The advancement of technology, particularly the internet’s advent, has significantly altered the way consumers shop nowadays. The conventional method of going into physical stores is being replaced online shopping.
According to a study by Statista.com, 42 percent of internet users in the U.S. bought some goods or services online at least once a month in 2016. Twenty-four percent, meanwhile, stated that they made online purchases around once or twice a week.
Furthermore, the online presence of merchants has also influenced offline sales. Consumers research and review products online then proceed to stores to make the purchase. There is even a number of buyers who look at an item in-store, only to buy it online.
The volume of online sales has kept on increasing, and it has been forecasted that the number of sales will nearly double by 2020.
Various advantages impact consumers’ decision to buy online:
Convenience: Based on a Nielsen research, 40 percent of online shoppers credit convenience as the main reason they shop on the Internet. In doing so, they save much time and effort, more so since online shopping can be done not only through laptops but also by using smartphones or tablets. Consumers can make purchases wherever they are and whenever they want, and without the hassle of going to malls or stores.
Cheaper alternative: There are various ways buyers can save money by accessing online retail sites or apps instead of going to the stores. For one, items and services online come at cheaper deals or better prices because the merchants can afford to offer items at a lower rate. Moreover, consumers will be beset with fewer expenses as there would be no more need to commute or drive to the store and fewer occurrences of impulse buying.
Wealth of information: The availability of information on the internet gives potential buyers better insight on whether to buy items they want or not. Price comparison among different merchants can be made more easily, and online reviews can help in the decision making.
Emporium is a cutting-edge direct retailer of a vast array of luxury goods. The online merchant offers over 100,000 products that can be bought with competitive prices and low payment. Visit its official website for more information.
Emporium 