5 Reasons why co-working is a great option for e-commerce startups

Coworking and e-commerce: 5 Reasons why co-working is a great option for e-commerce startups

In the recent past, eCommerce has turned to play quite a vital role in our daily lives. It is redefining commercial activities around the world. Over the years, eCommerce has evolved in profound ways.

For instance in Kenya, the growth of e-commerce services, while not necessarily returning profits to vendors, has been tremendous. In spite of the fact that space has been unforgiving to the big boys like Jumia, and Safaricom’s Masoko, other tens of players have been doing okay, having been supported by Kenya’s young population that prefers ordering online shopping and also the growth in the internet penetration.

It is an exciting field that can offer incredible freedom and flexibility and the possibilities are limitless when it comes to building your business in whatever direction you want it to go. This has seen space grow with more online shops being opened or going live daily.

However, establishing and maintaining an e-commerce business can be difficult, and this is offset by the unlimited potential for success that they can offer. That is why we think, coworking can be particularly an effective solution for e-commerce companies.

So, whether you are just starting up your e-commerce business or you have been running one for a while, here are some of the reasons why you might want to consider hiring out a coworking space.

Cost Savings

One of the reasons e-commerce is so popular is because you do not necessarily need a lot of space to get started. The charm of e-commerce lies, in its mobility.

Rather than renting an expensive office space, you could rent a coworking space instead. If you work alone, you might need nothing more than a desk. If you work in a team, you could hire some space for everyone.

When you share a coworking space also, you can enjoy all the benefits of being easily accessible to your clients without the high rental costs.

You will also need tools to run your e-commerce business, including internet, phone, meeting rooms, and more. You can get all of this at a good coworking space without having to spend a lot of money on monthly bills, and you can also save money on things like cleaning bills.

Great Flexibility and convenience

One of the great things about running an e-commerce business is that you can be as flexible as you want. Your store exists online, so you can work from wherever you want to.

You might not like the idea of having an office in a fixed location. But with a coworking space, you can enjoy the flexibility that attracted you to e-commerce in the first place. There is no need to take out a lengthy lease, no need for a deposit, and no need to even buy furniture.

Also, most coworking spaces have multiple locations and allow their members to work across the locations, so whenever you are doing your deliveries, you can easily have the flexibility to work from any location that is closer to you.

You also get a chance to easily grow. If you need to hire a couple of full-time members of staff, you can instantly accommodate them without having to move offices. This way, you can scale your team with ease.

Many coworking spaces provide private offices if you prefer, or you could simply rent out desks. You could start by renting a few desks and then move to your own office as you grow. Also, when you need to downscale coworking spaces give you that chance without incurring extra charges.

Collaborative opportunities

A coworking space is a collaborative space. It happens naturally. As an e-commerce business owner, you may have a regular need for web designers, marketers, photographers and other specialists–and you may well find them all in your coworking space.

Coworking spaces are perfect for finding freelancers and contractors or for getting recommendations. When you need to hire someone with a specific skill-set, you could start by asking other people in the coworking space if they know someone with the skills you need.

Coworking spaces allow you a chance to collaborate and work on projects with other coworkers

In a coworking space like Nairobi Garage, we have a common communication platform and whenever you need someone with a certain skills sets all you have to do is post on the channel and you will definitely get recommendations.

Networking opportunities

Coworking spaces are ideal for networking. With your work mainly taking place on online platforms, the opportunities for real-world networking may be few and far between.

But in your coworking space, you could talk to people and build your network naturally in a relaxed environment. After all, you never know how important your contacts can be.

With the current Government Restrictions on physical events though, coworking spaces like Nairobi Garage also give their members a chance to network through the virtual webinars and also space meet-ups held once in a while, while still observing the measures put in place by the Government.

Through the virtual events and the webinars, you gain more visibility. This is especially useful for startups to grow their contact list and also make more valuable connections.

The right motivation

In e-commerce close to 90% of your business happens online; not just the commercial aspects, but dealing with customers, clients and other contacts.

Many people working in e-commerce find themselves rarely handling a physical product or talking face to face with an actual customer. This can mean that the work, even when enjoyable, can feel very ‘virtual’.

While that can absolutely be part of the attraction to e-commerce, in time, it can leave you feeling a little bit bored or lacking in motivation. Coworking spaces, on the other hand, eradicate that sense of boredom. The spaces allow you do your business your way.

Space enables you to focus on your work and at the same time gives you the quiet space you need to get a job done and the excellent facilities and services you want to make life easier.

However, when you want to get up from your desk and grab a coffee, or simply rest for a while; you have access to breakout spaces where you can relax, refresh and recharge.

While at the break out spaces, you stand a chance to meet with passionate people doing amazing work who share your mindset and you can easily reach out; whether it’s for a casual chat or to begin a collaborative project that could be totally transformative. Coworking gives you these options and more.

With all these in mind, we know that coworking spaces are also on the rise and choosing the right space can be slightly daunting for you. However, here are a few questions that you can ask before joining any coworking spaces Joining a coworking space can. instantly help you eliminate a lot of the practical obstacles that stand in the way of establishing a successful e-commerce business.

This frees you up to focus on the business itself and we’ve seen how empowering this can be. So if you’re looking for a cost-effective workspace and a community that will help your business flourish then Nairobi Garage can help.