In this article, we’ll look at the pros and cons of both online shopping and shopping in stores. But first, let’s look at how shopping has changed over time and what eCommerce and retail really mean. We have been trading, exchanging, and using resources and goods for as long as we have been around. First, goods and services were traded for other goods and services. Then, over time, people started to use money as a way to pay. Mesopotamia was the first place where money was used, around 3000 BC.
Around 800 BC, the first markets were set up in ancient Greece. This is when people met in the Agora to trade. Agora, which was in the middle of the city, wasn’t just a place to sell things. They were also places where people got together to do different things. This helped to show that shopping is a social activity.
People have been shopping for thousands of years, but it has changed and grown a lot over the years. Today, the biggest problem is caused by changes in technology that affect every part of our lives. To know what will be possible and how to sell in the future, it is important to know what retail means in the most basic terms.
Online shopping vs. shopping in stores:
The exchange of goods and services for money is what both eCommerce and retail mean. In other words, the process of selling these things to customers. The only difference is that eCommerce only happens on the internet. On the other hand, there are many ways to sell things in a store. We call sales in stores, through catalogs, direct mail, and even online “retail.”
Most businesses fall somewhere between traditional retail and online sales because they use a mix of these two ways to sell. Even though eCommerce is growing and more and more businesses are using it, this doesn’t mean that brick-and-mortar stores won’t be around for much longer. Traditional shopping and retail are likely to be around for a long time to come.
How technology has changed shopping
Using the web
The way we shop has changed a lot because of new technologies like the internet, online stores, online ads, cloud-based software, and so on. Shoppers today know a lot about the things they want to buy and can make well-thought-out decisions. They can read reviews, compare prices, find the stores closest to them, and find out about all retailers. Read our article on price comparison to learn more about how customers see information about your products and those of your competitors. With all of these at their fingertips, it changed how people find and buy the things they want in a big way.
To see how big this change is, we need to look at how much of all retail eCommerce is. Only 7.4% of all in-store purchases were made online in 2015. This number was 14.1%, or 3.5 trillion US dollars, in 2019. This is almost twice as much as it was in 2015. Since the Asia-Pacific region is becoming more digital, it’s not surprising that India, Spain, and China are the three fastest-growing online markets. Analysts think that by 2024, 22% of all sales could come from eCommerce. People stayed home and did their shopping online because of the pandemic and changes in technology.
How mobile devices can be useful
When we talk about technology, we also need to talk about how important mobile devices are becoming more and more. We call online communities that started out on mobile devices “mobile-first” because they started out on mobile devices. These have had trouble with fixed broadband in the past because of cost or lack of infrastructure. But now they can enjoy the benefits of mobile broadband connections that don’t cost too much. The average value of purchases made on mobile devices is still lower than the average value of purchases made on laptops or desktop computers. But at the same time, mobile eCommerce sales are one of the most important things for online retailers to catch up with.
eCommerce and retail have different traits.
Before we can compare online shopping to shopping in stores, we need to know a lot about how shopping works. This will be very different depending on which platform you choose. Let’s talk about how shopping is different in the most important ways.
Getting to know the product
Traditional brick-and-mortar stores are easier for customers to judge because they can touch the product and see how it works. Online stores, on the other hand, have a bigger problem. This problem can be solved by putting the product in the best light possible. Stores can use high-quality pictures, 360-degree views of the product, or a virtual try-on feature. These techniques aren’t cheap to use, but at least one of them is needed for your audience to get an interactive and accurate picture of the products you’re selling.
The time between buying something and getting it.
One of the best things about buying things in brick-and-mortar stores is that the customer can get the product right away. This gives them instant satisfaction after they’ve bought something. Because of this, people tend to choose brick-and-mortar stores over online shopping when they want or need to buy something right away. Also, shipping costs are unknown, so when your customers buy something, they only have to pay the price listed. There are no other costs. When you buy something online, it always takes some time before you can get your hands on it. But some online stores are on a mission to be the best at fast home delivery.
The window for shopping
Brick-and-mortar stores can only sell their goods and provide their services during the hours they are open. This shortens the amount of time your customers have to buy from you, which could cause you to lose sales. When it comes to eCommerce stores, they don’t have hours that make their products and services available at any time. This lets people shop and look around whenever it’s most convenient for them.
Service to customers
Both online and offline stores have a lot of great customer service options and alternatives. In brick-and-mortar stores, customers can talk to employees in person and on the spot. This can help them make a smart choice and could prevent problems after the purchase. A lot of online stores offer real-time customer service through helplines or online chat, in addition to their FAQ pages. If they aren’t around when you want to browse or buy something, you can find chatbots on many sites that can also help you make a decision.
Going to the store
When we compare eCommerce to retail, we can see that one of the main differences is that you have to go somewhere to shop in retail. In the case of brick-and-mortar stores, the customer must go to the store and buy the item in person. Not everyone would be able to go to stores when they are open because they don’t have the money or time. With eCommerce retailers, on the other hand, you can shop any time you want from the comfort of your own home. You only need a computer or a mobile device to browse and buy. You can do this whenever it works best for you.
Personal contact
Before the year 2020, we never thought that this would also be on our list. Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the number of people we talk to became a big part of our daily lives. Still, it is best to keep these to a minimum, especially if the trip isn’t necessary. Because people have to be in a brick-and-mortar store to make a purchase, they can meet more people there than they would at an online store. If you buy something online, on the other hand, you will probably only meet the people who deliver it. Also, many courier services now offer contactless delivery, which might be the safest option given the situation.
How to find what you’re looking for
When comparing eCommerce to retail, it’s important for customers to know how long it takes to find items in both types of stores. When shopping at a traditional store, it can be harder to find an item. Even more so if the place is big and has a lot of different kinds of products. On the other hand, most sites that sell things online have advanced search services. So, all you have to do is type the product you want into the search bar, and the products that match your search will show up in a flash.
How long it took to shop as a whole
The goal of physical stores is to keep customers inside for as long as possible. This has been shown to be a good way to sell something. As customers look for what they came for, they pass by other things. This will make it more likely that they will stop and look at the product or even buy it. eCommerce stores, on the other hand, use different cross-selling methods. Because of this, you will only need to spend as much time on their site as you need to buy the thing you came for. In this way, this makes eCommerce stores a faster and better choice.
To sum up the online vs. in-store shopping dilemma
As you can see, there isn’t a single best way to start your own business. It’s not a matter of choosing between eCommerce and retail. Instead, you should do both. This way, you could make sure that none of the above things are causing you to lose business.
dropship-empire can help you get started in the eCommerce or retail business.
dropship-empire is the supplier you would want to work with if you want to start a business in the fashion industry. dropship-empire can help you no matter if you have a physical store or an online store. It is a company that sells high-end clothing brands and connects you with top-notch manufacturers. All styles have been proven to be 100% real, so you can offer them to your customers with confidence. It has more than 100 high-end brands that you can choose from to make sure you have the best range for your customers. Among these brands are Dolce & Gabbana, Karl Lagerfeld, Michael Kors, Dsquared2, Prada, and many more that sell well.
When you work with dropship-empire, you can choose from a number of services. The first one buys clothes in bulk, and the second one becomes a dropshipping partner. Read on to learn the pros and cons of each so you can make the best choice for your business.
Clothes and accessories for B2B sold in bulk
dropship-empire is one of the best wholesale fashion markets in the world. There are over 15,000 styles in stock at any given time that you can look through and buy. You have two choices if you want to buy wholesale clothing online from dropship-empire.
You can choose and mix the styles you want to offer your customers, or you can buy stocklots of styles that have already been chosen. Since the minimum order amount is only 1000€ or 1200$, you don’t have to buy a lot if you don’t want to. Just choose the things you like best and think will sell best in your niche. You can also buy stocklots, which are packages of products from one or sometimes more than one supplier that have already been picked out for you. This is also a good choice if you want to save more money on items than you would with the pick-and-mix option.
Once you have picked out the styles you wish to purchase, you can settle the payment through PayPal and Bank Transfer alike. dropship-empire will give you a tracking number for your order within two days of getting your payment. The goods are sent all over the world using premium courier services. Shipping costs as little as 15 EUR per order, and your package will get to you in 5 days.
Dropshipping clothes and accessories from well-known brands
dropship-empire dropshipping service could be just what you need if you run an online store. You can sign up for a dropshipping subscription and start selling right away with just a few clicks. dropship-empire gives you plugins that are easy to put on your Shopify or WooCommerce website. This will make it possible for the orders that people place on your website to go straight to your supplier, dropship-empire. Also, if you use the plugins, your website will sync with your inventory, making it less likely that you’ll sell styles that aren’t in stock. You can offer your customers up to 250 new styles each week because dropship-empire adds new items to its stock every week.
Also, your markup for each category is easy to keep track of and control. You can make up to 250% on every order you get because you can get your products at good prices. You will be able to offer your customers individual items from high-end brands. Each one will have a price that is up to 90% less than the RRP. This will give you good profits without putting you at risk by holding stock.
Dropshipping partners get extra benefits
Being a dropshipping partner also gives you a personal account manager, among other benefits. You can talk about your marketing plan with your account manager. So, not only do you have more time, but you also know more about how to market your store. You will also get an honest review and suggestions for how to improve your store. This is a great way to get as many customers as possible.
If you choose dropship-empire as your dropshipping provider, your eCommerce store will get even more benefits and help. You will be given professional photos of the products that you can use however you want. Also, you’ll have access to a library of free images that have already been made for use on social media. Last but not least, you will also get a guide to help you with your marketing. One of these guides is about “eCommerce SEO,” and another is about “Facebook Ads.”
Last things to say
There is no right or wrong way to shop in the future. A physical store is a great way to connect with your customers. But on the other hand, it will soon be impossible to avoid eCommerce. The most important thing to remember is that there are some things that will always be important, no matter how shopping changes over time. These include how you market your store, how you treat customers, and, most importantly, how you choose the right supplier for your store. If you start out with a great and reliable supplier, you will be able to worry-freely focus on growing your business.