Before I started working at ShopVisible I was anything, but a frequent online shopper. Sure I did plenty of research on the Internet, but besides downloading music, I had only made a handful of online purchases on a select few sites (like Amazon.com) that I trusted.
Once I dove into the ecommerce industry, and started learning about all the tricks and benefits of shopping on the web, I made an effort to give it a try. After heading to the New Balance store in desperate need for a pair of running shoes, I was told that my favorite style was out of stock. I could order another pair to be picked up at the brick and mortar store or buy them online. I opted for the latter.
To my pleasant surprise, the sneaks came within a few days and I saved myself another drive to the mall. This was perfect at the time when gas prices were soaring in Atlanta, and the city even experienced a gas shortage for a couple weeks. (Side note; this is also the first time I realized how Twitter had a practical purpose. Every Twitter obsessed driver in the area tweeted away to their followers as soon as they found the rare gas station with fuel to spare.)
With one good online shopping experience, came others. I spent time browsing our own client sites and spotted some unique items for great deals, like the jewelry at mother-daughter store Avindy (love this handmade gold wishbone necklace).
Then came Cyber Monday, when free shipping was the name of the game, not to mention great return policies and guaranteed delivery by the holidays for many e-tail sites. And with comparison shopping engines, customer reviews, and product ratings, it was impossible to not find what you wanted with a deal you were hoping for. A coworker of mine boasted about a guitar for Guitar Hero she found on the manufacturer’s website for less than $30 bucks, instead of the original $60.
Sure, there are bargain hunters out there who will spend hours searching for the best offer around, and maybe you just don’t have that time. But in reality, it really doesn’t take that long to do your research well on the web. Maybe even the time it would take you to drive to your mall.
As consumers get savvier and e-tailers enhance the shopping experience on their storefronts, it only makes sense that more people would buy online in an effort to get what they want on a tight budget.
And now, with Checkout by Amazon and Google Checkout added as alternate payments to many storefronts, as well as the 3rd party security seals that verify PCI compliant stores, there is little reason to question the security, convenience, or comfort of buying from not-so-brand name merchants.
There is a sea of independent merchants out on the web with the kind of goods to offer that you just can’t get anywhere else. With a little bit of research, you can find them for great deals and buy them with confidence using the payment method you trust.
ShopVisible is an ecommerce solution, headquartered in Atlanta, GA.
