I believe all of us can agree that technologies have altered our way of life in a lot of ways. Indeed, in the last 2 decades, technologies have advanced at such rapid rate most people have a problem checking up on the most recent trends and gadgets. It shojuld not be a surprise then, with every technology break through, our way of life are rapidly changed into new methods for doing things.
Greatly impacted by technologies are the way we, as consumers, look for services and products. Years back, purchasing products inside a store was the only real way to obtain things wanted or needed. That is definitely and not the situation today! Because the growth of technology, consumers have another method to buy online shopping. During the last five to ten years, we view consumer behavior vary from shopping inside a store to shopping on the web.
Actually, the forecasted sales online shopping will be to move from $204 Billion dollars in 2008 for an expected $334 billion dollars this year! (Source: Forrester Research, Corporation., Cambridge, MA, US eCommerce Forecast: 2008 To 2012) This expected growth implies that the popularity towards shopping online is just growing and obtain more powerful. For many, shopping on the web makes consumers change from the “brick-and-mortar” type of shopping to some virtual shopping atmosphere. Wikipedia defines shopping online because the process whereby consumers directly buy services or goods from the seller in tangible-time, with no intermediary service, on the internet.
Advantages:
There are plenty of benefits of e-commerce or shopping on the web. Typically, online retailers can be found 24 hrs each day, with many consumers getting Access to the internet both at the office and also at home, most can shop when it’s convenient on their behalf. As a result, shopping on the web could be quicker than browsing the aisles of the physical store and/or alleviate the wasted time jumping around from one store to another searching for a service or product.
Shopping on the web also offers the benefit of quick price comparisons between products and costs. Individuals now be capable of become savvy, informed shoppers through the use of local internet search engines to rapidly look for deals for products or services with numerous vendors. Search engines like google, online cost comparison services and discovery shopping engines may be used to lookup sellers of the particular service or product and supply quick access for them.
Lastly, an additional advantage to shopping online may be the freedom a person needs to purchasing products they might, or might not embarrass myself about in purchasing inside a store. This may start adding some over-the-counter medications, personal products, mens under garments, and underwear for women or men, etc. By shopping on the web, customers might have the privacy of product selection without feeling embarrassment of seeing a register by having an item they’d rather keep private.
Disadvantages:
For individuals people who are required immediate gratification, the problem with shopping online is the fact that merchandise should be shipped towards the consumer, presenting a substantial delay and potentially uncertainty if the product will really arrive prior to the item is required. Furthermore, in case there’s an issue with the product when it’s delivered, most customers don’t feel it an beneficial tactic to return products with the mail.
Furthermore, without the opportunity to personally inspect merchandise before purchase, individuals are at greater chance of fraud compared to what they might have inside a physical store. Also, retailers also risk fraudulent purchases by customers using stolen charge cards or fraudulent disclaiming of internet purchases.
Although the advantages of shopping online are considerable, the disadvantages to shopping on the web could be remedied through store procedures and policies. It is crucial for online retailers to publish these procedures and policies, range from the coming back instructions, outline the shipping details along with other specific information in place the customer’s fears comfortable. Customers also must make certain they take time to go through these records completely and be informed shoppers so they won’t have surprises upon delivery of the merchandise.
Extra useful hints for customers to consider before shopping on the web include:
Making certain the website is safe with provisions to safeguard customer information
Ensure online retailers aren’t keeping or discussing billing information.
Make sure the stores policies on discussing private information in your purchase.
Search for store reviews through customer posting on the website or elsewhere.
Depend on customer testimonials or referrals though buddies and family.
