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There was a time when women were labelled as “the touch and feel shoppers”, people who just could not resist checking minute details of a product before buying it. Things were different few years back, and to be honest they seemed odd too, most of the women were either waiting for the year end sales to avail good offers, many did not have the means to spend on shopping or simply stuck with household work all day long and gave little thought to shopping and pampering themselves.
With the rise of online retailing, no one knew how tables would turn and women would top the charts becoming the ones who shop maximum on the internet today. Nowadays, every woman, young or old has a smartphone and is making optimal use of it. Women promote tons of revenue for the ecommerce industry and are emerging as boon for the cult of online shopping, be it for clothes, shoes, home decor or as trivial as buying tomatoes and potatoes. The factors that have lead to the phenomenal transformation of women shoppers are:
Recreational: Online shopping is relaxing and a stress buster for woman since it is taken as a leisure pursuit. They not only enjoy seeing different websites, but also find things they require and get good deals for. Ask a woman whether she would prefer hopping can be very therapeutic.
Convenience: The ease of not getting pushed around in crowded markets, no wasting time standing in queues at the billing counter or at the trial rooms has played a vital role in the rise of online shopping. The luxury of having everything readily available at a click of a button and free home deliveries are the biggest gift to online shoppers and women take pleasure in ordering as things have become awfully effortless for them.
Variety On One Platform: The simplicity of a retailing website be it for clothes, shoes or even household goods, variety at one platform is the greatest gift to an avid shopper. Financial Independence: One of the most important factors that have poured in so much revenue to the ecommerce world is women finding their financial independence. Women are now accomplishing great success in the career sphere and balancing their homes with much success as well, being financially self-reliant too has promoted business for the online industry. Now women earn and spend as per their wish and do not refrain from splurging either since they have their own income.
Return Or Exchange Policy: The hassle-free return or exchange policy that online stores offer is another reason to the raging trend of online shopping. The beauty about return or exchange is quickly catching up with the online shopper and has made shopping more user-friendly – if you do not like the dress material or a design was not as it was perceived, a trouble-free exchange or refund is made to the customer. Jewellery portals have even come up with a home visit where women can order jewellery they feel like trying on or scrutinize the designs and workmanship.
Discounts And Offers: Online retailers have flooded their websites and mobile apps with offers, brands and discounts endlessly that lure women customers to at least take a glance if not more. You name a brand and ‘pop’ comes up a website with discounts and offers and this is exactly what a shopper wants. The current craze for online shopping is due to a yearlong sale on every website, be it for shoes, bags, clothes, appliances, baby goods or anything there is always a discount or offer everywhere.
Size Guidelines: The biggest fear of every woman is getting an ill fitted dress or something that is too small or too large in size. With online retailers catering to the smallest details in the product descriptions, size guidelines are given precisely to ease the shopper. Now ordering clothes or shoes are done through standardized sizes so that there are less chances or return of the product. This facility too has increased the amount of shoppers relying on the e-commerce network.
Get Reviews From Other Shoppers: Another factor that has worked to the benefit of shoppers are getting reviews from other shoppers as it helps in identifying how good or bad the product or service is. Though reviews are not a 100% guarantee to the product ordered, however, they do give a fair idea to a buyer. Most women tend to have a sceptical eye when picking out things to buy, so these reviews help them to make a call and shop quickly.
There are numerous departments on online portals where women can spend hours and shop plenty, some of them are:
Clothes and Footwear: There is always place in the closet for a special dress and a pair of heels. Maximum shopping is done on such websites and apps where women get to choose from a list of brands and have endless
Jewellery: Fashion or Real, jewellery has always been the weak point for a woman. Retailers now are marketing jewellery, especially real gold and diamonds, on online portals in a way which is highly assuring and undemanding. They provide home visits where ladies can check the jewellery and see it for real, in addition to this they provide scheme like easy EMIs and much more to relieve the shopper of any burden.
Home Decor: A woman who is interested in beautifying not just herself but also her home or is inclined with an aesthetic sense is bound to visit home and lifestyle stores. Online retailers pounced on the opportunity and made the best of it by providing exclusive home products and services that are hard to resist. So be it for buying something as tiny as a salt and pepper cellar for the dining table or buying a dining table itself, women get to shop for their home from their home while they sip from a cup of tea in their home.
The future of online retailing and women aggressively marching towards pumping up the economy will only increase in a matter of time, e-commerce segments cater to the soft spots of a shopper – they provide variety, comfort, quality and most of all tremendous customer service that is bound to enthral every heart and win over the customer and result in shelling out from the wallet. It is a win-win situation for everyone.
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