Stories

The pandemic has forced many small businesses to change their business models to adapt to the new normal. Many PayPal merchants, faced with the sudden demand to digitize their businesses, have found success by pivoting to ecommerce and exploring new ways to reach their customers. In fact, PayPal research shows that small businesses that joined PayPal between March and May of 2020 experienced double their expected sales revenue.

Kimarie Santiago, owner of Saltopia, found that when she took a chance on digitizing her business, her sales not only skyrocketed, but she formed deeper connections with her customers. After being featured on a Good Morning America segment, Saltopia’s customer base grew by 1,000%. 

PayPal’s Amanda Coffee, Senior Manager of Global Corporate Communications, sat down with Kimarie for a session in partnership with the Tory Burch Foundation, an organization that advances women's empowerment and entrepreneurship by providing access to capital, education and digital resources. They discussed her decision to pivot to ecommerce and her advice for other merchants who may be considering the same.

Here are the key takeaways from their discussion: 

 

 

For the full story on Saltopia’s pivot to ecommerce, check out their profile on the PayPal Business Resource Center.