A perfect example is how men’s fashion site JackThreads is revolutionizing online clothing shopping with a program called tryouts, which allows you to have clothes shipped to you where you can try them on for free before buying them. This isn’t the first time online shopping has become more effective or personal. Here are several ways online shopping has improved:
It’s Becoming More Like Shopping in Person
As for JackThreads, online retailers and ecommerce platforms are evolving to become more like shopping at brick and mortar establishments and in some ways are even better. These faster and faster shipping times are bringing us closer to the near instant gratification we experience when shopping at brick and mortar stores. For many, it’ll be more convenient and quicker to purchase something online than to go out and purchase it in person! Another way online shopping is becoming like in person shopping is in the product descriptions and images. Gone are the days where retailers uploaded a few images of a product on a white background. Now, product dimensions and details are often more thorough than you’d find in stores. A few examples are the 360 degree product views, model size detail for online clothing stores.
Better Reviews
While some stores have attempted to implement some form of reviews, most don’t actually provide useful information. Best Buy for example shows how many stars a product has been reviewed online, but you aren’t able to actually see any of the reviews!
The Ability to Find the Best Deals in Seconds
Almost everyone knows that you can find the best deals online much easier than in stores, but this has been taken to the next level in recent years. Many sites which focus on curating reviews and deals from across the web have sprung up. Some dive into a niche and only curate deals that appeal to a particular crowd such as HiConsumption (gadgets, architecture, design, fashion, art, vehicles and more for men) or Bring A Trailer (classic automobiles) while others highlight the best products and deals in specific categories like Best Deals Today. Both types of sites will help you find the best deals and products in a matter of seconds — something that just can’t be done in several stores or even malls.
Customer Support Has Evolved
You expect excellent customer support at an in-person store and the same needs to be expected of online businesses. Many online retailers take pride in having speedy and friendly customer support representatives which make your shopping experience even more enjoyable. A lot of websites now have live chat available so that you can have responses faster than ever before.
A Hassle-free Checkout Process
Checking out online was long plagued by several steps from signing up, to filling out your address and billing information and more. Even if you had to wait in lines at stores, online shopping used to feel more burdensome. Today even that has completely changed since you can now save your card and shipping information. This way they can be used across several sites which makes checking out as easy as confirming your cart and pressing a single button to pay.
What’s Next?
Online shopping is quickly evolving and many can already buy everything they need (including fresh groceries) from the comfort of their home. We may be looking at online shopping as the main option sooner than we think.
