Sources: T4ango
The digital communication revolution has been going on without pause for years. There can be no doubt of the great contribution that digital technologies have had in the development of new methods of creation and dissemination of content. Athique mentioned in the book “The digital experience must therefore be understood as an intimate affair, a form of mass communication that is radically individualized in both its function and appearance” (p. 116). There is no doubt, the model of online communication and in Social Networks has changed our patterns of communication, allows working with different formats: text, video, photography and audio, according to the needs of the user. And tools like social media and the internet are an opportunity where they can more easily impact their audience.
In this blog I will focus on the future of online shopping. The retail industry is undergoing major changes. The way we do business and consumer behavior has changed by digital advances, which has made it easy to reach the global market. This has transformed the spaces where consumers and sellers do business. In the present, we see that brands have their own website for online shopping. But, there other websites such as e-bay which allow to do business without having a physical store. In my opinion, this is one of the changes that is going to happen which is online stores and web pages will increase. It will reshape the human interaction when buying. Antique mentioned “In that sense, eBay is a self-regulating mechanism for distributing goods by matching genuine buyers and sellers. It does not rely on the central management of those transactions, but relies instead upon the commonly accepted rules of the market and the reasonable self-interest of all its users” (p.215). It is important to cover consumers needs, and those changes quickly. So, companies will need to implement their traditional ways to do business online if they do not want to step down because of the competition.
Now, because of these changes in consumption, companies or stores will not disappear, buy they have to study and focus on how technology will help shape their businesses and need to adapt to these changes quickly. I love the idea of being able to shop online. To be honest, I do not like to go to stores. I always rather to buy through my phone or PC. Nevertheless, one of the things I would like to see in the future is that stores not only focused on developing their websites, but also on worrying about maintaining and improving the consumer experience in their physical store, as it currently is. Therefore, online and offline stores need to develop strategies and change their behavior to cover these two important means of doing business. Companies need not to forget to personalize their brands and give the best experience to their customers online and in store. As a consumer, we like to feel at home when we visit a store either it is physical or online.
Companies have the challenge to convince their online consumers that their product is great and they have to buy it. In the following article The Future of Augmented Reality and Online Shopping<!–By –> we can find some of the challenges companies have to face when their consumers return a product, or instead of making a purchase they just see the catalog. So, what is coming soon for companies is not easy. They need to focus and work hard in developing a well done marketing in store and online.
Questions:
- What do you think are the biggest challenges a company face with online consumers?
- What are some of the aspects you would like to see in the future regarding our online shopping experience?
I really loved the topic of online shopping and the future of retail as its something that has been tracked over the past few years and whose growth is both fascinating and unpredictable. I agree that stores will not disappear but that they will have to truly up their creativity to compete with the rapidly expanding online market. Stores are going to have to start thinking outside the box for ways to give consumers a unique and memorable shopping experience that will make it worth their while to shop in the physical store instead of buying online.
What do you think are the biggest challenges a company face with online consumers?
I think a company with online consumers face the issues of brand recognition and a high rate of returns. Without a brick and mortar location or traditional advertising, it can be difficult to get the word out about a brand or to elevate it to the status of more established, “traditional” brands. I also think the return rate is much higher for online companies since people are not physically trying on the clothes in the store first.
What are some of the aspects you would like to see in the future regarding our online shopping experience?
I would like to see more personalized fit options and more customizable options. While some sites already offer this, they are few and far between. A lot of people would be willing to wait longer for a product if they knew the fit and look of the item was made for them specifically.
1. I feel that one of the biggest issues that companies face with online consumers is retention. When someone comes into a store, they are likely to buy things. When someone is online, your entire model needs to be based on getting their attention. If you can’t achieve that, you have lost their business.
2. I really wish there was a way for me to have actual recommended looks that I like, from different stores. I would love to have the convenience of having clothing items sent to me.