When shopping online, you have several things to consider before making your purchase. Many people get so excited that they overlook several details, including size and material. You will never have an easy time returning a product if it is not right. Even small details such as the dimensions of your bedroom and the width of your front entrance should be considered before purchasing. These simple details will save you time and frustration. Listed below are several things to consider when shopping online.
1. Cost of shopping online
Shopping online has its advantages. Many websites use third-party shipping services to deliver their products to customers. The shipping charges, while usually less than the product price, are often higher than the product itself. Unless a product is free shipping, consumers will be charged for return shipping and handling. Shipping charges can double the cost of a product. This can be a huge burden on consumers, especially those who do not have the time to track a package from beginning to end.
The cost of shopping online is generally lower than buying in a brick-and-mortar store. You can apply Nike promo code to save money. Internet retailers are able to charge lower prices because they do not incur the costs of running brick-and-mortar stores. The average consumer also believes that they will always get a better deal online than in-store. In fact, more than half of shoppers do not shop around for a better deal, and even more, do not shop around in order to find the best price.
2. Cost of shipping
When it comes to selling products online, retailers must consider shipping costs when creating a pricing structure. It is imperative to select a shipping strategy that minimizes a retailer’s margins and still retains a high level of customer appeal. Moreover, a study conducted by Business Insider revealed that up to 58% of online shoppers abandon carts because of higher shipping costs. Online retailers cannot charge all shipping costs from order fulfillment to the customer. Otherwise, they risk losing many sales.
In recent years, the cost of shipping has become a major sticking point in the e-commerce business. However, savvy business owners have come up with ways to lower shipping costs for consumers. Adding items to your online shopping cart and looking for promo codes are some of the other ways to reduce shipping costs. In addition to these, you can also consider signing up for store credit cards to earn additional perks. This way, you’ll be able to receive discounts on shipping costs and get other benefits.
3. Cost of returns
The cost of returning products online is rising rapidly, contributing to increased prices, product shortages, and supply chain stress. According to Optoro, a returns processing company, return costs are projected to grow by 59% by 2020. Moreover, the cost of returning items increases waste generation and contributes to worker shortages. Additionally, the cost of returns can increase a retailer’s customer acquisition costs. As a result, retailers expect to pass on this cost as a higher price tag to consumers.
Consumers’ return behavior is highly variable, with many shoppers ordering multiple variants of a particular product and ultimately deciding to return one. Unfortunately, e-commerce businesses can’t control consumer behavior, and many consumers simply don’t know what they want. In fact, over 80% of all returns are caused by broken or damaged items, which can increase a retailer’s costs. In addition to the product’s cost, the retailer must also incur labor costs related to warehousing, shipping, and restocking.
4. Price of products
Despite our best efforts to keep track of our budget, we still sometimes forget the price of products when shopping online. For example, in a recent study by BigCommerce, 87 percent of shoppers indicated that price played a significant role in making their purchasing decision. Other influential factors were shipping costs, speed of delivery, and discounts. Fortunately, there are a few ways to avoid falling prey to price discrimination online.
5. Checking if a site is legit
When you’re shopping online, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure you’re not being scammed. Despite the fact that online scams have become increasingly sophisticated, you can still protect yourself by using common sense. To check whether a site is a scam, you should always type in the website’s URL directly into your web browser, and never enter your credit card or personal details unless you know you’re safe.
If you’re unsure of a site, you can check its legitimacy by running a search on Google. Google compiles reviews of high-traffic websites near the top of their search results. Read these reviews before making a purchase. Moreover, Google also provides a useful transparency report page which you can run the website’s address through. These reviews can be very helpful in determining whether a site is legitimate or not.
6. Customer reviews
If you’re a woman who’s never bought a product online, you may be surprised to know that customer reviews are more influential than you think. Almost a quarter of all consumers will read customer reviews before they make a purchase, and 40% will use them frequently. The reason is simple: women are more likely to react favorably to other people’s opinions, and they care more about the entire experience than men.
In addition to boosting your brand image, customer reviews act as social proof for potential customers. They give customers the confidence they need to buy a product or service. While nothing beats a personal recommendation, positive reviews are important for reassuring potential customers. By showing that a company has satisfied customers, you’ll also make yourself seem more trustworthy. According to a recent study, 84% of consumers cite customer reviews as a major factor in their decision-making process. In addition, 94% of all purchases are made for products with an average rating of four or higher.