Online Shopping: An Overview
E-commerce, or online shopping, is a growing field. Over 78% of American consumers have purchased at least one item from an online store. And as consumers continue to browse the web on an increasing number of devices, customers have begun to make online purchases on smartphones and tablets as well as on computers. Both men and women and people of all ages shop online regularly. Even Americans over 50 years of age have purchased about half of the things they use on a regular basis online. It’s clear that shopping online is a habit that crosses almost every divide. Most consumers cite saving time as a reason for why they prefer shopping online versus visiting a physical store.
And it’s no wonder. Shopping online enables customers to access a wide variety of goods and shop from a wide variety of stores. And even better? Most consumers don’t even need to leave the house when they shop online. The nature of shopping online allows customers to find both the things they use every day and discover products that they may not have encountered easily in a physical store. Online shopping transgresses physical boundaries a reason for why many consumers shop to e-commerce platforms.
But it’s not just goods that customers purchase online. Customers also opt to purchase access to services online. From seeking consulting services, banking, and even therapy, a customer can fulfill almost any need they have by shopping for it online. And customers may even use the Internet to look for and even shop for the services available in their area. Websites like Restaurant.com enable customers to save on dinners at local eateries by purchasing discounted gift cards online. Amazon even launched their new Amazon Local service to allow customers to connect with local businesses offering unique services.
The nature of shopping online allows for companies to connect in new ways with customers as well. Many major retailers and companies have accounts on social media and try to target their customers in highly personable ways. And even websites like Facebook and Google contribute to benefitting companies and advertisers. Demographic user information from social media websites is often used to create targeted ads based on their gender, age, and interests.
Many companies are now allowing customers to instant message or email customer service representatives, making it possible for many customers to have their inquiries taken care of more quickly than they would be through a phone call.
When shopping online, items are directly shipped to a customer’s house. Even if an item is purchased from a company that doesn’t have a retail location in the customer’s area, it’s often easier for many customers to return or replace defective items if needed. While most companies may differ on their shipping and return policies, overall it’s easier for a customer to simply ship back an item than to try to find a retail location to physically return the item at.
To entice customers, many online retailers may offer free or reduced shipping, especially after the customer makes a purchase equaling over a certain dollar amount. Amazon, for instance, allows customers to sign up for the Prime program, which provides free shipping and items delivered within two business days.
Both the Internet and social media allow for both customers to easily find deals & special promotions and for companies to raise awareness of sales they have going on. Social media enables companies to instantly share news of blowout sales, BOGO deals, and so on with thousands of potential customers, drawing in both loyal fans and people who have never encountered the brand before.
And because the Internet is a highly social medium, customers can help raise awareness of the products they love (or don’t) through reviews and comments. Websites like Ebay, Amazon, and even individual retailers give customers the ability to rate both products and transactions. Reviews can be a valuable tool for deciding whether a product is worth purchasing. In fact, reviews can be so powerful that there are websites out there dedicated to reviewing local businesses and more- many people rely on websites like Yelp to give them an idea of what to expect from a restaurant or retailer in their local areas.
Online retailers also make it easy for customers to save money on their purchases. Not only can customers easily comb the Internet for products at more affordable rates, but websites all over the web now offer customers the ability to find a coupon and promo codes, which can be redeemed when shopping for items. A growing number of companies also allow customers to enjoy special cash back or rebate promotions, encouraging more and more customers to get involved with them online.
Shopping online provides both a convenient way for customers to shop online without ever having to leave their homes and the ability to connect directly with the businesses and companies they enjoy. From being able to find the best deals for shopping from a wide variety of devices, it’s only natural that more and more customers will continue flocking to online resources in order to find the products they need and want. While physical retail locations offer a lot of benefits, it’s hard to match the convenience of shopping online from a variety of vendors on a global basis.