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Comparison Between Classical and Online Shopping. What Do the British Prefer?

Since shopping has been around for a long time, it is a familiar and unique purpose; the main change has been in marketing. While marketing that is carried out today is referred to as modern marketing, marketing that was carried out a few years or a long time ago is known as traditional advertising or marketing. Modern marketing does, however, occasionally also use classical marketing when it is crucial. This marketing often points to the direction consumers want to interact with. The new age of shopping and marketing has heavily influenced the internet, and it has affected all spheres of life and activity; it has made shopping much more convenient. Let’s compare online marketing and shopping to classical marketing and shopping to understand the two concepts better.

What Is Classical Shopping and Online Shopping?

Classical or Traditional shopping is a shopping process where customers go to a store and buy the products and brands they want. Any nearby small businesses or a sizable department store, such as Sainsbury’s, Spencer, and others, could qualify. Customers can physically inspect and feel the product in this type of shopping before making a purchase. In other words, after seeing the product and making their choice, end users can go directly to a shopping center and decide whether to pay with cash or a credit card.

Online shopping involves customers buying all they need at the convenience of their smartphones. In this e-commerce process, customers buy their preferred brands directly from a seller in real-time without the involvement of a middleman. The entire process is done online using a web browser or a mobile shopping app, preferably on a smartphone.

The use of the Internet has made modern life more and more convenient. Not only does it give people more communication options, but it also gives them access to business platforms. While some people prefer to shop in actual stores, others prefer online. However, what do the British prefer? Besides, the British like to play free spins casino slots and spend their free time at casinos.

What Do the British Prefer?

A recent study shows British consumers still favor classical shopping in walk-in stores if given the option. Even though 95% of British consumers make purchases online, only 3% have entirely given up visiting brick-and-mortar stores, according to a London-based Adyen study. This makes the argument that the British only prefer online shopping because of the wide convenience margin. This preference is based on several factors. People would prefer in-store shopping because of the enjoyable and social aspects. 75% of people believe it is vital to see, sample, touch, and try on clothing, while 64% of people enjoy browsing. How else will you check whether a pair of jeans fit correctly or if a mango is ripe?

The Adyen study explains why customers occasionally make purchases online after visiting stores. Customers become irritated when they must wait in line to complete transactions. Retailers could address this issue by implementing mPOS (mobile point of sale) solutions, but only 18% of retailers plan to do so. The typical 9-to-5 retail schedule, which is now considered inadequate for the average consumer with a busy life, is another problem with in-store shopping. The Ayden study proposes that online channels have made shopping much more convenient for consumers since they can access online stores 24/7.

Some Other Factors

Some other factors have been discovered to influence British preference, like the delivery options and the purchase. The Adyen study shows that 73% of shoppers walk away from online shopping convenience when the delivery cost is too high. Also, the types of goods that Brits prefer to buy affect why they prefer to shop in physical locations.

For instance, there needs to be more online presence for groceries and furniture. Interestingly, while brick-and-mortar stores are more prevalent in DIY and gardening, consumers prefer them for health and beauty products because they can avoid misconstrued online purchases.

Online Shopping and Its Pros and Cons

The internet has had an undeniable impact on shopping. When purchasing in the past, customers almost always went into a brick-and-mortar store in person. One of the only options was to look through a catalog before placing an order over the phone or by mail. Many consumers these days favor the convenience of online shopping. Significant retailers have online stores; some even provide free shipping and returns. If you wanted, you could do all your holiday shopping while lounging on the couch in your pajamas, avoiding the congestion, stress, and bustle of physical stores. Additionally, because of the ease of free shipping and lenient return policies, people are now purchasing items like mattresses, eyeglasses, couches, shoes, and more online rather than in-store.

A lot has changed since the emergence of online shopping. Today, consumers can go into stores with full knowledge of what they are buying compared to when consumers solely rely on the expertise of salespeople. Purchasing an item online is much easier, and payment is also a breeze. More interestingly, consumers can assess the opinion of others on the product they are buying. Online reviews have created a trustable system for consumers shopping online.

Cons:

● Delivery time can be slower than classical shopping and sometimes take too long.

● There’s the risk of online fraud.

● Consumers need to get in touch with and examine what they are buying.

Classical Shopping and Its Pros and Cons

With classical shopping, you can look at our products, try them out once, and make decisions about them with the help of the person in charge of selling them. When you shop online, you can only look at the products after they arrive. Another benefit is that you can get a replacement immediately if unsatisfied with the product. While traditional shopping takes more time, the results are superior to online shopping. Shopping the old-fashioned way helps you stay more active and be in the moment. Online shopping rarely offers better options than traditional stores do. With classical shopping, there’s a chance of bargaining and paying less for a product, and many people like to take their chances.

Cons:

● Classical shopping has a limited range of shopping variety.

● They are only open for certain hours of the day and can be affected by closedowns by the government or holidays.

● There’s a tendency to overspend with classical shopping as you get distracted by other products.

Conclusion

It’s interesting to think about how shopping has changed over the years. Shopping has mostly stayed the same overall, in some ways. People continue to browse leisurely in malls, pay with cash, and make impulsive purchases. When making purchases, both classical and online shopping have their own unique sets of benefits and drawbacks. While convenience and affordability are the main selling points for online marketing, immediate gratification, tangible goods, and the “true spirit of shopping” are offered by brick-and-mortar stores. Customers may prefer one over the other depending on the goods they need. Since neither one is likely to replace the other completely, both forms of shopping can coexist peacefully.

How to Shop Anywhere Online While Avoiding Scams

There are so many great deals to be found online. You could be browsing online looking for something specific, or maybe an advertisement pops up on your feed flashing an amazing deal you can’t miss. You find yourself on an unfamiliar website, excited about the great items and affordable prices. You click buy, the standard shipping time, and start waiting for your items.

Except, your items never come. Or they finally do arrive, and it’s such bad quality you feel like you’ve been scammed.

Okay – hopefully, instead of all that, you did a doubletake before you checked out your cart and stopped to ask yourself, is this website safe? Scammers con hundreds of thousands of people every year. And during the pandemic, the FTC reports that consumers lost $43.30M from online shopping fraud alone.

From years of consumer data and current research, Sitejabber has put together a checklist of all the red flags you need to know to avoid a scam website. Let’s get into the top things you need to know to shop safely!

Red Flags to Check if a Shopping Site is Legit

1. The website’s connection. Listen to your browser’s safety indicators. A URL should also always be “https,” not “http.” The “s” indicates that a website is secure. However, this is not an indication of legitimacy. A scam website can have a secure connection but still con you of your money.

2. Check the URL. If you’re shopping from a familiar website, check first that there isn’t anything suspicious about the URL. There are tons of copycat websites hoping to trick you. Also, check that the website doesn’t have any uncommon website suffixes, also called top-level domains (TLDs).

3. Scam websites often have poor grammar and spelling throughout the website.

4. Reputable websites should regulate their ads in an organized way. If too many ads are popping up, be wary.

5. Check for customer service contact information. It’s best if there is a phone number – call to make sure that the number works. The more customer support they provide, the less likely they are a scam. And if you are having trouble with your order, you’ll have someone to fix your issue.

6. Check to see if their physical address is their real location by using Google Maps. If they don’t provide an address, that’s a red flag.

7. Never use a website that requires you to pay through unsafe methods. Do not send money to a PayPal address, wire money, make a bank transfer, or send a money order.

8. Always check the shipping and return policies before you buy. If either of these policies is poor or nonexistent, save yourself from a headache and avoid the site. Oftentimes, they won’t provide much return information, and you’ll end up having to pay more to return the item than it was originally worth!

9. If you found the site from a Facebook ad, check their Facebook page and see when the page was created. If you’re searching up a website, use WHOIS to check when they registered. If the website is brand new, do additional research to see if people have had good experiences. If you find that the store is new while touting going out of business sales, this is a sure sign of a scam.

10. If you think the product photos look fishy, you’re probably right. If the photos are inconsistent, low-quality, or look photoshopped, avoid the site. You can also run an image search to see if the images can be found on other sites – if so, the designs are likely stolen.

11. Lastly, always check reviews. Whether you are starting your research process or are still unsure if a website is safe, previous customers who shared their experiences already are a valuable resource to help you decide.

For the full list and animations to walk you through each tip, check out the guide to spot a scam website here.

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5 Handbags You Need To Spring Yourself Into

It is now officially spring, and that means it’s time to switch that dark winter bag for something a bit more bright and cheery! Finding the right bag is HARD, Choosing between bags is HARD! The second struggle you run into is the price at the register. When you get a new bag, you want it to last! Yes, it’s super easy to run to target and pick out a new purse! I mean come on, its target it’s super cute and totally affordable. If you are looking for something designer for this spring that won’t break the bank, here is a list of this year’s spring colors with some of the best places to get the deals!

Yellow

I don’t know about you, but nothing screams happy and bright other than yellow. You can be as bold and as subtle as you want with this one, neon yellow? Go for it! Sunflower yellow or something with a more honey tone. Whatever you want!

Olive Green

This color is a great neutral that can go with wearing either black or browns! It’s a complete boss babe color and gives you a bit of an edge! One of my favorites is the Prarie satchel from coach, the shade is called Kelp! (unique right?) What stands out to me with this bag is that it comes with gunmetal hardware instead of gold!

Aqua

Bright and pretty, crystal blue! Come on, I know we all went through the aqua and teal phase in middle school! Can you say #Throwback? It’s time we bring it back considering we know how to PROPERLY accessorize!

Reds

No matter the shade, you are going with a color that is classic and timeless. Red is truly a color that will never go out of style so it is no surprise that you can wear this color year round! For this spring seriously consider getting a bright red bag!

Soft Pink

The lighter the shade the better! Pink is such a cute color, one thing you have to be careful with, with pink is the shade. It can be put with so many colors but you should proceed with caution when picking out the shade. You can never go wrong with a light pink!

How COVID-19 Will Affect Holiday Shopping

Autumn is over and we are now getting into the holiday season where shopping is part of the festivities. Compared to other years, shopping for Christmas this year is going to be very difficult as the government and health agencies continue to encourage social distancing in public places. Both the retailers and the consumers will feel the impact of the pandemic as things continue to change hence the need for both parties to revolutionize their behaviors. Retailers should endeavor to make goods available to consumers who should in turn adjust to these changing times. Here are 4 ways how COVID-19 will affect holiday shopping:

1. Loss of revenue from impulse buyers

Research shows that about 35% of consumers are impulse buyers. Impulse buying is quite common during the holiday season. It happens when buyers walk into the store with a list of items that they wish to buy for friends and family and then spot something interesting on the shelves.

The language buyers use when buying an item they had not planned for is “to reward themselves.” Often, store owners know how to place these products strategically for buyers to see them. With numerous businesses going online, it would be difficult for retail businesses to attract buyers to purchase extra products hence loss in revenue. However, there are strategies that could be implemented to avert this. For instance, retailers could:

● Promote their products earlier enough so that customers are familiar with what is being sold.

● Lure customers with offers, incentives, and big sales.

● Update the online inventory so that a product cannot be marked as sold out while it is there.

● Make use of all social media platforms to advertise products.

2. Reduce shopping expenses

COVID-19 has been stimulating unemployment in the last couple of months. Some people have already lost jobs and approximately half of the workforce globally is at risk of losing jobs. PEO services have reported a decline in the demand for workers as businesses continue to stagnate. These companies, such as Global PEO, specialize in the recruitment and management of employees for companies that are extending their business operations internationally.

With a reduced workforce, there is also a decline in the finances which influences people’s purchasing power. A recent survey shows that about 39% of holiday shoppers in the United States have the intention of spending very little compared to other years on gifts. Such drastic changes will reshape the way people celebrate this season’s holidays.

3. Reduced shopping morale

Shopping is part of the holiday festivities. It can be used to help a family bond as well as create memories from fun experiences at the store. Retailers often decorate their stores to enhance people’s shopping adventures. The themed decorations not only encourage people to make purchases but also remind people of the purpose of that particular holiday.

Suppose you were planning to take your kids for Christmas shopping this year and have them experience the joy of seating on Santa’s lap, this year it will not be possible. It will also be difficult to go ice skating at the rink and enjoy drinking with friends while shopping. Such limitations are bound to lower the shopper’s morale this year significantly.

4. Discovery of online shopping

While online shopping has been around for the last couple of years, a large percentage of shoppers still opt to buy products physically at the store. Since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, there has been a surge in online shopping. A survey conducted among shoppers in the United States revealed that about 58% of the purchases were through online platforms in 2019.

It is anticipated that approximately 75% of the holiday shoppers will buy online in 2020 even as stores reopen. Additionally, most of the people are expected to browse for possible gift ideas online than the stores. Such a shift will promote e-commerce immensely. It is likely that after this move, some businesses will opt to go digital the way the likes of Alibaba did as a result of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in China in the years 2002-2004.

Conclusion

The impact of COVID-19 is already being felt after many months of the closure of businesses worldwide. While some effects may be positive such as having more work for web developers, other people have lost their jobs entirely. The changes in people’s finances are the main drivers of this year’s holiday shopping behavior. The disease dynamics of the coronavirus will also determine how the holiday festivities will take place.