Patini.gr is a new online store. This means that we do not have an office but only the e-store, which works 24/7, 365 days per year. This also means that you need to be working fast and that the market which you are targeting is huge – not just a region but people from all Greece and abroad. With time we will translate the website in other languages as well. The competition is fierce because there are many other stores—on other words we need to have something different or something we are better in – either product, service or delivery wise. It is hard to do business online. The fact that you have an e-store does not mean you will be working undisturbed. Rules count and online trade is necessary because this is the future. Today people do not have time, so they shop online and their products are in front of their doors the following day.
The following day?
If you live within Attica region – yes but if you live on an island and it is winter – later. But our company is cooperating with couriers and we also have our own delivery staff so most times the order is delivered during the following day. All offered products in the e-shop are in storage, we have them.
How can people protect themselves from misleading advertisements? How can they be sure that a certain e-store really exists and if they pre-pay they will receive their goods and will not be deceived?
They need to review the website very well; to see how reliable it is. Which is this company? What products does it have? How is the payment done? Does it have Alpha Bank or Visa accounts? Are there any certifications or a telephone number? Is there an address, is this company really existing? This is like our signature. We can put it anywhere but we have to be careful. It is logical not to shop from a store that seems weird and its offices are on the Bahamas. People shopping online are much more secured than they think. It is very hard for someone to steal your data if you follow some simple steps – never send your credit card number through e-mail, you can give it only to an online store you have visited yourself and you have seen that they have a valid address and telephone number. You have to check your bank statement regularly and if you see something weird, you have to go to the bank within one month and say that you have not made this expense. In our website we practice something else too – we sent the present with a courier to the home of the client and we get paid on the spot.
Which are the first companies, which have opened an e-store in Greece? When did online trade start developing here?
Some big stores like Plaisio, e-hop.gr, and U Info Quest have been online for few years but I believe we have witnessed a revolution during the last two years. An online store has many priorities – it is cheaper, faster, it is open 24/7 and all this is so important that the market is heading this way. It is very expensive to own a store on Ermou street, so the future is definitely in online stores. This will not happen in the following 2-3-5 years but today.