The Online Shopping Experience

Online shopping and e-commerce is in recent times attributing to a major share of sale and customer reach mechanism This is an attempt to articulate the success factors and identify where this model effectively works vs where this is not as successful as expected.

Products which are standard and priced by brand normally sourced for day-to-day purpose like Soaps, Oil, Sale, Sugar etc. seldom make a difference when bought online / offline unless the packing is not as expected or there are insects inside the packing reflecting old stock. Branded items in these lines when offered as discount on e-commerce sites are preferred online purchases also to avail the delivery facility.

Readymade garments especially when the trial room at the store for clothes of women or teenage girls still prefer the showroom experience. The feel of the material and the fitting, colour in actual sunlight make the difference. However inner wear, braded shirts for men, cloth material, sarees are better winners in the online world. However, these are personal, and one still prefers only daily wear online. Occasional /wedding / function wear expensive stuff are still preferred to be purchased on touch and feel.

Likewise, retail footware is a space which is again based on brands and size. While men probably prefer walking into a HUSH puppies showroom to purchase the black shoe, the CROCS or Dr Scholls are brands that perform well online.

Accessories / ornaments / jewellery or wallets and purses, mobile pouches are design based and the online market where these are sourced across geographies follow the online but the inherent joy of shopping on the street shop for these remain.

Home décor, Stuff for kids (clothes, diapers, toys) / senior citizens (diapers, medicines, bedsheets) are online winners as these are sourced by caretakers who already have a stressed environment at their homes and the risk of covid necessitates the online purchase. These products are easily identifiable and sourced online too.

Durables which are heavy purchase brands are still preferred purchases from the nearby dealer for want of after sale service / installation coordination, spares etc. The price and actual size comparison of the display at the showroom contribute significantly to the decision making.

Purchases by official purchase departments for the offices especially stationary items or even the machinery like xerox machines, consumables etc. are governed by pricing and delivery / brand and are online winners.

A car / house is a dream once In a life time purchase. A jewellery or marriage shopping is a once in a lifetime joyful experience and these will remain personal indulgence. Home Décor for new homes will be bulk and seldom online. Occasional home décor or art will be thumbs ups online.

A predictable product, a brand, a what you see is what you get or a niche product with limited source, a bargain pricing, a not so relished routine purchase experience where one can afford to say if the delivery fails this time, next time we avoid this website are the determiners. The more the variety and less personal the item, the more the sale on online mode.

Products that are available across geographical boundaries on online mode not otherwise accessible locally on regular basis also stand as exceptions on the online purchase. The shopping experience supported with graphics to display details reducing cost of advertising / showroom stack and maintenance enabling reduced pricing contribute significantly to the online purchase.

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