...Do you prefer shopping online or Brick-and-Mortar? That is the question… It is three days before the kids are out of school for Christmas vacation. A cold, wet, rainy afternoon and I still have a few more hours of this long boring work day. I realize that I have not had the time to finish my shopping for the gifts that need to be under that tree on Christmas morning, and I know that with the children out of school, it is going to be next to impossible to sneak any shopping in unnoticed. I think to myself, what should I do? Should I make use of this otherwise long drawn out free time that I am required to sit at this desk and do a little internet shopping, or should I take a more traditional approach and wait until I have someone to watch the kids and do my Christmas shopping on foot? I mean, why not make a day of it and have comfort in knowing that I can actually see the toys that I purchase and take them home the same day? I think to myself, does taking the easy way out make the gift any less special? Which would you choose? There are so many options available with shopping online, all in a matter of a few seconds, and a few clicks. Who really wants to get out in a cold, dreary day like today when we can get the same results, spend the same amount of money, and save a great deal of time by finishing any last minute shopping online? While both shopping online and in the store are one and the same, there are also many differences like convenience, privacy, risks, time, and location...
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...average of 11% in the first three months of 2009 (“US Online Sales Up,” 2009). The growth of online sales may due to the growing number of consumers who shop online. In the case of Asia, survey reported 77.6% of Internet users have online shopping experiences in 2003 (as cited in To, Liao & Lin, 2007). Online shopping is very different from traditional shopping. Consumers cannot touch and check the product before purchasing it, which means they are at higher risk of fraud than traditional shopping. Consumers also have other concerns such as credit cards security of online shopping. Then questions should be raised: what is the advantage of online shopping? Why people shop online? In following paragraphs, the advantage of online shopping for the consumer and consumer’s motivation to shop online will ... ... middle of paper ... ...enerates search intention, which in turn generates purchase intention (To et al., 2007). Consumers’ motivations for online shopping are dual characterization. Research claimed that utilitarian motivation can influence consumers’ intention to search and to purchase, while hedonic motivation has a direct impact on intention to search and indirect impact on intention to purchase (To et al., 2007). Online shopping has many advantages which can fit consumers’ needs and motivation. It might be one reason of the rapid growth of online...
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...Online Shopping Behavior in Pakistan Arsalan S. Khan, Faisal Ahmed, Hassan Yousuf, Sohaib ul Hassan and Syed Abbas Zia Karachi School for Business & Leadership Arsalansalahuddinkhan@hotmail.com[->0] 1 Abstract The purpose of this paper is to study the consumer behavior of online shoppers in Pakistan in order to gain insights into their attitudes, preferences, decision-making frame work, and life styles. The target population for this study consisted of the urban consumers who are educated and belong to upper and upper-middle socio-economic classes. Within online shopping, two major categories could be established, namely “Electronics” and “Clothing”. As per our analysis, the experience expected from both the medium is different. For purchasing a commodity offline, the customer would rate the overall shopping experience higher as opposed to convenience. Now we had to establish that what type of goods would be preferred online as opposed to through brick & mortar, and vice-versa. Keywords: online, brick & mortar, electronics, clothingl. 2 Introduction To study the consumer behavior of online shoppers in Pakistan in order to gain insights into their attitudes and preferences, decision-making frame work, attributes for store selection and life styles encouraging online shopping. The target population for this...
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...How has the organisation enticed consumers to purchase products from their shopping site? Marketing in general terms relates to what an organisation must do in order to create and exchange value with its customers (Silk 2006). In this sense, it means that marketing has a major role in the setting of a company’s strategic direction. Amazon.com is one of the worlds largest online shopping websites. Initially beginning as an online bookstore it now offers the world one of the fastest and easiest ways of shopping on the internet. With the growing success of the online bookstore, Amazon.com has diversified into a wide range of product lines and services which consist of general merchandise, groceries, electronic products and much more. Technology is a major part of this company and its success. Constant developments have created Amazon Inc. biggest strength of being the ‘largest online retail store’. It has been said that “Amazon.com has made it very simple for customers to purchase items with a simple click of the mouse” (Zagkakis 2014). Amazon is loved by all those around the world as it provides an engaging, simple and easy-to-use website. It has been proved that even those customers who are usually uncomfortable with the process of buying items off the internet have been able to easier navigate its webpage as it provides instructions for a first-time visitor (Singer 1998). Amazon’s online retail format enables it to enhance its customer’s satisfaction by offering us a broader...
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...Today’s Shopping Online shopping offers some advantages over brick and mortar stores. An example of this is the internet is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week; but with anything there are some negatives too. Today’s consumer has to be able to make informed choices about everything, this includes shopping as well. A great deal of research on products can be done online which is quite helpful before the purchase is made. As with anything there are pros and cons to each type of shopping. First, there is the obvious differences of the two types of shopping. The main disadvantage to online shopping is the shipping costs and the time it will take to receive your merchandise can vary a great deal. Shipping costs can be quite costly especially for larger items. This can create a problem if you need the item quickly. On the other hand, shopping at a brick and mortar store allows you to purchase and bring home your item that day. In some cases this can be a better cost effective option as well. The actual gas consumption and purchase can cost you less that ordering online. Secondly, with online shopping you are unable to actually inspect or test products ahead of time. When purchasing online a consumer has to depend on product descriptions and customer reviews. But, when shopping at a traditional store you are able to inspect the goods before buying them. You can touch the item, and visually check for craftsmanship and quality. This is quite helpful when shopping for shoes...
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...Benefits of Online Shopping Over Shopping From Traditional Stores Online Shopping is fast: While you have to go through a number of steps to purchase items from traditional stores, all these steps are eliminated when you buy a product online. For instance, you do not need to get out of your bed, change clothes, get in your car, drive amidst the traffic, look for a parking stop, search for the product you want in huge aisles and then stand in the queue to pay for it. Shopping for Products Online is Simple: Not only is online shopping fast, it is also extremely simple. You just have to choose a product and place an order for it without having to get up from your couch. The order is delivered at Your Doorstep: You have to visit a traditional store to buy an item from there, however if you shop for products online, your order will be delivered to you at your house or any other location within days or weeks. Affordable Prices: Products are available at more economical rates online compared to traditional stores; hence, it is wise to shop for expensive products including consumer electronics from e-stores. You are Easily Able to Find Good Items for Special Occasions: When events like the Fathers Day, Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day come closer, the markets get jam-packed and you are unable to find a decent gift at a reasonable price. However, you can easily find excellent Father’s Day Gifts to give to your dad on the Father’s Day, and presents for other occasions online at great...
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...Online shopping is a process where people can buy items over the Internet using web browers ? Nowadays online shopping is very popular People can buy everything : clothes , food, holidays by simply the click of mouse button. Moreover in Virtual Store is available to find more items then in shopping centres , without queses with better price . There are many advantages of shopping online . However the practice has limitations as well. This essay will describe advantages and disadvantages of online shopping in terms of time and cost. Firstly, majority of people have busy lives . Work , children home, school . Time is really important , that is why nobody wants waste it. Online shopping is good solution for them. For example shoppers can buy any item relaxing at home or any other location .You do not need to have a car ,traveling to buy something . Mobile phone ,tablet or computer with Internet conection and you can start your shopping .Customers do not have to spending time and energy in traffic , waiting long in lines. What is more online retailers operate 24 hours 7 days a week . What is mean you can shopping on your break between school and work . Moreover product will be sent to your door. However They need wait some days for delivery .In instance In- store shops you receive product immediately. Online stores need more time , retailers must send products to customers what is more then 1 day also can be longer time waiting if shipment is from another continent . ...
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...contrast between in store shopping and online shopping Over recent years the need for man to own and enjoy resources has increased tremendously. Due to this increase in demand manufacturers and producers have come up with different methods of making these more accessible and easier to own. In store shopping it goes back a long time, consumers are allowed to see what they want to buy and are not dependent on brand name. Online shopping on the other hand is the more modern method of goods exchange. Manufacturers now have online store where they advertise their goods to the public, consumers are able to buy these products without living the comfort of their homes. The reason why I have chosen this topic is because online and in store shopping is what is common and there are a lot of issues associated with them. In a modern society these days, as Internet technology has been developed people wants to buy their products online instead of going to in store shops to buy their products. Firms now have web pages for their company in other to advertise their products online and reduce crowds waiting in shops. What is in store shopping? In store shopping is a process by which individuals walk into a shop to buy goods and services while online shopping is a process by which individuals go to the internet to buy goods. They both have similarities and differences. There are a few similarities they both have in common. Firstly is satisfaction. When shopping online and in store you shop...
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...Online shopping is ideal for the busy family on the go. I have found online shopping to be one of my family’s many staples. The variety of things that can be purchased online amazes me. I've purchased several items such as books, clothing, jewelry, furniture, electronics, airline tickets, booked hotels, the list goes on. Internet connections can be accessed at work, homes, schools, hospitals, restaurants, libraries and many other places, making online shopping readily available almost everywhere. The convenience of online shopping in this busy world cannot be overstated. The popularity of portable internet devices has made online shopping appealing to many busy moms including myself. I often shop online via smartphone and tablet pc. With my days being filled with sporting events, children’s’ school activities, homework, and several other activities, leaves little to no time for traditional shopping. Standing in long lines in department stores is not an option for my family and I. The ability to have access to many online items saves a lot time. Online shopping on the go is a huge asset to my active lifestyle. The internet offers a wide variety of items. It offers more than the average shopping mall and mega malls. Almost anything imaginable can be purchased online. Websites and retailers are rapidly increasing. The more websites available leads to more variety. As an avid online shopper I feel variety is extremely important. I have shopped household item to actual homes...
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...the development of modern technology, Internet offers people more and more convenience. With the help of the Internet, people can do a lot of things without going out, like paying bills, watching movies, study online and so on. Among those, the most attractive one for people is doing shopping online. Online shopping does have many advantages but everything has two sides, some people think that it also has many disadvantages. Online shopping attracts people because it has many advantages. Nowadays, more and more people, especially for the office worker, don’t have that much free time to go shopping they’re busy working, studying and doing other important things. So online shopping becomes the most convenient and best way for the office worker. Many people choose shopping online also because they can’t stand that crowded and noisy environment. For shopping online, they just need to choose the article they want and pay online, and then shopping is finished. To most people, shopping is not a hard and anguished job anymore, they can just stay at home, click the mouse, spend several minutes to get what they want without stepping out of the room or standing in line for checking. Well doing shopping online is not always a perfect thing, it also has disadvantages. It seems easy and quick, but there’s always a trap online. If you are careless, it will bring you some troubles. For example, if you order a cloth online, at the moment you get the item, you may find that the color is different...
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...1.SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis is a business analysis technique that your organization can perform for each of its products, services, and markets when deciding on the best way to achieve future growth. The process involves identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the organization, and opportunities and threats present in the market that it operates in. The first letter of each of these four factors creates the acronym SWOT. As a manager, your role in any strategic planning is likely to involve providing operational data to help assess the internal capabilities, and (depending on your job function) you may also be asked to provide market intelligence. The completion of a SWOT analysis should help you to decide which market segments offer you the best opportunities for success and profitable growth over the life cycle of your product or service. The SWOT analysis is a popular and versatile tool, but it involves a lot of subjective decision making at each stage. It should always be used as a guide rather than as a prescription and it is an iterative process. There is no such thing as a definitive SWOT for any particular organization because the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats depend to a large extent on the business objective under consideration. KEY POINTS 1. SWOT Analysis provides information that helps in synchronizing an organization’s resources and capabilities with the external environment in which the organization operates. ...
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...For many people, Grocery shopping is thought of as a routine task in our everyday lives necessary to put food on the table; I consider grocery store shopping to be a maddening experience. For example, grocery store parking lots where most of the vacant parking spaces are occupied by abandoned shopping carts because some insensitive shopper couldn’t spare an extra ten seconds of their day to return something back where they found it, the audacity of people, it’s enough to make my blood pressure sky rocket. To illustrate further, several days ago while patiently waiting for a parking space, I observed a scruffy middle-aged man sporting brown, wavy hair sort of a stocky fellow, over-dressed in an expensive trench coat, unpacking his shopping cart. Slyly eyeing his surrounding’s to see if anybody is eyeballing his every move, like a fox seeking its prey, he quickly slithers into his car and ditches the cart right in the middle of the vacant spot I wanted to occupy, causing me to stop, get out of my car, and remove something that some inconsiderate numbskull could not be bothered to do. Additionally, parents that allow their children free will to run wild through the store, with no boundaries, screaming an ear deafening pitch, and leaping out in front of a swiftly moving shopping cart destroying products on the shelf creating a colossal mess, causing me to feel like the hair on my skin is standing straight up. I could practically feel steam coming out of my ears and my face...
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...Online shopping vs Brick and mortar shopping With many brick and mortar stores now online, shoppers have the option of visiting a traditional store or shopping online at their favorite stores from the convenience of their own home. Some people find the convenience of shopping online along with gas money they save to be an appealing way to shop. On the other hand, there are those who do not want to sacrifice the personal service they receive from shopping in a brick and mortar store along with the social experience of shopping with friends and family. While people still want a personal and social shopping experience with brick and mortar stores, online stores are attracting customers with better prices and convenience. The main attractions to online shopping for consumers have been convenience and lower prices. The cost of running an online store is considerably cheaper than a brick and mortar store; therefore, online stores are able to offer deeper discounts on merchandise and often free shipping with a minimum purchase requirement (Anderson & D'Innocenzio, 2013). There are websites like Ebates.com that offer cash back to customers that click through their website. Brick and mortar stores are fighting back by offering in-store only coupons, in addition to other discounts, in order to bring consumers back into their stores. In order to compete with many of the online store’s competitive prices, brick and mortar retailers have also begun to embrace technology by starting to sell...
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...1. Introduction Online shopping is a kind of business where consumers can directly shop over the Internet. It has now evolved to become a valuable part of daily lives. According to the Times Magazine, many people now preferring shopping online has increased year by year (In Shopperscrib 2011). Online shopping has become popular because people have many other things to do in their busy life, and shopping online saves time in numerous ways. Statistics produced by Forrester Research Inc. (n.d.) suggest that 60% of consumers shop online at least quarterly. EBay and Amazon are the two most popular and trusted websites for shopping online. Online shopping brings benefits to consumers so it really is a good way to shop. 2. Lower Prices Research by the firm Synovate(n.d.) found that 67% of consumers feel lower prices as the main motivator for them to shop online, with the availability of free shipping the second most important factor. In most cases, when consumers buy from traditional stores, they have to accept the price that the vendor is charging them. This is not the case when it comes to online shopping. With online purchasing, consumers can find radically lower prices and cheapest deals. For example, a DVD player may cost $20 less than the usual retail price at certain online stores. This is because online stores have fewer operating and overhead costs such as no need pay rental costs and renovation costs, which leads to creating lower prices for the consumer. Consumers...
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...Internet shopping is faster, convenient, and generates better deals. The concept of home shopping has been here for a long time in the form of commercial catalogues and television infomercials. But the concept of home shopping never became a widespread phenomenon until internet came due to internet’s vast potential that the pre-internet technologies lacked. Internet shopping has become an integral part of our daily lives and has been adopted by every major brick-and-mortar retailer in the U.S. Internet shopping has even helped certain companies in achieving competitive advantages because it enables them to get rid of intermediaries and sell directly to the customers. Price There is a higher probability of finding better prices on the internet than in shopping malls. Many internet companies operate as online retailers only which means they don’t have to pay any intermediaries such as distributors and they don’t have to hire sales people. Thus, they can pass some of the savings to the customers by offering reduced prices. Internet also enables the customers to do price comparisons in an instant, thus, they can buy from the online retailer that offers the best prices. Internet companies are aware of this thus, they price their inventory competitively. Moreover, companies get bigger audience of their products online so they often put clearance products on sale and offer other deals to clear out inventory faster. Moreover, most customers are also able to save on taxes because...
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