We Sponsored This Coworking Ecommerce Deep Dive: Here are the Surprising Insights

Picture a future where booking a meeting room or securing a day pass is as frictionless as reserving a hotel room or flight online.

That future is unfolding right now for coworking and flex spaces around the world. In fact, that future isn’t just arriving, it’s already here

We at OfficeRnD had the pleasure of underwriting and contributing to Hector Kolonas’ This Week In Coworking Undercurrent on ecommerce in coworking, and we’re excited to share the key takeaways.

In case you’re already wondering, an undercurrent is a deep dive report exploring an emerging industry trend.

So, below is a recap of the recent undercurrent “Our E-commerce Era: Has coworking’s big e-commerce era finally arrived?” featuring insights from industry leaders like Miro Miroslavov (OfficeRnD), Kane Wilmott (iQ Offices), Anne Olsen (The Shop Workspace), Chiko Abengowe (Perfect Office Solutions), Lyndon Cookson (AccelerateX), Ben Rigby (x+why), and Josh Dane (Runway East), as well as experts from Flexspace AI.

Read on for the most important findings and firsthand advice on why ecommerce is reshaping coworking and how to capitalize on it.

Why Ecommerce in Coworking – Why Now?

Ecommerce has long been a cornerstone of industries such as hospitality, airlines, and even restaurants. Consumers book everything online, from flights to fitness classes, so why should coworking be any different?

According to Miro Miroslavov, CEO & Co-founder at OfficeRnD,

We want to see coworking spaces make more money … ecommerce and selling directly is a huge piece of this.

Other industries have already demonstrated consumers’ preference for direct bookings. Hotels see more direct revenue than online travel agency bookings, and restaurants find that many visitors who discover them on aggregator sites ultimately book directly.

Coworking is no exception: prospective members and meeting-room renters now expect a “Book Now” button on your website rather than a phone call or a wait for a quote.

What Operators Are Selling Online? (And Seeing Real Returns)

Operators who have embraced ecommerce aren’t limiting it to just a single product. Many are listing a range of offerings. As Anne Olsen (The Shop Workspace) explains:

We saw such an incredible surge of activity around day passes and conference rooms that we figured, why not just make everything available?

Commonly sold items:

• Day Passes & Meeting Rooms: The most popular products, cited by Kane Wilmott (iQ Offices) and others, because they’re simple to list and require minimal customization.
• Virtual Mail & Virtual Offices: Chiko Abengowe (Perfect Office Solutions) stresses that capturing a midnight sign-up from someone who wants a business address is a big revenue opportunity.
• Coworking Subscriptions: Some operators sell 10-day or unlimited monthly bundles, giving members flexible ways to buy time.
• Private Offices: While more complex to sell without a human touch, a few operators do let prospective tenants buy small or short-term offices directly online.

Many experts reported meaningful revenue gains. Anne Olsen cited an additional…

$50,000 in the last year

…across a couple of locations after streamlining their online purchase flow.

Meanwhile, Eyal Lasker (Flexspace AI) reported that an average location “5x their revenue from online transactions within the first 12 months” after adopting a dedicated e-commerce platform.

Hallmarks of a Great Ecommerce Experience

“Less clicks. That’s it,” emphasized Kane Wilmott (iQ Offices). The biggest success factor for operators is to minimize friction:

• Simplicity: Fewer clicks or form fields for a fast checkout.
• Live Availability: Real-time room schedules and membership capacities build trust.
• Consistent Branding: Even if the transaction occurs on another sub-platform, the look and feel should match your space’s vibe.
• Automations & Follow-Ups: Once booked, confirmation and arrival details should reach users instantly.

You don’t want random errors or boxes you can’t fill

…adds Ben Rigby (x+why). A confusing checkout can quickly frustrate potential members.

Key Challenges to Overcome

While the benefits are obvious, implementing ecommerce isn’t always seamless. Anne Olsen recalled how an early, clunky system drove people away: “It made people not really want to engage.” Ensuring the tech matches your service standards is vital.

Other challenges:

• Team Alignment: Staff members who rely on commissions need clarity on who gets credit when customers buy online.
• Product Clarity: Without a phone call to explain every detail, the online product page must handle common questions—yet avoid overwhelming prospective buyers.
• Tracking & Analytics: Lyndon Cookson (AccelerateX) stressed the importance of setting up robust analytics to pinpoint drop-off points and refine marketing campaigns.

Pro Tips from Industry Experts

• “Just do it.” (Chiko Abengowe, Perfect Office Solutions)
  Don’t let fear of retooling your sales process stand in the way. You’re missing out on late-night or quick-turn purchases.
• Act as a Customer (Anne Olsen, The Shop Workspace)
  Test your own workflow to uncover friction, outdated copy, and missing features.
• Optimize the Marketing Funnel (Lyndon Cookson, AccelerateX)
  Without solid data on conversions, you’re wasting ad spend. Make sure you feed booking data back to Google or your ad platforms.
• Keep Personal Touch Where It Counts (Ben Rigby, x+why)
  Automated booking is great for smaller items, but bigger offices or custom enterprise deals may still need human interaction.

Final Word from OfficeRnD

“E-commerce is the future of technology for coworking spaces, for many reasons,” shared Miro Miroslavov, CEO & Co-founder at OfficeRnD, which underwrote this Undercurrent.

Our mission is to help operators of flexible coworking spaces generate more revenue, grow faster, and be more profitable. And a huge piece of that is e-commerce.

He added that better data and analytics help spaces measure conversion rates, fine-tune marketing budgets, and scale confidently.

What’s Next?

Coworking’s ecommerce era is not a far-off possibility – it’s already redefining how operators attract and convert members. If your workspace isn’t offering online booking for desks, day passes, or meeting rooms, you’re likely losing revenue.

We can do transactions while we sleep. That’s amazing.

…sums up Kane Wilmott.

Ultimately, the best ecommerce approach balances a slick digital interface with the personal warmth that sets coworking apart. When done well, it frees your staff to focus on creating memorable on-site experiences – while your website does the heavy lifting 24/7.

Read the full report here.