The days of taking the bus into town and visiting the shops for purchases could very well become a thing of the past. Increasingly it would seem the UK consumer is choosing to make certain purchases exclusively online without leaving the comfort of their homes. Almost 90% of UK consumers have made a purchase online at some point. This makes the UK second overall in the Eurozone in the volume of online purchasing. This year alone should see a 30% increase in online purchases according to the Office for national statistics. This has huge ramifications for the retail industry that could translate as great offers for the consumer as new markets emerge and retailers via for our money, as noted in this article from The Telegraph http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/01/08/online-retail-booms-high-street-struggles/
The purchases are not just being made from Standalone PC’s there is also an increase in the use of tablet and mobile phone purchases. Consumers are starting to enjoy the benefit of being able to view a product closely, yet virtually, without actually having contact with the product. This has seen a growth in buying apps on phones speeding up the process even further. But what are we being online?
Primarily we are purchasing electronics and digital media. This sector covers games, music such as Spotify or iTunes purchases along with computers and new phones. Second comes clothing and footwear with consumers rejecting the need to handle or try on the product first but selecting it virtually. It is also thought that almost half of consumers buy their weekly and monthly shopping online but through mobiles it is the purchase of Apps that dominate. Other sectors benefitting from this e-commerce are Tickets for travel, health and beauty products, personal vehicles and office and personal stationary.
What is influencing to buy on line when we do? Overall it seems the ability for average members of the public to review a product is very persuasive. Consumers are researching on social media first before they buy. The photographic representation of the products is also paramount as is the recent nature of the review; Older or Out of date ones are a put off. Quality is the overriding factor and also value for money. The use of vouchers and money off through discount codes are a very attractive feature to potential buyers a well.
The overall trend is that this market is going to keep on growing and growing with the use of mobile phones clearly leading the way. The ease and convenience provided by the mobile phone is starting to outweigh being out. Alternatively purchases can be made whilst out shopping without queuing at the till. It is a challenge that all retail firms need to get on board with quickly. Especially when it is predicted that up to 95% of all e-commerce will be made via mobile phones. There is also evidence that online shopping may not suffer as much as physical shops following Brexit. The ease and value savings form e-commerce appear to be here to stay.
If you are looking for a well-designed website to help you capture this online market take a look at http://www.eqmedia.co.uk/ (Kent Web Design Agency). And take advantage of the growing number of people purchasing their items online.