Just browse the internet at your own free valuable time. You can see thousands of articles on how digital shopping has become popular in India. And they say e-commerce websites are worth billions. They are all true. But do you know in the entire of India, it is the brick and mortar shops which are lapping up 86 percent of sales. Yes, digital transactions occur at 53 percent even at normal stores. Yet, when it comes to online shopping, mobile technology has definitely shaped many businesses.
Why do consumers want to shop online? The reasons are many. Some are -
In brick and mortar stores, you can be influenced by the sales executive. Also, if it is a festival day, then there will be large crowds at the shop. If you are an entrepreneur having a business, then it is necessary to combine online and offline advertising to sustain in the market.
But when it comes to online advertising, it is the mobile technology which has gained popularity. In this article let us focus on the changes brought about in businesses by mobile technology. For example, last year, in 2018, on festival days and during the season, as per a survey, nearly 33 percent of purchases were made from mobile technology.
Different Type of Purchases
It is true that mobile technology has affected the way, the purchases are made. When online shopping became popular, many booked items via their mobile. But they went to the shops and picked up the items. This mode of purchase and service is called as Buy-Online-Pickup-In-Store (BOPIS). In recent times, nearly forty-two percent of the customers used this method for purchasing items.
Now, why will they follow this method? Let us divide the steps one by one.
The customers or you may have faced several problems with an item. Let us imagine, you booked a dress on a website. When the product was delivered, it was damaged. Now, you had to go through the entire process of calling the customer service, ask for a refund or make the company send another item. Instead, they could search for the respected item online in many e-commerce websites at their own time. Then they can book the item to be picked up from any of the websites local logistics store or franchise store. When picking up the item, they can check if it has suffered damage or if it is working properly.
Have you heard about the mobile wallet? The new technology? It is a new payment application where you can make the payment via the mobile device. You need not hand over cash or swipe the card. You can just activate the button or there is another method of scanning the barcode via the smartphone.
You must have known by now, that the payment applications and BOPIS make the payment/checkout process from the mall or other stores more easily. Oh, yes! We forgot to mention even the protection layer. Let us imagine, you have gone to a mall, and wait in the queue. You desperately want to make the payment, and move out of the place. When you reach the counter, imagine the payment executive struggling to give you the exact change. Instead, you scan the barcode and make the payment.
1. Flexibility
Imagine the business situation, a decade ago. If you have set up a mobile food joint in a new locality, you need to keep different amounts of rupees. The reason, when customers pay the money, you need to give the exact change.
Can you imagine the same situation today? With the advancement in mobile technology, now you can operate your business with more flexibility. You can put a shop anywhere, organize trade shows if your shop has a credit/debit card processing device.
The best example of business flexibility is the recent popularity of the restaurant industry. You can find small roadside food eateries having facilities such as Paytm and Google Pay. Now, if you are a small restaurant owner, there is no need to struggle to keep currencies of various denominations.
2. Consumer Marketing
There was a time when business was known only through its brick and mortar store. Shall we say this situation amounts to two centuries ago? Then the marketing field came to the fore. We had the advertisements for a business in billboards. The publicity went on to audio telecast in radio stations. In a few decades, the television became popular and there was a mad scramble among businesses to have an ad in-between popular teleserials.
Then came the time when every business had a website. Within a decade, mobiles assumed prominence, and soon customers (you) started shopping online. So, another new technology and trend emerged. The need for mobile responsive websites.
But the reason why e-commerce website and ads became popular was that the customers could purchase any item as per their own preferences.
3. Mobile/Brick-Mortar Stores
It is true, that in this era of mobile technology, brick and mortar stores hardly get noticed. But as per the market survey, that a sizable portion of the Indian population still purchases from brick and mortar stores. So, any business, to be successful, also needs a brick-and-mortar store as well the online presence.
Conclusion
Mobile technology has also introduced new businesses in the industry sector. Surprised? What do you say about the home appliance services at your doorstep? Okay, shall we discuss the situation a decade ago? You are a resident of Hyderabad and want the AC to get maintenance service. Now if the appliance does not have a warranty, you need to search for referrals. You have to make a note of their telephone numbers and call them. The entire process will be a cumbersome task.
But notice the present day changes with improvements in technology. There are many companies which provide handyman services for your electronic home appliances at your very doorstep. Now, if you reside in Hyderabad, and have an AC for maintenance service, what is the best job to do? You just need to download the app of a home service company, search for the profiles of mechanics who provide best AC services in Hyderabad and place a request. These companies provide home appliance services in Hyderabad for every electronic appliance. You can also schedule the time of repair as per your or family member’s convenience. The concerned professional will come and fix the problem. So, mobile technology has moved on to make life easier for customers when it comes to repairing home appliances.
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