The e-commerce market, as we now know, wasn’t the same a few years back. There were quite a few limitations to the products available online and safety was the biggest concern. Consumers preferred to only check the products online but make the final purchase from the brick and mortar stores they trusted. This has, however, changed a lot. Consumers increasingly trust the websites for their purchases and at the same times, websites and portals are making sure that the consumer’s money is safe and secure and they receive the products as required.
Industry statistics show the true strength
While the sales from online retail channels in Canada lay at CAD 18 billion in 2016, they are expected to rise to more than CAD 29 billion by 2021. Similarly, the number of shoppers has increased in the country significantly – from 19.5 million in 2013 to more than 22.5 million by 2018. There has been a marked increase in the number of websites allowing people to shop from. Everything from clothing and apparel to groceries to medicines is now available online. Online pharmacy is even regulated so as not to allow fraudulent businesses operate.
Consumer shopping habits have changed
With the advent of online media and easy access, it has become convenient for people to shop online, compare prices and get the best deal. Shoppers really look for an omni-channel market which helps them traverse different media and make the right decision. This does not mean the end of the brick and mortar stores. An increasing number of stores are coming up with innovations and experiences which are not possible online. They are leveraging the feeling of touch to invite more consumers and are succeeding in doing that. Going forward, both online and offline retail market needs to step up its game to make the consumers happy and please them.