We’ve come a long way in the last decade, with many things changing thanks to the involvement of modern tech. One of these things is shopping, and with a new store being set up online every so often, it’s clear to see that shopping has been permanently changed. Have a look below at the five ways in which the internet has changed shopping throughout the world.
Handling Payments
The way people pay for the goods they wish to purchase has gone digital, with online payments in America alone growing four times as much as retail payments have. With the ability to pay made much easier and less restrictive, it means more people are able to shop, leading to more sales at any given time. The fact that there are currently more methods to pay means that even in the current landscape, people can stay safe while making their purchases as they don’t have to carry money around physically and risk spreading germs around.
At the same time, the ability to process payments has made cyber security all the more necessary. Organizations would be wise to ensure their IT infrastructure is compliant with safety standards just as they would make sure their physical facilities are compliant with OSHA. Thankfully, a SOC 2 audit can help organizations shore up any potential security threats and keep their customers’ data private.
Convenience
Now, you don’t have to leave the house to go on a shopping spree. You can easily log in to your site of choice, pick the items you need, and pay for them all from the comfort of your couch. Choose a delivery option and you will get your items at your doorstep, saving you the hassle of getting caught in traffic, and leaving your time free for other activities. This has made it possible for many people to get more done in a short time, improving both their productivity and quality of life.
Fast and Easy Checkout
The checkout process has become shorter and a lot faster, thanks to tech that enables customer data to be recorded in a secure environment online. Fewer instances of fraud can be expected as retailers improve their store security and payment merchants come up with better ways of keeping the bad guys out. With 20% of all the retail sales made in the United States being done during the December holidays, many people are happy that they don’t have to spend hours in queues and traffic while trying to keep up with the festivities.
An Easier Inventory-Taking Process
Store owners are also benefiting from tech in terms of getting inventory for their stores. They can use radio-frequency identification technology or RFID tags to serve customers and track merchandise efficiently, getting rid of the traditional checkout process. This makes things faster and easier, also making it more affordable for stores as their overheads remain low after the initial cost of setting up the necessary systems.
Price-Comparison Apps
Finally, any avid shopper has a price comparison app on their phone or tablet. This shows all options for a given item in different stores, making it easy to compare the prices offered and therefore shop affordably. Car buyers, for instance, carry out an impressive 60% of the process online, usually in the form of research. Since the future of shopping is clearly online, more of this can be expected for items in different categories. With sellers on a constant hunt for discounts and bargains, many more apps will be developed, with the most versatile ones standing the test of time.
The shopping landscape has been changed permanently by technology, making things a lot more efficient for both buyers and sellers. If you’re thinking of setting up a store, you have your work cut out for you because you know that online is where you need to be to find the best prospects. For shoppers, the world’s inventory is all within reach, a simple click away on your laptop, tablet, or mobile phone.
