Brochure site
or online shop?
Selling online is not always the right answer. How to choose between an enquiry-focused brochure site and a full online shop, based on your offer and your organisation.
Six typical situations
Find the one that looks most like your business.
Trades and construction
Bespoke quotes and a local service area: a brochure site with a detailed form and a portfolio converts better than a shop.
Local retail
A brochure site with opening hours, a map and click and collect is often enough before considering online sales.
Standardised products
Stable references and simple shipping: e-commerce makes full sense and pays back quickly.
B2B services
Long sales cycles and negotiated quotes: favour a brochure site with case studies and booking.
Training and consulting
Selling sessions online calls for light e-commerce: payment, calendar and a learner area.
Hospitality
An up-to-date menu, booking and ordering: an enriched brochure site costs less than a full shop.
How to decide
Six checks before choosing the format.
Do customers buy without talking to you first? If not, a brochure site stays more effective.
A shop means payment fees, packaging and returns: your margin must absorb them.
Without a reliable shipping process, e-commerce creates more problems than it solves.
Fewer than ten well-presented references do not always need a shopping cart.
Compare build cost, monthly cost and expected revenue over twelve months.
A well-structured brochure site can host a shop later without a full rebuild.
Frequently asked questions
Brochure sites, shops and hybrid cases.
Can a shop be added to a brochure site?
Yes. On WordPress, WooCommerce can be added to an existing site. Plan for the design work on product, cart and checkout pages.
Can a brochure site generate sales?
Yes, indirectly: quote forms, bookings, phone calls or click and collect. For many local businesses it is the most profitable channel.
How many products justify a shop?
There is no strict threshold, but below ten low-margin references the management cost often exceeds the gain.
Should I also sell on a marketplace?
It is a useful way to test demand, but commissions and the lack of a direct customer relationship prevent it from being your only channel.
Which format helps local visibility?
Both do: localised pages, a Google Business Profile and customer reviews drive visibility, not the shopping cart.
Does e-commerce need more maintenance?
Yes. Payments, carriers, stock and security require closer monitoring than a brochure site.
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