The Convenience of Online Shopping, Have You Thought It Through?

Most retailers are now aware that customers expect online shopping as a given channel to ‘buy’ things. The number one reason, retailers would suspect is, convenience. While that is true, many would fall into the trap of viewing ‘convenience’ as (only) shopping from the comfort of their own sofa or bed. It is far beyond that. It’s not even limited to whether delivery will be at the convenience of a shopper’s location or preferred time.

It takes seconds for shoppers to decide whether or not they would be transacting on your online store. Therefore, retailers must look beyond the obvious convenience aspects of an online shopping experience and start digging to make shoppers really feel at home. Convenience, in online shopping, includes many aspects.

The obvious:

1. Online presence
2. Delivery on the shoppers’ terms (time and place)
3. Flexibility and ease of returning goods
4. Availability of preferred payment methods
5. Visibility of shopping cart

The not-so-obvious:

1. Online store navigation (website/app)
2. Perceived speed of the online store
3. Perceived trustworthiness of the online store
4. Perceived security of their online data
5. Technical reliability of the online store
6. Complexity of language
7. Range of choices
8. Price comparability
9. Information availability
10. Shareability with their social networks
11. Support availability on preferred channels/methods

And much more…