Christmas has traditionally been an important time of the year for retailers due to the number of people buying gifts for their family and friends. Although Christmas is historically a religious festival , within the UK Christmas is associated with a number of newer traditions and customs that have changed the way we celebrating Christmas overall.
How Have Shopping Habits Changed At Christmas?
Around Christmas time there have been a variety of different ways through which shopping habits have changed over the Christmas period. One of the most important and fundamental changes that has had an impact on changes and advertising overall is the rise of online selling.
Online selling has virtually overtaken traditional retailers in terms of sales and popularity. This is mainly due to the rise in the use of digital media as well as advertising and promotion online for products such as on Facebook and YouTube. This has led to shopping habits in the UK changing fundamentally in the run up to Christmas as well as after.
Part of the reason for this is changing prices across the internet. Many consumers have found that they can find items much cheaper online than they may be able to find in-store. Another key reason why people are buying online at Christmas more frequently than \shopping in stores.
What Is The Main Appeal Of Online Shopping?
There are a variety of different ways through which online shopping appeals to the online consumer:
- Through online shopping shoppers can order multiple items from their own home without having to travel or incur costs for transport to a shop
- Online shopping gives consumers plenty of time to browse and window shop items without being under any pressure to make a purchase
- Online shopping can be accessed at any time with purchases allowed throughout the night
- Online shopping is also a lot more beneficial for older or disabled people as it it means items can be delivered to their door without them having to travel large distances to receive the item.
Can Traditional Retailers Compete With Online Shopping?
Traditional retailers can compete with online shopping in a variety of different ways. One of the best ways in which traditional retailers can compete with online shopping is launching sales as well as promotions through tv and online channels. Often if people know that there are limited time promotions on then they may be more likely to venture out to a retailer to make a purchase.
What is clear is that traditional retailers face an uphill battle in order to compete with online retailers such as Amazon , Ebay etc. One of the main reasons for this is the lack of footfall in high streets as well as an increasingly online society that has convenience at the forefront of their minds.
How Might Online Shopping Change In The Future?
There are a variety of different ways through which online shopping may change in the future. One of the ways through which it might change is the way items are delivered. One of the largest online retailers on the web Amazon is currently trialling drones to see how effective they are overall.
