THE INTERNET IS changing the idea that a small business needs a bricks and mortar presence to prosper.
Lance Dettwiler is the latest entrepreneur to challenge that axiom.
His home decorating store Maison Décor on the 4600 block of Lakelse Ave. is closing down at the end of this month in favour of moving to an on line e-store.
Dettwiler said the online store is cheaper, with the costs for the domain and web fee much lower than rent and utilities. "It all adds up," he said of the overhead.
Also, he said customers from Prince Rupert and the Queen Charlottes were asking about an online store. Dettwiler has had his e-store up for about eight months now and said it has worked out well so far.
"I'm getting more traffic on my web store than (here)," he said, saying the e-store was getting about 100 hits compared to 15-20 people coming through the door a day.
"I did a bit of a trial run," he said, adding that business online has picked up lately. There has been about 15 sales through his online store in the last two months.
"It opens up the whole north for me," he said, explaining that the online store also opens him up to clientele he otherwise wouldn't have; some customers have even been from the United States.
While Dettwiler said he will miss ordering, unpacking, decorating the store and conversing with customers – the store has been open since June 15, 2006 – he said this may give him a chance to widen his product range. His prices will also be lowering, as he has little overhead costs with the online store. "People think I'm closing out because times are hard, and it's not that," he said.
The move to an online store will allow Dettwiler to have more time with his family and focus on his two other businesses on the 4600 block of Lakelse Ave – Villa 46 and Elephant's Ear, which he co-owns with business partner James Cordeiro.
