The Future of Online Shopping
The Future of Online Shopping
With online sales reaching $2.304 trillion worldwide in 2018 and estimated to grow by a further 56% between 2015 – 2020, the future it would seem for online shopping is very rosy indeed. This is not the case for traditional brick-and-mortar retailers, who are estimated to grow by just 2% for the same period. So, what can we expect from online shopping in the future, and what must they do to continue to glean new clients who still prefer to shop at traditional brick and mortar retail outlets?
Online shopping a brief history
Before we get into the future of online shopping in the United States, it would be remiss of me not to add a quick outline of online shopping history. By doing this, we can then appreciate the rapid growth of what today is one of the world’s most significant economic drivers.
Believe it or not, way back in the 1960s, IBM developed and marketed the world’s first online transaction processing utility(OLTP). This newly formed utility enabled for the very first time the processing of financial transactions in real-time. This rapidly became the platform America Airlines would utilize for its computerized ticket reservation system. This system would become known as the Semi-Automatic Business Research Environment or (SABRE). At this point, the system was not available for general public use but was made available to travel agents to see all available seats at a glance and at what cost.
Unfortunately, it would take many more years before online shopping, similar to what we know of it today, to thrust its way into a trusted secure shopping channel that public members would use to find their top deals on the worldwide internet.
So what was the very first item sold on this new form of online shopping? For that, we have to thank the rock stars of the top-rated 1990s rock band “Sting.” This groundbreaking rock band sold their hit album ‘Ten Summoner’s Tales” solely over the internet and not in traditional brick and mortar record shops. Due to this album’s immense success, this was quickly emulated by other online internet entrepreneurs who then began to sell chocolates, flowers, and wine online. The online store’s age was at last upon us and proved that anyone if they had the desire to do so, could and did operate vast online malls from the comfort of their kitchen tables. Let’s not forget Amazon did just that, offering internet deals at bargain prices from a garage in a two-bedroom townhouse.
Now that millions trust and use online shopping convenience, what does the future hold for us?
It is is both challenging and complex to quantify just where online internet shopping will be in 10 years, but one thing is quite clear, the expectations of its consumer needs will not alter, at least shortly. One report carried out by researchers at Western Michigan University remains convinced that an online e-commerce website does not have to be a relatively good-looking site. In fact it does not have to be listed on all search engines. However, all research carried out says that to be successful, an online shopping mall must build a transparent relationship with their customers to make any money whatsoever.
With the above in mind, we can see in the future, more and more would be online internet entrepreneurs following the lead of well-established companies like “Amazon” and “BargainBrute.Com.” Why? Simply because BargainBrute has managed to take customer loyalty to extraordinary levels, as can be seen, by the fact that in 2019, they were voted the best place to shop online, an accolade that has not gone unnoticed by many of their competitors.
So in the future, we will see more and more online shopping malls attempting to emulate the successes of online companies such as BargainBrute.Com. However, I have to wish them luck, for it would appear BargainBrute has already capitalized on the fact that they have some of the best internet deals anywhere on the world wide web. With free delivery on most items, other potential online companies will find their winning formula challenging to duplicate.
Website Speed
Another factor that online sellers must pay attention to in the future is improving their websites’ speed. Nothing turns a customer away more than having to wait for a webpage to load, something that in the early days of the internet we were all accustomed to in the mid-1990s. We eluded to this above, which is why an online shopping mall designer has to keep the website as simple as possible.
Cybercrime
One of the greatest threats to an online shopping mall of the future is the client’s concerns with security. As a matter of form, cybercrime should be the first thing a future online shopping mall outlet web designer thinks of when developing a website. I always stop any site from downloading if it is not utilizing at least “https protocol.” This can be seen immediately by omitting the little green padlock seen at the beginning of the website’s address in your browser. Furthermore, I would also advise any potential buyer not to open a website unless verified and display all its contact details. This is usually found in the website’s header, about page, or FAQ.
Conclusion
Online shopping is now a way of life. It has changed people’s ideas of the 3 Ws, When will I shop, Where will I buy, and Who will I shop with. The future of online shopping will be a buyers’ paradise as more and more online stores open up and compete with each other.
Some will fall by the wayside, others will prosper, but one thing is for sure, all will be vying for your attention. All will be offering bargain deals. Some will operate on the pretense of a deal of the Day Websites, but in reality, not provide you anything except an overpowering website that should be placed in an art gallery where people can view how not to build an online shopping mall of the future.
My advice, stick with the online companies who have made it their business to gain the respect and loyalty of their clients as if they were family.
So many thanks for reading and I look forward to seeing you on the inside of www.BargainBrute.Com
Remember: Keep it simple, do not become a part of any retail apocalypse of the future.
