How the Internet Has Changed the Way People Shop - Case Study Example

How are online technologies changing the way we live? Online shopping Affiliation Introduction There are a number of online technologies and tools in use today. For The last two and a half decades, the development and use of online technologies has been on the rise worldwide. As a result, the internet has become part of our daily lives. Billions of people around the world are using the internet to carry out their daily activities; at the workplace, in school, at home and even when ‘on the go’. Online technologies have changed the way people communicate and share information. This has made the internet an integral part of our lives that we cannot live comfortably without. One of the areas in which the internet has had a great impact is on the way people buy and sell goods. There has been an increase in the number of consumers who purchase their goods and services online, and this trend is likely to continue into the future. This paper focuses on the concept of online shopping, which is one of the ways in which online technologies have changed people’s lives. Based on an analysis of relevant literature in this field, this paper aims to highlight how the internet has changed the way people shop and the major drivers behind its adoption. Online shopping has been adopted by many consumers worldwide since it allows for timeless shopping, makes the shopping process easy and it enhances access to more information about products/services. In addition, mobile devices and social media have rapidly enhanced the adoption of online shopping. Online shopping drivers and attitudes Based on analysis of various articles on this topic, each of these articles reveals some aspect related to online shopping. Throughout the articles, it is clear that there are a number of driving factors that make consumers want to shop online. In addition, there are a number of factors that influence the attitude of online consumers when shopping for goods and services. In the article by Chayapa Katawetawaraks and Cheng Lu Wang (2011), the authors highlight the major drivers behind online shopping. Key among these factors is the idea of convenience. The internet allows for online shopping to be available to consumers 24 hours a day throughout the year. The authors report that most people who shop online prefer shopping after hours when the normal stores are closed. The internet has offered many shoppers a chance to avoid queues and crowds. In addition, the authors also show that many consumers prefer online shopping because it helps eliminate the face to face interaction with store operators since such interactions can be uncomfortable. This further contributes to the idea of convenience. Secondly, the authors also report that online shopping is becoming famous due to the ability of the internet to provide product and services information. Online sellers offer detailed descriptions and explanations relating to their products, and this information is used by consumers when deciding on the items to purchase. Finally, online shopping exposes consumers to more products and services, and this makes the shopping process cost effective and easy. Consumers are able to get the best products at the best prices. The idea of convenience as a major driver for online shopping is also highlighted in the article by Liudmila Bagdoniene and Jurgita Zemblyte (2009) in which the authors focus on the online shopping behavior of Lithuanian Consumers. Out of the 277 participants involved this study, 70% of stated that online shopping is convenient since allows for 24-hour shopping and helps consumers use time better. It helps consumers save time by eliminating the need to physically visit stores. In addition, the results of this study show that many Lithuanian online shoppers prefer this mode of shopping since product varieties are increased. In a study conducted by McKinsey & Company (2013) through its iConsumer program, more than 200 000 consumers took part in the study. The aim of the study was to identify how digital technologies are shaping consumer purchasing patterns. The findings show that most consumers use their computers and mobile phones to conduct online searches before purchasing an item. This further illustrates how the internet allows consumers access more product and service information before purchasing the items. The biggest sources of this information include search engines, store websites and social media (Hazan & Wagener, 2013). In addition, the results further show that items previously purchased off-online, such as furniture and footwear, are not researched and bought online. The research conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (2012) on the characteristics of online shoppers in the United States revealed that convenience was among the major factors that contributed to the adoption of online shopping. Many shoppers see this mode of purchasing goods and services to be easy and efficient. The purchase of intangible products or services online has been on the rise. The internet has been seen as a convenient way of purchasing such items, and this further explains why online shopping has been on the rise. In an article by Charoensuk Siripong (2010), the author focuses on the main drivers behind the online purchase of telecommunication services in Thailand. The results show that the internet provides many options for telecom services with relevant information that can be used when making these purchases. In addition, when purchasing such services, the internet is the best tool that allows consumers and retailers to interact. This allows for further sharing of information about the products and services. The demand for intangible products has facilitated the growth of online shopping today. Internet technologies allow for such products to be delivered to the client without him visiting a shop or requiring physical delivery. For example, an individual can easily pay for and download a song from a music store through his/her mobile phone. Such transactions are carried out without any form of physical contact with the sales people or the bank to make payments. Another factor that has made online shopping an easy and convenient option is the availability of simple easy payment options. In the article by MasterCard Worldwide (2008), one of the factors that have led to the adoption of online shopping in Asia/Pacific region is the availability of credit cards as a mode of payment. This mode of payment has been found to be reliable and efficient, and this makes the process of online shopping easier. In addition, the results show that there are another payment options such as Paypal, check card and debit cards. The availability of these payment options have enabled consumers worldwide to adopt online shopping as a performed means of buying goods and services. This is one area in which online technologies have enabled for online shopping to be greatly adopted worldwide. Through such payment options, consumers are guaranteed of making payments anytime, anywhere, and this has been made possible due to the availability of online technologies. The role played by social media in enhancing online shopping cannot be understated. The internet has allowed for the development of social networking sites. These sites have attracted millions of users worldwide, especially the youth. These sites are being used by online shoppers since they further help to increase the information available on various products and services. Through the sharing and messaging tools on social media, consumers can easily share information. In article by Mark Renshaw (2010), the author notes that social media has greatly changed shopping behavior. The article reports that as of 2010, there were more than 90 million social media shoppers in the United States. For most shoppers, social media is a powerful tool that allows consumers to connect with one another as well as with online stores. This helps them gather more information about products and services. These findings are supported by a study conducted by Charles Dennis et al (2010) in which the authors focused on the social e-shopping among young women. The study sample was a group of 30 students from a university in the United Kingdom. The results of the study showed that young women like social e-shopping sites since they are enjoyable and useful. These sites were found to enhance socialization during the shopping process since consumers can interact with each other. The results reveal that although many of the participants found some of these sites difficult to use, this overweighed the enjoyment of these sites. Therefore, social media has played an important role in the use of the internet for shopping purposes. As noted in the article by Dennis et al (2010), this trend is certainly to continue in the future. The use of mobile devices in conducting online searches and purchases is a common trend among many consumers worldwide. The presence of powerful and connected mobile devices has greatly increased the adoption rates of online purchasing. In an article by Enrique Bigne, Carla Ruiz and Silvia Sanz (2005), the authors report the findings of the study conducted on the use of mobile phones among consumers in Spain. According to the results, the authors observed that search and intangible goods such as videos, ringtones and logos are purchased online using mobile phones. Using these devices, consumers are able to access information on products and services from any given place and at any given time. This makes their shopping process convenient and easy. In a study conducted by comScore, Inc. (2012), the use of mobile and tablet e-commerce has been on the increase. Consumers are using these new platforms to access information and buy products. In an article by Bill Siwicki appearing in the internetRetailer.com (2014), it I reported that mobile devices have supposed personal computers in online shopping. Smartphones and tablets are used by consumers to interact with retailers. Although most of the consumers don’t use these mobile devices to make purchases, these devices are used to gather information about products and services to be purchased. One of the main motivations behind the use mobile devices is the need to compare prices. Consumers are able to compare the prices and discounts on various products and services, making it possible to get the best deals. Furthermore, these devices are being used to take pictures of these products and sending them to other consumers online. This helps to share information about the products and services available at the stores. Conclusion The internet has greatly influenced the way people buy and sell products and services. This is has led to the growth of online shopping where consumers use the internet to purchase goods and services. Many consumers prefer to shop online because it is convenient, easy and fast. The internet eliminates the need to physically visit shops, eliminates face to face interaction between the buyer and seller, and provides consumers with more product/service information and facilitates timeless purchase. Many consumers prefer this mode of buying especially when shopping for intangible products such as music, logos and ringtones. However, high end products such as furniture, computers and cars are also being sold and bought online. Online purchasing has been made possible due to the availability of easy payment options that allow consumers to pay for their products and services at any given time. In addition, mobile devices have further helped in the growth of online purchasing by facilitating easy access to the internet. Furthermore, the growth of social media allows consumers to engage in social e-shopping where they interact with other consumers. Based on the discussion above, it is clear that online shopping is likely to experience further growth in future. References Bagdoniene, L., & Zemblyte, J (2009). Online Shopping Motivation Factors and their Effect on Lithuanian Consumers. Economics and Management, 9. pp. 367-374. Bigne, E., Ruiz, C & Sanz, S (2005). The Impact of Internet User Shopping Patterns and Demographics on Consumer Mobile Buying Behavior. Journal of Electronic Commerce Research, 6(3), pp. 193-209. Charoensuk, S (2010). The Impact of the Internet on Buyer Behavior in Globalization: The Case of Thai Telecommunication E-Services. Journal of Business Administration, 32(123), pp. 55-79. comScore, Inc.(2012). Online Shopping Customer Experience Study. Pp. 1-18. Retrieved on 16 April 2014 from ursamajorassociates.com/wp- content/uploads/2013/05/Online_Shopping_Cust_Experience_Study.pdf Deepali, S (2013). Study on growth of Online Shopping in India. International Journal of Computer Science and Mobile Computing, 2(6), pp. 65-68 Dennis, et al (2010). The Influences of Social e-Shopping in Enhancing Young Women’s Online Shopping Behaviour. Journal of Customer Behaviour, 9 (2), pp. 151-174 Hazan, E & Wagener, N (2013). Purchase Portal: The Internet as the Shopper’s Tool. In iConsumers: Life Online. Telecommunications, Media and Technology Practice. Pp. 9- 14. Katawetawarak, C & Wang, C (2011). Online Shopper Behavior: Influences of Online Shopping Decision. Asian Journal of Business Research, 1(2), pp. 66-74. MasterCard Worldwide (2008) Online Shopping in Asia/Pacific- Patterns, Trends and Future Growth. Pp. 1-32. Retried on 16 April 2014 from http://www.mastercard.com/us/company/en/insights/pdfs/2008/Asia_Pacific_Online_Sho p.pdf PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (2012). Understanding how US online shoppers are reshaping the retail experience. Pp. 1-16. Retrieved on 16 April 2014 from www.pwc.com/en_us/us/retail-consumer/publications/assets/pwc-us-multichannel- shopping-survey.pdf Renshaw, M (2010).The Socialized Shopper. The Hub. Research Report, pp. 36-39. Siwicki, B (2014). It’s official: Mobile devices surpass PCs in online retail. Retrieved on 18 April 2014 from http://www.internetretailer.com/2013/10/01/its-official-mobile-devices- surpass-pcs-online-retail Read More