Online shopping is a growing area of technology. Establishing a store on the Internet, allows for retailers to expand their market and reach out to consumers who may not otherwise visit the physical store. The convenience of online shopping is the main attraction for the consumers. Unique online payment systems offer easy and safe purchasing from other individuals. Electronic consumers exhibit different buying behaviors such as; cart abandonment. The benefits of shopping online also come with potential risks and dangers that consumers must be aware of. In the future, we can expect online stores to improve their technology tremendously, allowing for an easier and a more realistic shopping experience.
II) Current Use:
A company that wants to market their items online can establish an online store by developing a website. These stores usually consist of several department areas with the merchandize organized accordingly. The consumer may view the products’ picture, item details, materials, sizing, etc. If the consumer chooses to add the item to his or her virtual shopping cart, they are usually given the option to continue shopping or proceed to checkout. Once the consumer proceeds to checkout, the credit card transaction is completed and the item is prepared and shipped from the retailer to the consumer.
Many physical retail stores have expanded their market by using the Internet. By having both a virtual store and a physical store, companies get the best of both worlds. Stores that are marketing their products in both areas can take advantage of the high demand for online shopping availability. The ability to shop for products online gives consumers the option to purchase goods off of the Internet with the convenience of not even leaving his or her home. Others; however, still enjoy and prefer to go into a physical store to make purchases. For some consumers their method of purchase is not because of a preference but because of generation gap.
Bibliography: 1 ) Close, A., & Kukar-Kinney, M.. (2010). Beyond buying: Motivations behind consumers ' online shopping cart use 3) Kim, D., & Ammeter, A.. (2008). EXAMINING SHIFTS IN ONLINE PURCHASING BEHAVIOR: DECODING THE 'NET GENERATION ' 4) Spencer, Charles. (2010, July). Fighting addiction. The Spectator. Retrieved September 18, 2010, from Research Library Core 5) Steel, Emily. (2010, August 26). Luring Shoppers to Stores --- Marketers Try Interactive Mirrors, Discounts via Scanners to Vie With the Web