Essay Example on Online Shopping Grows, Yet Preference for In-Store Shopping Persists

Introduction

In recent years, Internet technology has prompted rapid growth in e-commerce shopping. Advances in information technology have resulted in a progressive increase in online shopping, shifting the consumer's buying trends from traditional brick and mortar stores(Darley, 2010). Although there has been tremendous growth in online shopping, consumers still hold a preference for an in-store shopping experience. However, there has been a drastic shift in consumer behavior in recent years due to the increase in online shopping options. This essay explores the role of the Internet in influencing the change in consumer behavior. Additionally, the essay will compare and contrast the changing attitudes that consumers have towards shopping in e-commerce stores and traditional brick and mortar stores. Lastly, the paper will explore the role of online and offline stores in the future of fashion consumption.

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The evolution of Information Technology has been pertinent to the changes in consumer behavior. The Internet has redefined marketing roles to become more consumer-oriented (Khoo, 2014). The advent of user-friendly online platforms have enhanced user participation and thus empowering consumers in internet marketing (Payne et al., 2017). Online platforms have become more interactive and participative, allowing users to create, upload, and share content via the web. Moreover, online platforms allow users the space to express themselves freely with no restraints. In the new internet reality, especially through social media sites such as Facebook, users can form online communities, create and share information across multiple platforms at an alarmingly higher rate (Stephen, 2016). Thus, with access to social media sites, consumers are empowered to make more informed and conscious decisions, which ultimately influences their shopping behavior.

The Internet has become the primary source of information research and has dramatically affected the dynamics of business. According to a Nielsen (2014) research, approximately one-third of the global population is online, representing an increase of 528 percent over the past decade (Eroglu, 2014). In the quarterly ecommerce figures released by the U.S. Department of Commerce, consumers online spending with U.S. merchants stood at approximately $ 600 billion in 2019, representing an increase of 15 % from the prior year (Young, 2020). The report further indicates that the online share of total retail sales has gradually been on the rise, mainly due to the increase in the rate of ecommerce penetration. Marketers and researchers have analyzed the behavior of online consumers to determine how demographics and psychographics have influenced the steady growth in ecommerce penetration (Zayer & Coleman, 2012). Although online consumers are digitally engaged to varying degrees, the Internet remains to be the primary source for pre-purchase information search.

Brick and Mortar Stores Vs. Online Retail Stores

The consumer experience is fundamental in influencing the preference for shopping sites. There is a change in attitudes that consumers have towards shopping in e-commerce stores and traditional brick and mortar stores. Each shopping platform portends different experiences for consumers, which ultimately influence their choice. To understand changes in consumer attitude, it is essential to compare and contrast the pros and cons of both models of shopping. To begin with, online shopping offers customers the ability to browse item reviews and compare product specifications (Ward, 2019). Moreover, customers can compare product pricing, thus allowing them to find the best possible deals, which saves them money. Additionally, online retail stores offer the convenience of shopping at any time as they operate 24/7. E-commerce retail stores have their items under a centralized platform, thus enhancing shopping convenience since it saves time, and items are much easier to source online.

Conversely, traditional brick and mortar stores remain popular as customers still prefer the in-store shopping experience. Various factors influence consumers' preference for offline shopping; firstly, offline stores offer customers the ability to see and try out products before making a purchasing decision (Ward, 2019). Customers can physically interact with personal items such as cosmetics, clothes, furniture, or grocery items that require to be checked for freshness and quality. Offline stores make it easier to interact directly with sales representatives who are able to give further information and advice about different products and services. Moreover, it is much easier and faster to return unwanted or defective items to an offline store than shipping them back to an online retailer. Besides, some customers prefer the general experience of shopping in offline retail stores as they can engage with friends while having other activities such as dining. In general, both offline and online retail stores offer customers different experiences, which ultimately influences their choices and preferences.

Future Online and In-Store Shopping Trends

The current trends in online and in-store shopping will significantly influence the future of fashion consumption. In today's market, retailers are increasingly integrating online shopping into their traditional brick and mortar stores. Virtually all traditional retailers have incorporated online services into their portfolio. Online reality has become even more evident for fashion retailers increasing the necessity for an online presence. Recent trends show that the sale of luxury goods, especially apparel and accessories, is growing faster online than in-store (Mu et al., 2020). Many fashion retailers have successfully grown their online presence and subsequently experienced progressive growth in online sales, which have outperformed in-store sales.

Despite the huge potential for online shopping, traditional brick and mortar stores remain essential to fashion retailers. In-store shopping will continue to remain popular in the future of fashion consumption as they provide customers with a sense of familiarity and personalized services. As an example, a good salesperson in a fashion retail store can be extremely useful in providing personalized services to customers (Ward, 2019). A knowledgeable salesperson will provide customer assistance by providing advice on appearance, fitting, sizing and mixing of clothing, and assistance with clothing care and maintenance. As such, fashion retailers will still rely on in-store shopping as they seek to improve customer experience and satisfaction.

Conclusion

In summary, there has been a paradigm shift in consumer behavior, which has resulted in the need for businesses to connect with consumers effectively. The advancements in technology and the emergence of digital media has brought a new wave of consumerism, where simplicity and convenience are fundamental in influencing consumer experience. Going forward, organizations will require to strike a balance between having an online presence and establishing a long-term relationship with their customers.

References

Botelho, C. (2019). The Pros and Cons of Online Retailers vs. Brick-and-Mortar Stores. Retrieved from https://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/advisor/pros-cons-online-retailers-vs-brick-mortar-stores-173028000.html

Eroglu, E. (2014). The Changing Shopping Culture: Internet Consumer Behavior. Review of Business Information Systems (RBIS), 18(1), 35-40.

Darley, W. K., Blankson, C., & Luethge, D. J. (2010). Toward an integrated framework for online consumer behavior and decision-making process: A review. Psychology & Marketing, 27(2), 94-116.

Khoo, D. (2014). How Has The Internet Changed Consumers Over The Past 10 Years And How Can Marketers Best Adapt? Retrieved from http://www.brandba.se/blog/2014/8/11/how-has-the-internet-changed-consumers-over-the-past-10-years-and-how-can-marketers-best-adapt

Mu, W., Lennon, S. J., & Liu, W. (2020). Top online luxury apparel and accessories retailers: what are they doing right? Fashion and Textiles, 7(1), 1-17.

Payne, E. M., Peltier, J. W., & Barger, V. A. (2017). Omni-Channel Marketing, Integrated Marketing Communications, And Consumer Engagement. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing.

Stephen, A. T. (2016). The Role Of Digital And Social Media Marketing In Consumer Behavior. Current Opinion in Psychology, 10, 17-21.

Ward, S. (2019). Brick and Mortar Stores vs. Online Retail Sites. Retrieved from https://www.thebalancesmb.com/compare-brick-and-mortar-stores-vs-online-retail-sites-4571050

Young, J. (2020). US Ecommerce Sales Grow 14.9% In 2019. Retrieved from https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/article/us-ecommerce-sales/

Zayer, L. T., & Coleman, P. (2012). Male consumers' motivations for online information search and shopping behavior. Online Consumer Behavior. Theory and Research in Social Media, Advertising, and E-Tail, New York, Hove, Taylor & Francis Group, 200, 237-266.