"The crisis is good in a sense that it makes retailers more flexible. The consumer will gain from the crisis, because many e-commerce products or services are now more accessible," manager of the Estonian E-Commerce Association Tõnu Väät said on "Vikerhommik" Tuesday.

According to him, the crisis has forced many Estonian companies, that until now had been passive in e-retail, go digital. Success in the digital environment is tied to clever marketing and it's never too late to start operating online.

"You just have to do it. It is complicated if you want to create an e-store with thousands of articles. Then it will take six months and €100,000. But actually, it is possible to set up a simple e-store in 24 hours," Väät said.

Väät said that many known online enterprises, such as Netflix and Alibaba, started operating during a previous similar crisis - the SARS outbreak of 2003.

"The first decision should be not to cease all sales, but to continue selling through e-channels. As the saying goes, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bus - a company can sell its products even on Facebook," Väät recommended.

--

Download the ERR News app for Android and iOS now and never miss an update!