Shopping has evolved beyond the shopping centres and is now accessible on your couch, in your office or even in bed.
Consumers initially found online shopping scary. Would it be safe to put card details online? How would you know the clothes fit or suited your body shape? How do I know it is a legitimate site? Will I receive my purchased items?
Not only does online shopping allow you to escape the crowed and noisy shopping centres, you can shop at any hour, 24 hours a day. But does this really make a difference to shoppers?
Cinzia Egodagamage, former owner of High Street, Preston’s, Kink Boutique, believes that online shopping offers customers more freedom when searching for products.
“Online shopping has grown to be apart of daily life. If I’m interested in a product or brand, my first step is to search for it online,” Ms Egodagamage said.
“The only negative aspects I can find is the inability to touch or even try on a product to ensure it fits the customer’s needs or wants – and the sometimes hefty postage costs.”
An online poll conducted via Facebook last month to identify customers’ preferred shopping option – in-store, online or a combination – showed that online shopping scored lowest with 5.5 per cent. Participants of the poll were able to select one option out of online, in-store or both.
In-store shopping scored 38.9 per cent.
The combination of in-store and online scored highest with 55.6 per cent, showing that majority of people are happy to have both these options and comfortable buying from either.
