Shopping Online USA

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There was a time when online portals were restricted to auction sites like eBay. Amazon’s success in the US has spurred it to venture outside American soil opening portals to serve customers in Canada, the United Kingdom, German, France, Japan and China. Amazon turned a tidy profit of US million on US billion sales.

The 2010 Nielsen Global Consumer Report on Global Trends in Online Shopping suggests that books remain the most popular items bought online. What is more interesting is that price range is not an indicator of success. Airline tickets and electronic equipment ranked third and fourth most popular items purchased online. Moreover the survey suggests this trend is on the rise.

In March 2010, CSL Limited, a pioneer cellular mobile service operator in Hong Kong launched what it argued is the Special Administrative Region’s (SAR) online shop primarily selling mobile phones and cellular services.

What makes Hong Kong an attractive place to run an online business? Hong Kong has one of the highest residential broadband penetration rates in the world with 81% of households or 3.9 million Internet users in total according to AFP/Strategy Analytics.

Exactly what is driving consumers to buy online? An often quoted reason is convenience. Personally the first products I started buying online were books. At the time it was the high markups that book retailers in Hong Kong charged that drove me to go online. The Internet also allowed me to get my hands on products that are not available locally (or if they were, the prices were horrendously expensive).

 Mark Liversidge

CSL Limited’s Chief Marketing Officer Mark Liversidge said that customers shop online primarily out of convenience: “The desire for more freedom, choice and a convenient shopping experience where customers can browse and buy at their own pace, from anywhere and at anytime. Online shopping allows customers to easily check out the latest product information and pricing, along with recommendations from friends or other users in the social media.”

But convenience alone is not the determining factor. Ease of use has been found to be a strong motivating factor. The popularity of the Apple iPhone can be attributed to the ease with which consumers are able to immerse themselves in the device without the cumbersome experience associated with many consumer electronic devices. Indeed Nokia’s success can be attributed to the company’s effort to keep the Symbian interface simple to use, a fact that other mobile phone makers like Motorola and Sony Ericsson have ignored for many years.

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As consumers become more sophisticated in their lifestyle, so too is the penchant for products that thrive on complex technologies like high definition (HD) television or 3D display.

Liversidge sees the increasing ease of use of new technologies that make life easier leading to a change in customer behavior. He cites examples like iTunes with music, Facebook with social interaction and ebay with online as clear indicators of how technology is changing customer behavior.

David Boden, senior director of retail for Asia Pacific and Japan at Oracle believes social networking offers a very attractive cost-performance ratio for online retailers. He predicts that social networking is going to be the norm when it comes to engaging customers, and mobile devices will be the platform of choice.  

The availability of low-cost, high speed broadband is fueling growth in websites that encourage online commerce. The growing popularity of online gaming may also be contributing to the popular acceptance of the Internet as a safe medium for shopping.

CSL saw the writing on the online wall when in December 2009, the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) reported a 38.9% increased in Chinese online shoppers for the first half of 2009 compared to the previous year. The CNNIC also estimated that 87.88 million Chinese spent US.62 billion in 2009 with 79.4% expressing satisfaction with their online experience.

A decade ago I would have doubt the possibility of online shopping becoming a possibility in a small locality like Hong Kong. But with a highly mobile and busy workforce, the convenience and safety of online shopping is slowly making its presence felt in the SAR.

Doing business online has already proven itself with a local startup, Alibaba, being showcased as the poster child of the opportunities. In Asia companies like UNIQLO in Japan, China Eastern and Xinhua Bookstore from China all pointing to the potential of the Internet as the next platform for consumer purchases.

For CSL, the launch of an online store in March 2010 marks a new chapter in Hong Kong’s long and fast march towards mobile commerce. Competition for the hearts and minds of Hong Kong’s 7 million consumers has meant high churn rate and put excessive demand on the five mobile network operators to come up with innovative ways to stay relevant to a fickle customer base.

“The online channel compliments the existing one2free retail and telesales channels. It enables CSL to deliver another best in class customer experience to suit modern Hong Kong consumers’ lifestyles, providing a shopping and information experience 24 hours a day, every day of the year, with a number of specific offer benefits,” said Liversidge.

Does this mean the end of the brick and mortar retail store? Boden sees online retail stores gaining a foothold in what was once an almost pure brick and mortar channel. Ff course we had mail order and the roaming salesman. But true mass market was still dominated by retail stores.

   David Boden

“Mobile shopping will finally and permanently take root, forever changing the retail buying, selling and marketing landscape.  It’s how we live today, so retailers need to catch up.  Mobile phones are sometimes fashion accessories, but more importantly, they are really everyday items you put on each day like your shoes,” said Boden. 

A catalyst for the further growth in online shopping is the social network phenomenon. Marketers agree that social chatter have the power to influence the success and failure of a product or company. The center of power is shifting to the consumer. 

“Customer reviews, mass tweets or blogs of customer comments (pros or cons) mean the views of customer can be highly influential globally.  It would be to one’s peril for the retailer to ignore this influence,” cautions Boden.

But why online? Doesn’t going online suggest a less personal approach to engagement? For complex or sensitive issues, the personal face-to-face approach probably will remain the norm. But where the transaction is simple and the consumer knows what he or she wants, a more discrete, less public channel is probably the best approach. And this is what the Internet offers.

Boden says customers want less but more meaningful engagements. So how do you engagement less frequently but more intimately? The answer lies with analytics technology. In a nutshell, analytics can help analyze sales data, response rate data, and so on, to continually refine messaging and offers that lead to better success.

He may be on to something here.

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If you are too busy and unable to squeeze out time from your hectic schedule to go out for shopping, then simply resort to online shopping. With the change in the century, online shopping has evolved as a comfortable and easy way of shopping for a large range of products from the comfort of your couch. There is a myriad of advantages of online shopping in comparison to the brick and mortar shopping.

The most crucial advantage of online shopping is that the customer does not have to leave the comfort of his chair. Various types of overhead factors that are not taken into account, like transportation, parking fees, time, queues, and carrying the goods back home, are all eliminated. The other significant advantage is the range of goods available at your disposal. Through the brick and mortar stores, you can only buy those goods that have been sourced in your area. However, with online shopping, almost any brand that is manufactured in any corner of the world can be bought. Moreover, through online shopping, you also get the privilege of discounted prices and various other deals. The prices of goods available online are much lower than the brick and mortar stores because there are no middlemen involved.

The process of online shopping is very easy. You need to visit the site and register yourself as a member to get your unique ID. Once you have your unique ID, you can place an order for the preferred goods, pay through the various payment options, and have the goods delivered at your doorstep. If you are too busy and unable to squeeze out time from your hectic schedule to go out for shopping, then simply resort to online shopping. With the change in the century, online shopping has evolved as a comfortable and easy way of shopping for a large range of products from the comfort of your couch

Another online shopping chore that can be accomplished online, and is being done by more people these days, is the everyday necessity of grocery shopping. Online grocery shopping is especially convenient for people with handicaps, mothers with young children, or other types of transportation challenges. Some of the major grocery chains now have web sites where you can order all your food and other household supplies and have them delivered for just a small charge.

Shopping without a vehicle is easier with another website that finds the best deals on the best products, special offers, promotions, free items, outlet deals, discounted product information, clearance sales, top rebates and more for both online and in-store merchandise. They do this for health and fitness products, groceries, clothing, electronics and computers, travel finance and much more. Dealsglobe.com is a free, unique, easy and smart way to shop from hundreds of listings every day..

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You can find many articles on the Internet on the advantages of Shopping Online.   Most of them carry very useful but also very general information. In some societies such as Nigeria, having access to Internet is still relatively new and having the ability to actually shop online is even newer.

Here are 10 reasons why people living in regions similar to Nigeria should use the internet to shop

1. Lower prices and Guarantee on products purchase

Consider the savings.  For example Elizabeth Arden, Sunflower perfume can be sold for anything between N8000 to N12000 in department stores in Nigeria. But if you buy through a reputable Internet company it could cost you just N5000 for 100ml, including delivery

2. 24/7 access

Fortunately the Internet is not restricted to opening or closing times.  It is available to you at a time that is convenient for you. Being able to access the best brands, latest technology, or bestselling book 24/7 is certainly a good reason to shop online.

3. Selection

Gone are the days when you are restricted to a few reputable department stores that may stock a limited selection.  The fun of shopping is having access to a wide selection at your fingertips and shopping online provides an opportunity to choose from thousands of products.

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4. Saves time

Nigeria is notorious for traffic congestion. It could take you a whole day to visit just one department store in search for a pair of Nike sneakers.  Shopping online saves time and the stress of sitting in traffic for the whole day.

5. Saves on travel cost

Ok, so you have now sat in traffic for the whole day and still cannot find those Nike sneakers.  What a waste of petrol money!! Shopping online eliminates the cost of a wasted journey.  But also consider this, you can shop online in the best shops in London without having to buy an airline ticket.

6. Access to Sales and Promotions

Sales normally run twice a year in the UK.  Winter and Summer sales. By shopping online you are free to take advantage of sales and promotions that run all year round.

7. Comparison shopping

Back to our scenario.  It has taken you the whole day to get to Palms shopping mall in Lekki to look for Elizabeth Arden, Red Door. But now you want to know how much it cost in Big Treat in Ikeja.  What do you do?

A major advantage of the internet is that there are specialist sites designed to help you compare the prices at a glance.

8. Latest styles and technology

In Africa, information sometimes lags behind. We all want to be the first to have the latest shoes, ipod, mobile phone, etc.  Shopping on the internet could give you access to this even before they are available in department stores.

9. Delivery to your doorstep

There are some sites dedicated to facilitating shopping online for African countries such as Nigeria.  They offer competitive rates to shop online, receive and forward parcels onto the customers from their UK shipping address . The beauty of this is they can deliver UK parcels direct to your doorstep.

10. Available product information

The wonder of the internet is Information. The shopping experience comes with a magnitude of information to help you make an informed decision on your intended buys

If you know anyone who has been to Orlando on holiday, they may have told you to take an empty suitcase with you.

Alternatively you can buy one while you are there, because you will need an extra one to bring home all the goods you will find it hard to resist buying. Orlando is a hotspot for shopping, and it is small wonder too because it has plenty to offer.

Nowhere does shopping malls quite like Orlando does. There are lots of them, but the best is generally agreed to be the Mall at Millenia. This is no ordinary shopping mall – it is the finest one of all.

Be prepared to be tempted by some of the most famous names in shopping here. You have the likes of Tiffany, Burberry and Gucci to explore, not to mention the famous Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s stores.

If that sounds a little bit expensive for you, why not try Old Town? Many people love this because it offers a full day out and plenty to see and do. There are plenty of stores here to browse around, and when it’s time for lunch you can take a break and choose from more than a dozen places to grab a bite to eat.

And once you have bought enough to fill that suitcase and sated your thirst and hunger, there are rides to enjoy as well. Add to that the bands that play on Fridays and Saturdays and you have everything you need for a shopping trip with a difference.

Orlando Premium Outlets is another location well worth exploring if you want to be sure you get as much for your dollars as possible. You will find all those big name stores here, but the prices will be a lot more affordable as they generally are at an outlet centre. And with a hundred and fifty stores in total, this could be another whole day out shopping to look forward to.

Finally if you want something completely different to round off your shopping trip with, don’t miss the Osceola Flea and Farmer’s Market. There are literally hundreds of separate stalls here, so no matter what you are looking for, if you love a spot of haggling you will really be in your element.

You’ll find everything from clothing to candy and DVDs to decorations ready and waiting for you. It’s a wonderful place and it costs nothing to get in, so you can save your cash for spending inside!

As you can see there is something for every type of shopper when you visit Orlando. And if you are too laden down with shopping bags you can always catch a cab back to whichever one of the Orlando hotels you happen to be staying in.

Just be sure to rest your feet afterwards!

MUSIC: Britney Spears’ Trip to Your Heart Instrumental by www.youtube.com Now who doesn’t love online shopping? Lovely pieces I purchased from a Baguio-based online store, Pines Shoppe. Visit the page here: on.fb.me Blog entry pending. ????????????????????????? ? Follow me on Blogger: www.saytiocoartillero.blogspot.com ? Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com ? Subscribe to my channel: www.youtube.com ?????????????????????????

 How to Shop with your Kids – a helpful guide

The most dreaded job of any parent’s life’s. Shopping with their kids. You can see it spelt out in big bold letters DON’T GO THERE. But of course, sometimes there is no choice and we have to gather up all our courage (don’t forget the earplugs) and just get on with it. With step by step instructions on how to survive the big grocery shop you won’t ever have to worry about it again.

Before you go:

Make some rules that your kids have to follow and talk to them about how they are expected to behave. Explain clearly so they don’t get confused and make your kids repeat what you have said just before you leave. Some good ideas are (1) Stay near me, if you can’t see me I can’t see you. (2) Don’t beg for lollies and biscuits (3) No shouting and use your inside voice. Don’t add in any extra bits like ‘Or you will be punished’ because that may make your kids test you and deliberately break one of the rules, or they won’t be able to remember the whole thing and will forget parts of the rule.

Agree on rewards for good behaviour. Once again keep it simple, like promising to read them a story or take them to the park. Occasionally let them have a chocolate bar or a lollie pop but don’t do it all the time otherwise they will start to expect that they get lollies and will throw a tantrum when you don’t give them chocolate.

Its very helpful to have a distraction on hand for when your kids start to get a bit restless. Bring a small picture book or a few mini action figures, all items small enough so that they can easily fit in your handbag.

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At the store:

Children will get easily bored if they are just walking around endless aisles pushing a trolley. Let them get involved and make a game out of it. Things like ”Who can find the apples first?” are very easy to keep up and are good fun for the kids.

Let your kids choose sometimes on what they want. Give them a choice out of the vanilla or strawberry ice cream and see what their favourite is. It helps them get engaged with the shopping and teaches them how to make a decision. Also let them help choosing the hardest apples or the best bargin out of two products.

If you keep a money total on what you put in your trolley, let your kid (if they are old enough) write down the prices and, if they can, add up all the costs to get the total. It is a more educational way of keeping them occupied but make sure you do a quick check on the math yourself. 

Its failed! What do I do? 

Remember, kids will be kids and they are not perfect (I’m not saying we are, but we know how to act in a supermarket). If your child throws a tantrum, ignore it unless it becomes violent, destructive or truly embarrassing. If you can, stop shopping and go home, but if it is urgent and cannot wait, call a baby-sitter and they will mind the kids for you while you get the rest done. Don’t ever give your child a treat to make them stop crying, because then they will realise they can still be naughty and get what they want.

Some children have special ‘weapons’ they use to get what they want. Below there are some of the most common things children will say to get that extra special toy they just saw two minutes ago.

Remember:

Never fall for these, you are already giving your child a treat at the end of a successful shopping trip and explain that to them.                                                   

The Beggar: Pleaseeeee can I have it? But I neeeeeeed it sooooo bad! Pretty pleaseeee?

Angel Child: Mummy I have been super dooper good the whole time you were doing boring shopping so can I have that chocolate bar? For being a good girl?

Smart Saver: You see mum, this dolly is cheaper than the Magical Pony dress up set, so you would be saving a lot of money if you got the dolly instead for me.

Un-kept Promises: If I can have the bouncy ball I will NEVER ask for anything EVER again and I will NEVER EVER be naughty. I will ALWAYS make my bed and I will ALWAYS brush my teeth. I PROMISE.

Spiteful: “No dear, you don’t need everything you see on the toy aisle.” Your child then responds, “I hate you mummy.”

So next time your children get you into a spot of bother, keep calm and go through all the things in this article that will hopefully help. Don’t worry if every shopping trip isn’t perfect, children can’t always be perfect little angels

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