Research about online shopping Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Research about online shopping - Essay Example Adoption of this mode of shopping has been a function of multiple factors that the paper seeks to identify. Online shoppers are motivated by increased population in urban areas which makes shopping malls crowded, thus many people prefer ordering goods and services from home. Online shopping has numerous benefits that include convenience, price advantages and also times saving. Selection of goods from a variety and also access to a lot of information that may not be available in offline shopping is another force that motivates online shopping. Most online shoppers have a motive behind their decision to shop online. Large online retailers such as Amazon and eBay began online retailing in 1995 and have developed to accommodate shoppers from all over the world by integrating all the requirements stated above. The University of North Carolina (4) assert that online buying has been marred by problems such as insecurity, lack of privacy, longer waits periods and also no hands on-inspections that are usually more important in purchase decisions. A constellation of these forces act to stall the advancement of online shopping. To enhance online shopping, majority of online retailers are Search Engine Optimized to allow potential clients locate them using the search engines. SEO optimization is a key element in boosting online shopping since most new shoppers locate online shops by searching randomly over the search engines; therefore, making a shop visible is a major step towards encouraging online shopping since more potential clients can locate it. Harnessing customers is a major business requirement. Requirements for participation in online shopping There are several basic requirements for participation and the characteristics of online shopping. According to Luo, Sulin and Zhnag (1132), ease of access to the internet has led to massive changes in the way people shop. Unlike normal shopping sprees, transactions are conducted over the internet. This requirement has bee n boosted by the fact that the world is constantly increasing internet penetration and also the speeds. This makes online transactions faster and efficient. In china for example, most people opt to shop online due to congestion in the shopping malls that usually waste a lot of time. Online shopping is relatively cheap and thus becomes an appropriate avenue through which low income earners can access goods that are highly priced at shopping centers at a more affordable price. In addition, online shoppers have a chance to have their goods delivered to the door after purchase (Li 509). For one to shop online there must be an electronic means of payment. These means of payment are commonly referred to as third party payment systems. The payment systems form a platform through which the buyers and the sellers can exchange goods and make payments without being in physical presence (Luo and Sulin 1135). Such online payment systems include PayPal, Payoneer, Skrill, Alipay and Payza. Another requirement for shopping online is that one must poses a computer or any other electronic device that can access the internet. This follows that the user must be literate to use the gadgets. This requirement has been met in most countries through education. Access to information is vital in online shopping. 70% of online buyers are enthusiast youths who have access to more information about new releases of goods and services. In this regard, the first characteristic of