E-Commerce Changed Shopping Habits
When we began to shop online on a more regular basis as consumers, the landscape of the market changed. The trend of online shopping inspired companies to cater to the new type of shopper, and the increased awareness of ecommerce served to change the way that we interact with these brands.
Consumers are more aware of credit card security. (Photo: Pixabay)
As shoppers, we’re now more aware of fraud and the various risks that shopping online can pose. Hackers and scams seem to be much more prevalent nowadays but a portion of that is just from an increased knowledge. Now there are many safer ways to consume fun online, whether it’s in a reputable bingo site or just with an alternate payment method. These cover voucher services like Paysafecard and middle men, like PayPal, to handle transactions without the need to disclose credit card details. It doesn’t matter if customers are playing online games or purchasing a new wardrobe, we’re much more in tune with protecting our payment details.
On top of this we now have a higher expectations of what we want from an online shopping outlet. This is particularly noticeable when you consider the following improvements to sites in the last few years:
- Next day shipping
- One click ordering
- 24/7 customer service
- Package tracking
Overall, we want our items much faster, and we want to know where they are at any given time. These features have been added to sites in an attempt to cater to that need, but the consumer won’t really be happy until they can have their item instantly. Keeping up with the latest trends in fashion is easier with online ordering, but as shoppers we’re more impatient to receive these items than ever.
As discerning customers who want all of these features in our chosen shopping site, we are now more likely to research before ordering. The average consumer wants to know how long they will be waiting, what the garment will be like and the reputation of the site. Although we want our items faster, we’re now taking longer to research before purchasing, so reviews of clothing sites are now more important than ever. Consumers are also now spending more time to get the best deal on what they are purchasing, whether it is fresh off the runway or a Fifth Avenue alternative.
More people are shopping online because of smartphones. (Photo: Pixabay)
More people than ever now also shop online recreationally because of the rise of smartphones. It is not a dedicated task to sit down at a computer to shop anymore, instead it now happens when consumers are going about their day-to-day lives. Mobile sites have improved in reliability and trustworthiness in recent years, so it is not as daunting to purchase clothes on a smartphone. Mobile browsers are also more advanced now, so they can open multiple windows so the consumer can do their research and redirect them through a payment site like PayPal.
Consumers can see something on Instagram and order it in a few seconds. (Photo: Pixabay)
For this reason much of the advertising around the clothing market is now on a social media platform, such as Facebook or Instagram. These consumers are more likely than ever to click through to the site and purchase in a one stop shop than ever before. They can go from seeing clothing on Instagram to buying it in just a few minutes and advertising is now in place to maximize this revenue. This is good for big business but it’s also had an impact on smaller companies too. A designer can show their clothes on social media and suddenly be inundated with orders. Mobile shoppers tend to purchase on a whim, so having these advertisements in place can turn a niche designer into the next big thing in no time.
