Online shopping has become the go-to method to acquire goods and services for many people. But what has led to a situation when even well-established brick-and-mortar stores are looking to transition to selling online more, and some are even abandoning the traditional brick-and-mortar model? Let’s take a look.
Prior Customer Feedback
One of the best things about shopping online is that you usually have a plethora of prior customer feedback right in front of you. Most stores implement customer reviews on product pages so that shoppers can read the feedback and decide whether the goods or services fit them.
Thanks to the available product reviews app for Shopify and other means to import reviews directly from Amazon, Aliexpress, and eBay, some ecommerce stores do not have to encourage their customers to write reviews and simplify things by adding ones that already exist.
Discount Codes
Before you spend money in an online shop, be sure to check the internet for some available discount codes. More often than not, you can find a small discount that will save you money.
Coupon codes exist for some brick-and-mortar stores as well, but the gimmick is more prominent in ecommerce because it is one of the most commonly used marketing techniques to attract new customers.
24/7 Shopping
The 24/7 bit might be a bit stretched because there are instances when online websites go down and prevent you from shopping. At the same time, some brick-and-mortar stores are open 24/7, so the gimmick is not really exclusive to the ecommerce industry.
Having said that, when you compare an average retail store with an online store, it becomes clear that the latter is superior because you can shop pretty much whenever you want.
No Queues
Not having to deal with other people in person and stand in queues to pay or try a product is another great example of why online stores excel in convenience.
In fact, unless you are planning to contact customer support, you do not have to deal with other people shopping online. Meanwhile, a retail store might have annoying staff that will force themselves onto you and offer products you do not really need. After all, not every shopper has the patience to deal with retail staff.
Home Deliveries
Having your goods delivered straight to your doorstep is also a big advantage. Sure, you might need to wait for the delivery, and you also need to arrange a time that suits both you and the delivery man or look for someone who can pick up a package on your behalf.
Nevertheless, the comfort of not dealing with retail stores and having home deliveries more than justifies those few obstacles.
Refunds and Returns
Most reliable online stores have a proper refund and return policy. You might purchase something that does not fit because you cannot try it in person, but you should still be able to return it and get a replacement or a refund.
Stores will send a courier to pick the product from you and return it to the store. You will need to fill out some forms on an online store’s website or get in touch with customer support to arrange a return, but the overall process is pretty hassle-free.
Multiple Options
Despite the fact that you have such giants like Amazon or eBay that offer various products in different categories, there is no need to limit yourself to just these online stores.
Available options are also a perk that you can take advantage of while shopping online. Imagine someone living in a small town with only a few stores. It would not make a lot of sense to go to a city that is who knows how far away just to purchase something, right?
Well, there is no need to spend money on gas and waste your time when you can hop online and do your shopping on the internet.
Convenience
So long as you have an internet connection, you can shop using your computer or a smartphone. Mobile devices are convenient in particular because you can do the shopping while traveling, though you still need a Wi-Fi connection or a mobile data plan.
Most online stores have mobile-friendly websites, which makes shopping on smartphones and tablets a breeze. Some also offer native iOS and Android apps for extra convenience.
Flexible Payment Methods
You can forget about cash (unless you pick an option to pay the courier in cash once the goods are delivered). In ecommerce, digital payment gateways are the way to go, and there are multiple available options that offer flexibility.
Credit cards and direct bank transfers are the most popular methods, though services like PayPal, Stripe, Skrill, and Payoneer have a fair share of users as well. And then there is cryptocurrency, a relatively new method that continues to gain more traction and recognition.
The bottom line is that flexibility in payment methods makes online shopping even more convenient because you are not limited to just one way to pay for goods or services.
