Sales channels to reach your customers

Distance selling means selling to customers without meeting them in person. This can include selling by:

• phone
• mail order
• email
• the internet
• apps, online marketplaces or other digital platforms

Advantages of distance selling

Distance selling can be effective for:

• approaching hard-to-reach customers
• repeat orders from established customers
• reaching new markets through your website, online marketplaces or social media sales channels

Costs are often lower than visiting customers or running retail premises.

Disadvantages of distance selling

The downsides of distance selling include:

• customers cannot always inspect or try the product before buying
• it can be difficult to convince the customer to trust you without meeting them

When to use distance selling

Many businesses find distance selling cost-effective for standard products that customers already understand.

Distance selling can also be useful for repeat orders once you have built trust with the customer.

Using the telephone means that as well as prompting the customer to reorder or buy new products, you can give customers an opportunity to ask questions.

Rules on distance selling

Businesses using distance and online selling must comply with consumer protection, data protection and electronic marketing rules.

Every time you sell something you make a contract with the consumer. If you sell to consumers, you must provide key information before they buy, including your business name, contact details, product information, total price, delivery costs and cancellation rights.

If your business is a limited company or limited liability partnership and has a website, it must display details such as the registered company name, registration number, place of registration and registered office address.

There are also restrictions on privacy and data protection in direct marketing, and on email marketing to individuals.