E-commerce has become a giant global phenomenon in recent years because more and more consumers are turning to online shopping as an alternative to brick-and-mortar stores.
People are buying all sorts of products online, from bags to books to clothing—even food. Why has online shopping become so popular? Let’s break down some of the benefits and advantages this new experience offers to us as the consumers:
Greater Convenience
Online shopping allows consumers to say goodbye to queues and long waiting times! Convenience is the key benefit that drives consumers to choose Web-based shops over physical stores. Online shopping gives you the freedom to shop anytime you want without having to get dressed and go outside. Then you won’t have to deal with pollution and crowds, or perhaps even getting stuck in traffic. You can buy that designer bag you’ve been wanting for so long while in bed at 3 AM and nobody would question you. Online shopping saves you time and money. Best of all, you get stress-free shopping!
Better Deals
Discounts! Coupons! Sales! Online stores tend to have more frequent promotional offers compared to conventional ones in order to gain customer retention. The moment you open their website, you will normally be greeted with some sort of banner announcing a sale or discount. If you’re a new customer, they might even have additional coupons and promos for you. If you end up buying 2 or more items, you could get extra freebies or even qualify for bulk pricing or free shipping, which will definitely get you some good savings.
Better Prices
Aside from getting better deals, customers can also get good prices from online shopping. This is especially true when you order directly from the manufacturer or the original seller. Because you are no longer going through distributors or middlemen, there is no additional price markup.
Price and Product Comparisons
Another benefit of shopping online is that you can easily compare the prices of the same item from different sellers. For instance, online marketplaces like Amazon present you with a list of sellers and their corresponding prices for the product that you’re searching for. This then allows you to buy what you need at the best price.
Some online stores also provide product comparisons, these are particularly helpful when you are shopping for gadgets. They not only compare prices, but the specs and features of similar products. Therefore, you can decide exactly what you need or want before you buy it.
Stock Availability
Shopping at a physical store means you’re unfortunately often limited to the availability of the shelves and stockrooms. Don’t you just hate it when you’ve fallen in love with that hip hoodie they have on display but they tell you they’ve run out of stocks in your size? Or if you want a red blouse but all they have in stock in your size is blue? You won’t run into this problem with online shopping. Most online stores can ship items straight from their warehouse or even from the factory (if they are the manufacturer) Online retailers often accept pre-orders if the item is not in stock therefore meaning that can get it shipped to them when it becomes available. Even if you have to wait for the item, you are getting exactly what you want and don’t have to settle for a poor substitute.
Infinite Options
With the growing popularity of online marketplaces, your shopping choices are never-ending. If you can’t find what you’re looking for from one seller, you can move on to the next. Compared to conventional shopping, you are no longer limited by time or distance. Even geography becomes a non-issue. You can buy the latest bestseller by your favorite author from a bookstore in the UK. Even get that awesome face cream your best friend recommended from South Korea. Then order pizza from your favorite pizzeria two blocks away—all done on your laptop, from the comfort of your living room couch.
Customer Reviews
If you only buy from reputable sellers, having access to customer reviews is extremely important. Most online retailers display customer ratings and reviews for each product they are selling. In the case of online marketplaces, seller ratings are also available. These allow meticulous buyers like us to make informed purchases. We can rest easy knowing we are receiving a quality product from a trusted seller based on the ratings and reviews of previous customers.
Expense and Impulse Control
All too often when we do conventional shopping, we end up buying stuff we don’t really need. Sometimes we don’t even get to buy the one item we had set out for in the first place, but go home lugging other little things we bought on impulse. Plus, we rack up additional expenses for transportation and food. Who doesn’t get hungry and thirsty after trekking around a shopping mall, right? An online shopping experience eliminates the extra expense while curbing your impulsive shopping tendencies! By presenting only the items related to your search query, online stores allow you to focus on what you want from the shopping apparel. Once you’ve found what you’re looking for, it’s all up to you if want to browse some more or purchase additional items. You also have greater control over your budget, since there are no store attendants who entice you to buy something you don’t need with their convincing sales talk, or attractive aisle displays that can distract you from your original purpose.
According to a recent study by BigCommerce.com, e-commerce is growing 23% year-over-year, with 51% of Americans preferring to shop online. It is obvious from these numbers that the online shopping trend is still growing and will no doubt continue to become more popular in the years to come.
This does not necessarily mean that physical stores have become obsolete, but it allows merchants—especially the big name brands—to offer an additional avenue where customers can buy their products. Lately, the growth of e-commerce has also enabled smaller businesses and independent sellers to create their own niche online. All this translates to more buying options for us consumers, giving us access to products we wouldn’t normally find in brick-and-mortar stores.
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