but a significant change in habits can take two to three years.
Putting the whole catalogue online right away
A large, poorly documented catalogue produces thousands of incomplete product pages.
It is generally better to start with one very well presented category and expand afterward.
Trying to reproduce the physical experience
A site does not need to virtually reproduce a store or a showroom.
Above all, it has to let the customer make a decision.
A virtual tour can be visually appealing, but it does not replace complete dimensions, good photos, a precise description of materials or clear delivery information.
Treating every information request as a failure
For some high-value products, customers may still want to talk to someone before ordering.
These requests are useful too.
If several customers keep asking the same thing, that question often points to information missing from the site.
A question about dimensions may reveal a weakness in how scale is presented.
A question about the delivery date points instead to missing logistics information.
Five questions to settle before choosing your platform
Before launching the project, you should be able to answer these questions clearly:
- Which functions of your in-person sales process most influence the purchase decision?
- Does your product data contain enough information for a customer to understand what they are buying?
- Which category will you start with?
- How will online sales be attributed to the sales team?
- How will you measure the site's influence on sales later made in person?
If these answers are not clear, choosing Shopify, WooCommerce or another platform will not solve the problem. The platform is a tool. The real project is building a journey in which a customer can get enough information and confidence online to move forward with their decision.
Determining which functions to take over first and which category to start with is part of what we deliver in a paid audit.
Some decisions necessarily have to come from the business itself. Your team knows:
- the questions customers actually ask;
- the most frequent objections;
- the simplest categories to start with;
- how commissions should be handled.
Other elements can be structured with an outside partner:
- product data;
- product pages;
- the transactional journey;
- measurement;
- acquisition;
- SEO;
- conversion optimization.
The most effective scenario is generally not putting 5,000 products online and waiting. It is choosing a category, building a complete journey, testing it with real customers and gradually improving the model before expanding it.
This point sits inside the plan described in the marketing plan and its budget.
Opening a channel or a market you don’t serve yet is at the heart of the Develop a new market goal.
Is your catalogue heavy and product data the real project? See our work in eCommerce.
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Frequently asked questions about opening an online channel
Will the online channel reduce in-person visits or conversations?
Not necessarily. Above all, it can change the quality of those interactions. A customer who has already looked at the products, prices, dimensions and options generally arrives much better prepared. So you should measure not only the number of visits or appointments, but also their quality and their closing rate.
Which category should we start with?
Ideally, a category whose products are relatively simple to explain online, whose data is available and whose risk of returns is low. A well-documented category is a better test than a full catalogue filled with incomplete product pages.
How long before we get orders?
The first orders can arrive within the first few months. A major change in the habits of customers used to buying in person can, however, take two to three years. Existing customers are often the first to adopt the new channel.
How should salespeople's commissions be handled?
The rule has to be set before launch. The order can, for example, be attributed to the customer's service location or to the salesperson who already worked with them. What matters is that the team knows clearly how a digital sale will be handled.
Should we create a virtual tour of a store or showroom?
It is generally not the priority. Before investing in that kind of experience, make sure your product pages already answer the customer's real questions: dimensions, materials, specifications, lead times, delivery and installation.
What if customers ask for information instead of ordering?
Analyze their questions. They often pinpoint exactly what is missing from the journey. If several people ask the same question before buying, the answer should probably be built into the site.
- Gartner, Gartner Sales Survey Finds 67% of B2B Buyers Prefer a Rep-Free Experience, news release of March 9, 2026. Survey of 646 B2B buyers conducted from August to September 2025.
- Falia framework: typology of the five functions of in-person sales and a $42,000 budget example for a first year of opening the channel. The amounts must be recalculated for each business.
Geneviève puts the strategy for your engagement into action. She leads all our web development projects: Shopify, WordPress and the new ways of building a site with AI. She manages our team of developers and translates your business needs into technical language. She runs your organic search (SEO), your visibility in AI answers (GEO) and your site's conversion rate optimization (CRO). Her work is at the heart of three goals: Attract customers with SEO and AI, Improve your site's conversion, and Strengthen your visibility in AI answers. With Gabriel, she also builds the landing pages for your advertising campaigns. She writes mainly about SEO, AI visibility and web design.
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