Last week, new research was published highlighting the growth of online shopping. Findings reveal that in July alone, Britons spent a staggering £5billion online. Inclement weather has been a key factor, encouraging holiday makers to find a getaway deal online and persuading shoppers to avoid a wet, damp high street and instead, purchase their goods online.
According to a spokesman for the research study, smart phones, ipads and social media sites are all playing a part in improving consumer experience and it is easy to see how improved accessibility is making online purchasing a much more efficient way to shop for the busy consumer. The trend for when and how shoppers buy online is changing with a growing number of people breaking up the monotony of their day with a few online purchases. Arguably speed, predictive search options and ‘one click’ shopping opportunities are all enabling online shoppers to multitask, fitting their shopping requirements into an already busy schedule.
For some, the appeal of online technology is encouraging them to rethink their lives altogether with a small cadre of people opting to ‘Live the iLife’, swapping traditional living for a more liberating online version.
For high street retailers, much of their online activity is all about catching up. Forward thinking online retailers have stolen a march on consumer spend. Competing for customers has become a key marketing strategy, with SEO strategies, loyalty schemes, electronic Direct Mail campaigns and borderless segmentation tactics playing a critical role in attracting and retaining customers. In an economy that is slowly stuttering back to health, the growth predictions of between 20 – 30% for ecommerce along with growing consumer confidence about buying online are attractive incentives to build a robust online capability.
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