It’s no secret that online shopping has taken the world by storm over the past decade. With over 20 million Australians online every day, it’s unsurprising that businesses have shifted to the world wide web to increase (digital) market share and expand their reach to more customers than ever before. In 2018, online purchases grew by at least 13% in every Australian state, with the national average increasing by over 20%.
While it’s easy to just use “the internet” as the overarching reason for why this has been possible, the reality is a little more complex. Sure, the internet has given us access to a wealth of information and opportunities but not only has this seismic shift greatly impacted how we shop, but also how we think about shopping.
Convenience Stores
When you can access the entire internet in seconds just by unlocking your smartphone (which we can now do with our faces, because hitting 4 numbers or using your thumbprint was statistically more time consuming) it’s no wonder that we’ve become an economy of convenience.
Why drive to Coles and spend half an hour picking items off shelves when you can order your groceries online and pick them up on the way home from work? Or better yet, have them delivered directly to your doorstep?
It’s not just about saving time buying things: we can complete the entire customer purchase journey online within mere minutes. We can research different offerings from different brands, assess the different range of prices, compare different benefits and attributes and then make the purchase without even having to get up out of our chair. Now THAT’S convenience.
On Demand
Not only is it incredibly simple for people to buy online, it’s now easier than ever for people to sell online as well.
Ecommerce platforms like eBay and Gumtree are powerhouses when it comes to the average person being able to sell new or used items on an individual basis, with some users actually utilising these platforms to sell goods in bulk. Platforms like WordPress and Shopify have all but demolished the barrier for entry for those wanting to start an ecommerce business and sell products online on a regular basis.
Even social media platforms are getting in on the ecommerce action. Facebook and Instagram – which respectively boast 1.62 billion and 500 million users every day – have introduced their own variants of ecommerce platforms. Facebook Marketplace works much like eBay or Gumtree with users able to post individual items (new or used), whereas Instagram is much more business driven: letting brands upload product images and then allowing users to purchase these products without leaving the app.
Get In Quick
This offer ends in 24 hours! Sale ends soon! 20% off this weekend only!
We’ve all seen these call outs more times than we can count. The aim is to get people to act impulsively and make a purchase without thinking, to make people think that if they don’t act RIGHT NOW they’ll miss out on this once in a lifetime offer, that if they don’t buy now they’re actually losing money. Luckily consumers are pretty savvy to these basic marketing schemes and these tactics don’t work at all.
Just kidding.
Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Boxing Day & New Years Day are just a few days throughout the year where people lose their proverbial shit and go crazy online. Online purchases skyrocket, and these individual days are usually some of the highest performing for retail industries. While there are definitely some great bargains on offer, the reality is that these sales are usually just an opportunity for brands to get rid of old/remaining stock as opposed to offering any new products at a discount.
Get In On The Action
With the eCommerce industry continuing to explode, it’s more important than ever to ensure your business is set up properly for online sales.
If you need help getting your products online, or need someone to refine what you already have, contact Glide to organise a chat.
