Editor’s Note: This article is originally appeared on TrustedCompany.com
Our shopping habits are constantly evolving in parallel with technology and the changes that the international market knows. A couple of years ago, the unique places to shop were shops and street markets surrounding your neighborhood. Nowadays, the shape of the physical market is evolving, there is no limit between online and offline shopping anymore and we are becoming digital buyers.
Let’s Go Back to The Past… How Were People Shopping a Couple of Decades Ago?
A classic bazaar.
A couple of decades ago, people went out physically to buy what they needed; used the limited amount of information they had and bargained around prices. They were asking neighbors and family members for advice about the store to find out about the reputation of a store. Yes, word of mouth marketing has been one of the oldest marketing tools.
And Now? Are We Going Towards A Digital Market?
Nowadays, many alternatives compete against traditional shopping. Malls are grouping different stores, offering a variety of products. E-commerce introduced a market where the idea of buying and selling online becomes possible. Small businesses can profit from platforms like amazon because they enable them to reach out to international customers. Buying online became part of our habits and disconnecting from it is actually inconceivable.
Timeline of Commerce.
A Market Full of Opportunities and Challenges
The continuous flow between online and offline markets brings a complex and confusing marketplace with overlapping information. In order to maximize the advantages and limit the risks from the market you will need to:
Leverage Trust By Creating Interaction
Before E-commerce, it was really easy for customers and retailers to interact and share information. People were shopping in their respective neighborhoods. Things are not that easy anymore; people are searching information in a bigger network. Merchants today need to be reactive by listening to their customers. Reviews are the most effective way of doing so. Indeed, 81% of customers frequently look for advices when making their purchasing decision. More than 70% of online shoppers said that third party reviews help them to determine the trustworthiness of a shop. As a merchant you can support this for example by displaying a Trust-widget on your shops site.
