Guide

Online vs bricks-and-mortar business

Comparing financial performance, workload, and stress between business types.

Introduction

Xero surveyed 171 accountants and bookkeepers with a collective clientele of more than 6,000 small businesses to explore the differences between online and physical businesses. 59 of those experts (accounting for more than 2,200 businesses) were based in Australia.

Findings were used to build our guide on starting an online business.

Key findings

Profitability – 48% say online businesses have a higher net profit margin (24% say bricks-and-mortar do).
Resilience – 68% say online businesses are less likely to fail (and 64% say owners lose less if they do fail).
Innovation – 56% say they’re more likely to be based on a novel idea.
Lifestyle – Online business owners are twice as likely to hold down a day job as well.
Stress – Just 8% say online owners are more stressed (52% say brick-and-mortar owners are).
Startup – Most say it costs the same to start a retail business online (vs B&M). Two-thirds say it costs less to start a service business online (vs B&M).
Running costs – 6 in 10 say it costs less to run a retail business online (vs B&M). Two-thirds say the same about service businesses.
Break even – 5 in 10 say online retailers break even sooner (1 in 10 who say B&M retailers break even sooner). 6 in 10 say online service businesses break even sooner.

About the experts in this study

The accountants and bookkeepers in this study prepare financial statements for both online and bricks-and-mortar businesses. They understand the commercial performance of both, but they also know the start-up journey, workload, risks, and lifestyle implications for owners. This report reflects their observations in the case of very small businesses (0 to 4 employees).

Results

These results are based on the responses of Australian experts only. Explore the differences between online and bricks-and-mortar businesses when it comes to:

Starting up: including startup costs, break-even point, room for creativity, speed to launch, money traps, and the musts of starting an online business.
Financial performance: including level of income, running costs, profit margins, and cash flow.
Lifestyle: including workload, downward price pressure, and stress levels.
Failure rates and repercussions: including failure rates and personal financial risks.
Pros and cons of online business: in which we look at three good things about owning an online business, and three not-so-good things.

Start up journey of online vs bricks and mortar

Online businesses are generally seen as faster to set up, with owners achieving break-even on their investment sooner. These lower barriers to entry allow people to set up niche businesses based on novel ideas.

Cheaper to start?

Retail: Experts say it costs the same to start online or physical stores
Services: Two thirds say online businesses cost less to start up

Online businesses don’t have to enter expensive lease agreements or fit out premises, which would normally save a lot of money. It seems that online retailers manage to spend that money in other areas. Good websites are not cheap to build, and most experts recommend making a considerable investment in digital marketing in the first quarter of the business’s existence.

Break even sooner

Retail: Half say online breaks even sooner. Only 1 in 10 favour bricks-and-mortar
Services: 6 in 10 say online breaks even sooner. Just over 1 in 10 favour bricks-and-mortar

Break-even is a big milestone for any business. Experts agree it happens faster for online businesses. Services are the clear winner, probably due to their lower startup costs, but also their lower operating expenses (see the finance section). The lower expenses means that more of their weekly revenue is left over to claw back startup costs. Online retailers also enjoy lower operating expenses, which probably explains why they get to break even faster than their bricks-and-mortar equivalents, despite having comparable startup costs.

Room for creativity

56% of experts say online businesses are more likely to be based on a novel idea
15% say bricks-and-mortar businesses are more likely to be novel

Experts are almost four times more likely to say online businesses are based on novel ideas. Lower startup and operating costs mean owners face fewer personal financial losses in the event of a business failure. This de-risks the ‘worst case scenario’ and gives entrepreneurs more licence to try something different. Online businesses are also better able to connect with niche markets to sell their specialty goods or services. In fact, more than a third of experts say improved access to niche markets is a key benefit of being an online business.

Faster to set up

Retail: Almost 6 in 10 experts say online retailers launch within a year of having their idea (less than half say the same for bricks-and-mortar retailers)
Services: 9 in 10 say online service businesses launch within a year of having their idea (compared to three-quarters for bricks-and-mortar)

Online businesses don’t have to organise physical premises, so they sidestep an array of time-consuming decisions and activities. It is also much faster and easier to ‘hang a shingle’ online and begin prospecting for sales – even before all aspects of the business are nailed down.

Money traps to avoid

38% of experts say new online businesses get surprised by digital marketing expenses
A third say they underestimate the costs of a good website
Another third say they get caught out by merchant service fees

While the costs of doing business online are generally lower, traps remain. Digital marketing is complex and may require lots of early investment in trial and error. Although off-the-shelf website providers have made it easier than ever to create an online presence, it still costs money to make that website really good. Owners may have to pay 2% to 4% of sales revenue to the merchant service provider that processes card payments.

Things to absolutely get right

46% of experts say it’s critical for online startups to have a clearly defined market
More than a third recommend having digital marketing knowledge
A third say they should take extra care nailing down their supply chain

These keys to success could apply to both online and bricks-and-mortar businesses. However, there are reasons why they may have emerged as such big considerations in the ecommerce space. Digital marketing can become prohibitively expensive when not focused on a small audience, so it’s important to define the market and come with a plan. Supply chains are a big struggle for all types of businesses in the era of Covid-19, but arguably more so for digital businesses, whose customers typically expect convenient ordering and seamless fulfilment.

Financial performance of online vs bricks and mortar

Owners of online businesses are more likely to hold onto their day job. This would seem to suggest that they don’t generate as much income. However a further inspection of financial performance shows that generally their revenue is comparable, their costs are lower, their margins higher, and their cash flow stronger.

More likely to be a side hustle

36% of experts say online businesses are likely to be a side hustle. 19% say bricks-and-mortar businesses are likely to be a side hustle

Ecommerce businesses are twice as likely to be a supplementary form of income. That’s despite the fact that most ecommerce businesses in this study enjoyed higher revenues.

It could be that online businesses are easier to manage, meaning owners have the time and energy to hold down a day job. However, that’s probably not the case; the lifestyle section of our survey suggests workloads are comparable. It may instead be that digital tasks can often be completed at any time of the day. This allows owners to work for someone else during traditional business hours and for themselves at night.

Less costly to run

Retail: More than 6 in 10 experts say online retailers have lower operating expenses than their bricks-and-mortar counterparts
Services: Two thirds say online service businesses have fewer operating expenses than their bricks-and-mortar counterparts

There’s wide consensus that an online business costs less to run. While the absence of rent probably drives many of the savings across the board, factors such as automation may play a role. For example, about a third of experts say lower staffing costs are a major advantage for online businesses. Fewer costs mean there’s a lower threshold to cross for a business to become financially sustainable. This may explain why there are a greater number of niche-focused and side-hustle businesses online.

Higher profit margins

About half (48%) of experts say online businesses have higher net profit margins
31% say online margins are much higher
A quarter (24%) say bricks-and-mortar margins are higher

Online businesses get to keep more money from every sale. This reflects the fact that there are less operating expenses to eat into revenue. But it also suggests that online service providers are equally as productive as their bricks-and-mortar counterparts. In other words, remote staff can, and do, and get just as much work done from home.

Improved cash flow

47% of experts say online businesses have better cash flow
22% say bricks-and-mortar businesses have better cash flow
31% say it’s roughly the same for both

Experts were twice as likely to say online businesses have better cash flow. Cash flow is the amount of money a business has to spend. It affects their ability to buy supplies and keep trading. Consequently, it also determines the level of financial stress felt by owners. Online businesses typically bill clients electronically, which will mean they’re more likely to receive instant payments via credit card or direct debit. These forms of payment are known to reduce debtor days (wait times) by up to half. As noted, online businesses also have lower operating expenses, which puts less pressure on their cash.

Of course, fewer cash flow problems doesn’t mean no cash flow problems. A third of experts say new online businesses run into difficulty managing expenses like merchant service fees. Another Xero study (Xero, 2021) notes that 58% of online businesses have difficulty forecasting cash flow.

Lifestyle of online vs bricks and mortar

Small businesses typically demand a lot of their owners, which can affect wellbeing and quality of life. Online businesses are no different. Their owners work just as hard, although they seem to feel less stressed. Interestingly, experts believe online retailers are under less price pressure from their customers.

Workload for the business owner

Only 3% of experts say reduced workload is an advantage for online businesses

While there’s some mythology about earning passive income online, the reality is quite different. When asked to identify advantages that online businesses have over bricks-and-mortar businesses, only 3% of experts flagged reduced workload as an attraction. Digital business owners may not spend as much time ringing up orders at the till or travelling to meetings, but time goes in other ways. For example, almost a quarter of experts say the amount of time spent maintaining a digital reputation (via social media and by managing reviews) makes online business a challenge for owners. Another quarter say a lack of face-to-face contact is a problem. That could suggest time is lost correcting misunderstandings that can sometimes arise in digital forms of communication like email.

Downward price pressure

Half of experts say brick and mortar retailers face more downward pressure
1 in 10 say online retailers face more downward pressure
4 in 10 say there’s no difference

* We limited this question to retailers because they tend to sell like for like and are more subject to price comparison.

While online businesses face fewer costs and higher profit margins for now, those benefits could always be eroded by customer expectations. Downward price pressure can make business feel like a race to the bottom. We checked to see if online shoppers apply more of that downward pressure on retailers. After all, it’s easier for them to run price comparisons by simply clicking on another search result.

Most experts called this in favour of online retailers, saying their bricks-and-mortar peers actually had to deal with more downward price pressure. This probably reflects the fact that physical stores still have to show their prices online, and so are subject to the same web-based price comparisons.

Who’s more stressed?

Only 8% of experts say online business owners are more stressed
52% say bricks-and-mortar business owners are more stressed
37% say stress levels are the same
2% declined to answer because it was too hard to say

While around a third of respondents say stress levels are comparable, most of the rest say bricks-and-mortar businesses are tougher. In fact, they’re six times more likely to pick bricks-and-mortar as more stressful. This can probably be traced to core financial factors. The lower costs of being an online business mean break-even is always nearer at hand for a given sales period. Better cash flow means they have fewer unpaid bills hanging over their head. And higher margins give them more financial wiggle room. Plus, as you’ll see in the next section, online business owners stand to lose less if the business gets into trouble.

Failure rates (and repercussions) of online vs bricks and mortar

Online businesses are generally thought to be more resilient. At least that’s the feeling right now. It was a very different picture pre-pandemic, and only time will tell where consensus ultimately lands. One thing is for sure: online business owners are less likely to endure large personal losses if their business closes.

Failure risk

68% of experts say an online business is less likely to fail
7% say a bricks-and-mortar business is less likely to fail
25% say there’s no difference

Online businesses clearly find it easier to keep trading during massive social disruptions like the pandemic. That has greatly influenced the experts’ answers to this question. Before Covid-19, 31% of them backed bricks-and-mortar businesses to be more resilient compared to only 14% for online (with more than half calling it a tie). It remains to be seen where expert opinion lands as the world emerges from the pandemic.

Personal financial losses from failure

64% of experts say the failure of an online business will cause fewer personal financial losses (32% say it will be far fewer)
15% say bricks-and-mortar business owners will lose less

Sole proprietors are personally liable for the debts of their business. In the case of failure, they may be expected to pay creditors out of their own pocket. However, online businesses seem to face less of a risk on this front. They break even faster, which suggests they carry fewer debts. Because their operating costs are also lower, they may be less likely to trade their way into debt. The end result is that they face fewer personal financial hardships in the case of business closure.

This consensus may also reflect the lack of lending available for online businesses. It’s widely felt that banks offer fewer loans to ecommerce startups, which means those businesses simply can’t load up on debt.

Pros and cons of running a business online

This report explores some of the metrics by which business performance and personal comfort are measured. However we also wanted to understand the strategic advantages and disadvantages of being an online business.

Experts were asked to nominate the three biggest pros and three biggest cons faced by digital businesses.

Pros of online business:

41% say super targeted digital marketing is a key advantage
39% say selling outside of the region
44% say it’s that online transactions are easier to record

Cons of online business:

34% say it’s accounting for transaction fees
31% say it’s the difficulty of forecasting sales and income
29% say it’s the challenge of creating a genuinely good website

Physical store vs online store

Summarising the retail-specific differences between online and brick-and-mortar businesses:

Experts say it costs about the same to start both types of store
6 in 10 say it’s cheaper to run an online store vs a physical store
Half say an online store breaks even sooner. 1 in 10 say a physical store breaks even sooner. The rest call it a tie.
Interestingly, half say physical stores face more downward price pressure while only 1 in 10 say online stores face more downward prices pressure.

Findings related to profitability, cash flow, stress, and workload are for all business types – not just retail.

Conclusion

Ecommerce is creating new, lower risk pathways to business ownership. Operating expenses are lower, which allows owners to break even quicker. Owners also face fewer personal financial risks in the case of business failure.

These lower barriers to entry don’t seem to be offset by obvious financial penalties. The online businesses covered by this study generated similar revenues to their bricks-and-mortar counterparts, while enjoying higher net profit margins. Meanwhile, the instant nature of digital payments (combined with lower operating expenses) supports improved cash flow.

On the other hand, online business owners are getting caught out by some of the unique aspects of operating in a digital environment. The costs of digital marketing, the challenge of creating a good website, and the costs of taking online payments are the main traps. Mentally, they may be challenged by the long hours spent online and the absence of face-to-face contact. This may be exacerbated by the fact that they’re more likely to hold down a day job, which puts them at extra risk of overcommitting themselves. Overall, however, they appear less stressed than those in bricks-and-mortar businesses.

Limitations of the study

This study was undertaken with accountants and bookkeepers who are familiar with the financial performance of both online and bricks-and-mortar businesses. However, they did not refer to ledgers to provide answers. As such, this report reflects their overall impressions rather than a strict head-to-head analysis of financials.

It should also be noted that 37% of respondents said they prefer working with online businesses, while only 30% said they preferred working with bricks-and-mortar businesses (the remainder had no preference). This may reflect a bias toward online businesses, although it may also come down to inherent advantages of working with such businesses.

Participants were asked to limit answers to their experiences of very small businesses (0 to 4 employees).

Why Xero did this study

There is lots of conjecture about the pros and cons of running an online business. Most of it is based on hunches and assumptions. We wanted to replace that say-so with substance by surveying the people who work with the financial facts – accountants and bookkeepers.