We live in an e-commerce enabled world.
So why do we not buy everything through e-commerce. Why do we buy local. I share some views based on my own experiences.
Convenience is a major reason for buying things online. It is unbeatable as we just order through and app and the stuff is delivered to us on our doorstep.
But there is the issue of quality. The seller is some where far away geographically. Quality issues can not be addressed immediately. Local commerce wins here. You just pick up or change the product there and then.
E-commerce apps use reviews, feedback and replacement options to help customers get a good quality product. But these methods just cannot give the same experience as buying something from a shop.
Another way local shops compete with e-commerce apps is by giving home delivery on telephone. This works very well once trust is built up between the shop keeper and the customer. You still get the stuff delivered to your doorstep and quality is hardly ever an issue.
The large variety of similar products available on e-commerce apps is unbeatable. This is something local commerce cannot easily compete with. The simplicity of choosing from a large variety the exact product you need is quite unique to e-commerce apps.
Buying something from shops in your vicinity gives one a feeling of supporting your immediate community. Buying something from e-commerce, on the other hand, gives one a feeling of supporting a distance innovator. Both have their own place.
So it is really a contest between convenience and quality, it seems.
So why do we not buy everything through e-commerce. Why do we buy local. I share some views based on my own experiences.
Convenience is a major reason for buying things online. It is unbeatable as we just order through and app and the stuff is delivered to us on our doorstep.
But there is the issue of quality. The seller is some where far away geographically. Quality issues can not be addressed immediately. Local commerce wins here. You just pick up or change the product there and then.
E-commerce apps use reviews, feedback and replacement options to help customers get a good quality product. But these methods just cannot give the same experience as buying something from a shop.
Another way local shops compete with e-commerce apps is by giving home delivery on telephone. This works very well once trust is built up between the shop keeper and the customer. You still get the stuff delivered to your doorstep and quality is hardly ever an issue.
The large variety of similar products available on e-commerce apps is unbeatable. This is something local commerce cannot easily compete with. The simplicity of choosing from a large variety the exact product you need is quite unique to e-commerce apps.
Buying something from shops in your vicinity gives one a feeling of supporting your immediate community. Buying something from e-commerce, on the other hand, gives one a feeling of supporting a distance innovator. Both have their own place.
So it is really a contest between convenience and quality, it seems.
Excellent comparison!!
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