So it's that time of year once again when the shops are open late. the skies become darker and the weather is colder.
This has opened the debate once again about the need to phyiscally 'go out' to do your annual Christmas shopping.
Personally speaking - I haven't gone out to the high street and done my Christmas shopping this year - and I have found it a lot less stressful!
This has opened the debate once again about the need to phyiscally 'go out' to do your annual Christmas shopping.
Personally speaking - I haven't gone out to the high street and done my Christmas shopping this year - and I have found it a lot less stressful!
But why are people turning away from the high-streets?
What's making them take to their laptops, tablets and smartphones instead? Is this a cultural shift away from traditional to a more 'digital' solution or is this just another fad/craze that will fade in time?
Well, simply put it's an extremely clever marketing strategy by online shopping and ecommerce sites. Online companies like Amazon have employed a very ingenious sales and marketing strategy to compete with the shops in the lead-up to Christmas.
What they have done is to drive competition with high-street retailers by significantly reducing the price of items on their sites, down to even 20% of the original price in some instances - for one whole day.
Well, simply put it's an extremely clever marketing strategy by online shopping and ecommerce sites. Online companies like Amazon have employed a very ingenious sales and marketing strategy to compete with the shops in the lead-up to Christmas.
What they have done is to drive competition with high-street retailers by significantly reducing the price of items on their sites, down to even 20% of the original price in some instances - for one whole day.
But hang on - hold the phone! Don't high-street retailers make use of these same strategies?
Yes, they do. But can the consumer do that from being on the move and from the comfort of their own home? No they can't.
So, intrinsically what they have done is they have exploited the laziness of the consumer. And really you can't blame them.
A slight issue that has been raised about online shopping is the 'being around to accept delivery' worries.
However, we know that this is on the radar of the big online sellers as they have introduced things like Amazon Locker whereby there are designated and convenient locations (usually available for the best part of most days) where the delivery can be stored safely and securely (using a personal pin unique to you in order to access it) until you are able to pick it up.
So, intrinsically what they have done is they have exploited the laziness of the consumer. And really you can't blame them.
A slight issue that has been raised about online shopping is the 'being around to accept delivery' worries.
However, we know that this is on the radar of the big online sellers as they have introduced things like Amazon Locker whereby there are designated and convenient locations (usually available for the best part of most days) where the delivery can be stored safely and securely (using a personal pin unique to you in order to access it) until you are able to pick it up.
But is this going to last? Is this a shift to a more digital age of not only Chistmas shopping, but shopping in general?
Well, I think as we are becoming more digital in our day-to-day lives and the need to 'go to the shops' will deminish.
This has been seen in the growth in sales in online sellers like Ocado, Amazon and all major supermarkets, like: ASDA, Tesco's and Sainsburys - to name just a few.
What this means for retailers and businesses for the future is that more time, energy and creative resourcefulness is needed around online options - to capitalise and compete with online and ecommerce sellers.
This will be an interesting shift from the high-street to digital solutions.
But inevitably, I'm looking forward to putting my feet-up and continuing to shop online.
This has been seen in the growth in sales in online sellers like Ocado, Amazon and all major supermarkets, like: ASDA, Tesco's and Sainsburys - to name just a few.
What this means for retailers and businesses for the future is that more time, energy and creative resourcefulness is needed around online options - to capitalise and compete with online and ecommerce sellers.
This will be an interesting shift from the high-street to digital solutions.
But inevitably, I'm looking forward to putting my feet-up and continuing to shop online.
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