The ease of clicking “add to cart” and having your goods arrive at your door step is nothing less than modern-day magic. It’s a too good to be true phenomenon that is unquestionably the future of retail. But is online shopping negatively effecting the way Australian businesseses trade?
WHAT ARE WE BUYING
ONLINE?
Reaching online industries outside of the clothing retail trade, the attraction of consumer convenience is a major driving factor in the popularity of online-shopping.
Food, Health and Rental services, are all included among the industries that have recently adopted the modern approach of offering an online option to customers.
Companies such as Coles and Woolworths are even competing with their own online stores, as customers are opting for the deliver-to-door convenience to which they are now accustomed to.
SOCIAL MEDIA
PRESENCE
A familiar scenario: You’re aimlessly scrolling through Facebook, when you see an advertisement from a store you like appear on your screen. Nothing out of the ordinary. But when you look closer, you realise the shirt you added to your wish list last Tuesday night, is right there. In the middle of your feed.
This isn’t a coincidence. And, other than the disconcerting fact that this alone confirms our online activity is being tracked. It also proves that Social media has become an effective global marketing tool.
Having a large social media presence where a business-owner can sell and market consumer goods, as well as interact with audiences, is key to retain relevance in 2019. From 2011 through to present day, it can be seen that the need of a strong social media presence is becoming increasingly vital and it is not just the mainstream industries that recognise the advantages.
EFFECT ON CLOTHING RETAILERS
IN THE CBD
So if Australians are spending more online, Does that mean we are spending less in store?
CLUE’s recent data set shows that this isn’t necessarily the case. Although the number of physical stores and foot traffic in the Melbourne CBD has increased in recent years. The retail growth of online sales greatly surpasses the traditional method of the trade.
Australia’s booming ecommerce businesses are unquestionably the future for retail growth.
But, if the City of Melbourne’s CLUE data is anything to go by, Australians will be able to have a future where both traditional and online stores are powerhouses of their global and national markets.
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