Supermarkets in the UK Retail Market: Integrated Marketing Communication - Research Paper Example

Download file to see previous pages The superstores add convenience to the way consumers shop. Previously consumers had to go to different stores to buy food items and non-food items. But with the advent of supermarkets, consumers have the convenience of shopping for everything they need under one roof. This adds to the convenience. They also save on travelling expenses and time which is very essential for them as many consumers now have to work in two jobs. Moreover, according to Maddox (2004), even women work and thus they enjoy the convenience offered by these superstores. There is also a growing trend of offering online shopping. The supermarkets have online stores and the consumers can order online and have the products delivered at home. This saves them time which they really appreciate. However, the delivery may not be efficient and online stores may not have all the variety and brands offered in-store. Thus many times even after ordering online, the consumers may have to travel to the stores to purchase some items which make online shopping render useless. Moreover, Fill (2002) adds that consumers have complained about the WebPages being heavy and thus difficult to upload and time consumers which deters them from online shopping. As per Rowley (1999), the superstores also have the facility to shop online. However, such shopping may evolve a whole new trend. The virtual way of shopping may be beneficial for the society as a whole, however, the consumers lose out on personal interaction with the firms and they may not avail personal selling experiences. Some consumers also ask the salesperson about advice on particular brands which they cannot avail online. ...Download file to see next pagesRead More