B2C
When I was younger, I used to flip through paper catalogues imagining that by pointing at the items that I wanted, they would magically appear in front of my eyes. Silly! I know.
Little did I know… technology today is bringing us close to that very thing.
Clothing, books, videogames, electronics, music, automotive, tickets, art, real estate, and everything else- you name it- can be placed into your virtual shopping cart then purchased with a simple click of a few and lastly delivered to your doorsteps. In recent years, online shopping has become increasingly popular amongst the upper class (and now the middle class as well) societies. What people are looking for today is convenience, convenience,and convenience, so what better than to offer B2C (Business-to-Consumer) online shopping?
Advantages (for consumers):
- Direct access to retailer’s website
- Compare like products
- Read reviews from other buyers
- Minus the cost of the in store experience
- Offered in various languages
- Closing time? Kah-puushk! Open 24/7!
- Delivered to you or to the closest location etc.
Disadvantages:
- Outrageous shipping fees
- Cannot test/ handle the product (eg. camera, car)
- Is there a return policy?
- No salesperson to answer your questions (usually by email, sometimes phone call
- Fraud and security concern
I, myself, am not an online shopper fanatic; however, I have done a bit of exploring. As a consumer, what I’d like to see on a shopping site is a fresh, clean, no-clutter layout that’s easy to navigate. I’ve posted a screenshot of Urban Outfitters’ (http://www.urbanoutfitters.com) online shopping design and what I like about this is that it is very neat and concise. I’ve got the price, colour, size, and quantity; details, reviews, ask & answer; photos from different angles; and similar products that I may like! This is a very simple example but you get the gist, : ).
That’s all for now. Ciao!
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