E-commerce on Internet
Electronic commerce involves the act of trading goods or services through computer networks, mostly the use of internet. Shopping online is perceived as a convenient and faster way of shopping, as compared to actual or physical purchase of goods in stores. However, most consumers still consider buying items in stores as the suitable way, after they have done item research online.
Implications of Storefront Buying on Online Merchants
- Item Obsolescence: Due to customers considering retail store purchase of goods and the day-to-day technological changes, it can be a disadvantage for online merchants. This is because displayed items on the internet websites may face obsolescence, thus becoming out of date and forcing the merchant to either sell locally for a cheaper price or discard it.
- Loss: As a result of reduced demand or even lack of purchases, online merchants incur losses in their business since there are no profits acquired and no regain of their business’ initial capital is possible.
- Business Stagnation: Lack of consumer purchase of online items makes the merchants in online business to face stagnation in their trade dealings. These result from customer preferences, with clients preferring to acquire the physical store items for the purposes of efficient consumer experiences and thus making online business dormant.
How to Entice More Online Buying
- Providing Better Client Service Offers: Unlike online buying, physical buying allows customers to be sure of the suitability of the item they are purchasing, in terms of size and quality. This makes purchasers to experience the actual and physical appearance of the item, thus clearing purchasers’ doubts before the choice to buy. Online Merchants should improve their ways of online product advertisement, by allowing customers to have assurance concerning the products they are purchasing, in terms of quality and item usage, so as to avoid doubts and frustrations.