Buying things on the internet can be a bit addictive, once you start you can’t stop as it can be done anywhere and anytime.
However, before the dawn of giant marketplaces and e-commerce websites, everyone had to put shopping on their to-do list, whereas today you can just sit on the couch, swipe your device screen, and do click a button to make a purchase.
Yet despite loving its convenience, most consumers would continue to drive to brick-and-mortar stores to purchase expensive items, according to a new study.
Almost half of the consumers surveyed by digital marketing firm PushOn said they prefer to buy expensive products like a new kitchen or bathroom in store.
The reason is that they can see and examine the products before deciding to buy them.
The report reveals that 47% of 1,000 consumers actually do research online, and once they have their heart set on a product, they buy it in a physical store. On the other hand, 70% said they bought expensive items online, but only after seeing them in the store.
That just goes to show that despite the ease and convenience of shopping online, most people still want to see and feel a product, especially an expensive one like a car, to be sure they aren’t wasting money.
However, they are not closed-minded at all; 45% of consumers said they are willing to make expensive purchases online if websites offer technology that allows them to experience a product so they can make informed decisions.
Is AR the future of e-commerce?
PushOn garnered multiple opinions from respondents on what tools ecommerce sites should consider to persuade them to buy expensive items online.
40% said they would love to use augmented reality (AR) to test a product before buying it. Because this technology fuses digital images with the real world, online shoppers will be able to see and experience a product by placing an image of it over their vision of reality.
On the other hand, 41% of respondents said that implementing stricter online security will make them feel safe when buying expensive items, hence their confidence to spend more.
Here are the other items included in her wish list:
- 52% think that retailers should invest in technology that enables a better omnichannel experience, so that the buying process is smooth in store and online.
- 32% would like to use online services so they can get instant answers to their questions.
- 17% ask retailers to use artificial intelligence and digital chatbots that offer shopping recommendations based on their shopping habits and can answer questions about products.
- 17% want to view online purchases with a single click to facilitate payment.
- 16% would like to use more mobile payments to streamline online purchases.
In addition to great products and fast delivery, industry experts urge online businesses to choose the best technology that helps shoppers visualize their products.
As Sam Rutley, Managing Director of PushOn puts it:
“By using technology, such as digital chatbots that can act as online customer service assistants or augmented reality applications to help visualize products, retailers will be able to create a more seamless omnichannel experience in which customers can access it. level of service and information that they, if they were shopping in the store. This will go a long way in increasing consumer buying confidence through the highest levels of security and assurance that this technology can offer, which means that they’ll feel comfortable spending more online. “
What kind of technology have you recently adopted in your online business?