Ongar may not be the first place you might expect to be in the midst of an online revolution – yet that is exactly what is happening as more traders in the town head for the internet.
From setting up a website with some basic information, to a full-blown online store operating worldwide, Ongar's high street traders are becoming increasingly tech-savvy.
Everyone from the butcher's to the fish and chip shop is using sites such as Twitter too, keeping their customers up to date on sales and new stock and even warning fellow tweeting traders about shoplifters.
The days of early closing are gone and, with dwindling footfall and parking charges, many believe to be prohibitive, traders are turning to the web to give customers access to their products 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Colin Purcell, who owns When Skies Are Grey on High Street, said: "We started as an online business with the intention of moving on to the high street.
"Being online is absolutely vital for any business today – I can't see how you can survive without.
"The high street shop gives us a shop window for our online business and vice-versa.
"We now offer a click and collect service as well, meaning you can reserve something you spot online and we will hold it for up to a week.
"Footfall in Ongar is not always the greatest – we have a lot of cars come through though.
"However, there a lot of cars and we have boards on our shop advertising our website.
"Shopping online is so much easier and opens your shop up to customers across the country."
The 34 year old stressed the importance of social media.
He said: "It is a great way of keeping in touch with your customers.
"We are on Pintrest, Facebook and Twitter and send out an email newsletter. We keep people up to date on stock or sales and often put pictures of interesting items up.
"A high-street shop has always been about knowing the customers that come through your door, a real community feel. Social media just extends this even further.
"We interact with people – answer their questions and just keep everyone up to date.
"It can really help to drive sales."
Mr Purcell, whose eclectic gift shop opened in October, has even taken to using Twitter to warn others about shoplifters.
He said: "A lot of the other high street shops are on Twitter.
"I decided to post a picture of two people who had shoplifted me to try and warn others and deter them in the future."
Another shop relatively new to the historic high street is boutique children's clothes and toy shop Eeeny Meenie Miney Mo.
Co-owner Natalie McCarthy, of Bowes Drive, Ongar, explained how they decided to go online.
She said: "It was always the aim, to be both online and on the High Street, it brings so much benefit and one will feed off the other.
"On days like today we have taken more online than we have in the shop.
"You can sell to people all over the world.
"We have orders come from as far afield as Sweeden and hits on our website come from all over the world.
"An online shop has the benefit of being open for business all the time and with the footfall on the high street not always being the best, it can be a real boost."
The 28 year old, whose shop suffered a major setback when it was flooded in March, also sang the praises of Twitter.
"It is an amazing way of keeping in touch with people, be that customers or fellow traders," she said.
"You can let people know about sales and new stock which can bring them down to the store.
"I wish we had it when we were flooded as it would have been the best way of telling people when we were going to open and how the rebuilding was going.
"Ongar has a great Twitter community and there are a lot of locals and shoppers who are always online.
"It is great for getting the latest gossip as well."
