An Exploration of Influences on Shoppers, Research Paper Example

In the past decade, the Internet has influenced our life dramatically. With the highly developed worldwide Internet, our behaviors have been forever changed. We can now use e-mail, social network in order to keep in touch with our friends instead of writing letters, and search the information online rather than go to libraries. Among these changed behaviors, there is one thing that I thought very important and would like to investigate further; peoples’ shopping behaviors. Traditional shopping provides consumers with real visual and touchable products, and also offers an environment to try on items; however, it has limitation of time, locations, price comparison. These factors have caused people to gradually change their behaviors and shop online. According to Li, Na and Ping Zhang, “online shopping behavior (also called online buying behavior and Internet shopping/buying behavior) refers to the process of purchasing products or services via the Internet” (508). Recently, internet users have brought about new electronic commerce markets, which caused the numbers of online-shoppers to grow rapidly. Nielsen Global Online Survey shows, “more than 85 percent of the world’s online population has used the Internet to make a purchase—increasing the market for online shopping by 40 percent in the past two years” (“over” par.1). Although more and more consumers prefer to purchase online, their online shopping behaviors still can be affected by the amount of discretionary time, privacy factors and marketing persuasion.

Product Information & Comparison

According to Bellman, Lohse & Johnson, shoppers use the internet to find information about products (34). Looking for information about products online allows them to see the benefit of the products before they make a purchase. In the store, shoppers can see and touch the items, but online they can see the good and bad of the product. The article written by Bellman, Lohse and Johnson, also says that about 21% of people say they spend more than 20 hours looking online (35). Spending that much time online allows them to look at products and be influenced to make their purchases online. Having more time to look for items also allows people to do more shopping online. It is easy to surf the internet because it is so readily available in today’s world. There is even free Wi-Fi internet in airports, shopping malls, coffee houses and many restaurants. This easy public access is in addition to the most common areas of home, work and even school, which gives people more time to shop.

Saving Money Online

Shopping online gives shoppers a lot of opportunities and the chance to save money. With the economy in a slowed state some are looking for ways to save money on products that they buy on a regular basis. Having several companies, competing for shoppers business, increases the amount of products and reduces the pricing. Even when the economy corrects and returns to a better position, about 71% of people say that they will continue using the internet to shop and save money (Rodriguez 2). Online, shoppers can compare prices; find good deals and even coupons to help them save money. This lets people get more for their money and increases their desire to shop for online products.

Marketing Tactics

Marketing tactics have always been used to persuade people to purchase particular products. People are affected by the way things are portrayed, especially when there are reviews of the products from other shoppers. Companies are able to sell their products by playing on shopper’s emotions, wants and desires (Constantinides 112). The way a company talks about a product can make a shopper want that product even more, but in the store there is no hype about the product. When people are looking for information they are already interested in that product, so when the benefits are listed, they are more likely to make the purchase. The way that products are advertised can make a difference. Websites that are colorful, cheerful and promote positives of their products are typically more popular, which sales more products.

More Choices

Choices are important for people in all shopping experiences, in the store and online. It doesn’t matter if it is groceries, clothes or jewelry, people like having choices. This is especially true for people that are in a higher income level (Kalmus 385). With a higher income level these individuals have a higher power to make purchases and are used to having more choices. They typically have additional access to internet shopping and online stores as well. With the increase in technology people can access the internet with their phones, home computers and other handheld or mobile devices (Lee et al 42). With the various ways of accessing catalogues, shopping sites and buying forums, shoppers can shop from virtually anywhere in the world. They are not limited to their own town or area of the country. They can search products and find things that are not available to them locally. Products can be shipped from anywhere in the world which gives shoppers the ability to have just about any product that they want, without ever leaving their home.

Shopper Privacy

Consumer privacy and credit safety has been something that has really become a problem in today’s world. Shopping online gives shoppers the ability to shop from their own home without others seeing what they are buying or looking at. It makes it convenient to make purchases and not worry about a friend or neighbor seeing their clothing size or what type of products that they use (Nehf 353). Buying online also gives the person a chance to take their time and make a wise decision. They are not pressured by a line or sales person trying to influence them through high pressured sales tactics. They have the chance to look at several products and even change to another company by simply clicking a new website. There is no punishment or discouraging from looking at lots of companies or different brands of products when shopping online. This makes it convenient and private for shoppers, which is a good benefit.

The internet also allows shoppers to learn more about products or how to use them before making the purchase. In some cases an online merchant will have videos that allow shoppers to watch demonstrations of products. Not only is this convenient for the consumer, it also allows for other potential uses. In the last several years video and how to manuals have become popular for consumers (Bellman, Gerald, Lohse & Johnson 35). The reason for the popularity of the internet is for consumers to find information and learn which can be accomplished by videos and product information sites.

The internet gives people all kinds of opportunities. They can shop, search for information online and even compare pricing. Today, most people are very busy and need to reduce the amount of time they spend in areas of their lives. While shopping is supposed to be enjoyable, many people look for ways to save money and have a choice in products. Shopping online gives people the ability to get products from anywhere, which allows them more choices. Between pricing, convenience, increased choices and privacy, online shopping is a win-win situation.

In conclusion, shopping online has become quite popular. There are many products to choose from and things that are difficult to find in your local area. Many people have turned to internet shopping in order to save money and find better deals. By shopping online it allows them the freedom to browse and shop around to find the best product for their needs. There are no long lines to wait in, sold out products or person monitoring purchases, making on line shopping a popular choice among the public today.

Works Cited

Bellman, Steven, Gerald L. Lohse, and Eric J. Johnson. “Predictors of Online Buying Behavior.” Communications of the ACM 42.12 (Dec 1999): 32-38. Print.

Constantinides, Efthymios. “Influencing the Online Consumer’s Behavior: The Web Experience.” Internet Research 14.2 (2004): 111-126. Emerald Group Publishing.

Kalmus, Veronika, Anu Realo and Andra Siibak. “Motives for Internet Use and their Relationships with Personality Traits and Socio-Demographic Factors.” Journal of the Humanities & Social Sciences. 15.4 (2011): 385-403

Lee, Evelyn, et al. “Click Til You Drop. (Cover story).” U.S. News & World Report. 125.22 (1998): 42

Li, Na and Zhang, Ping, “Consumer Online Shopping Attitudes and Behavior: An Assessment of Research” (2002). Former Departments, Centers, Institutes and Projects. Paper 57.

Nehf, James P. “Shopping for Privacy on the Internet”. Journal of Consumer Affairs. 41.2 (2007): 351-375