The history of shopping first began as a simple trade between those who had some goods that the other did not have. After the introduction of the concept of “money”, the process of merchants selling their goods on streets began to appear. These were simple goods consisting of daily-use-household systems. Gradually, shopping began to comprise of trade in physical goods, as well as services. Street shopping got transferred to stores within brick walls resulting in the current malls and complexes; which are an entire world in themselves.
But shopping has evolved today more than physical barriers and locational constraints. It has occupied the digital space. Come to be known as Online Shopping, this trend has revolutionized the world of shopping-goers and merchants alike. This is the era of the internet and the options of e-commerce are growing even more, every minute! Retail stores, restaurants, finance companies and even manufacturers have jumped into this wagon.
Entrepreneurs need not fear the restrictions of space, personnel and investments anymore. Online shopping reaches people all across the world, in seconds! And also, it requires very less investment of money and personnel. The contact between merchants and consumers is more direct and frequent, removing any mid-way person or agent. Consumers on their part; can shop for anything or any service they wish for, straight from their couches. No traveling, no standing in lines and no hassles of salesmen anymore.
However, it should be duly noted that online shopping isn’t limited to trade only between the trader and the consumer. This commerce also serves the transactions between different companies, who share their respective goods and services with each other. Manufacturers offer raw materials to other companies, through the former’s websites, social media networks and online gateways. Business firms can offer services like marketing platforms, designing, financial services and so on, to other companies.
Online shopping sites like Jumia, Konga and Kaymu are some of the popular platforms, where such online commerce takes place every second for consumers. Companies looking for professional services can also visit the Coco Fortes, which offers supply-chain-management, as well as industrial electronic goods. Such online shopping sites do not show any limit to the items sold. They may include computers, mobile devices, furniture, household components, web designing services, software applications and even more!
Reports suggest that this feature of e-commerce has largely taken over traditional shopping in terms of popularity. The popularity of online shopping will go more from here onward, as the end-customers find this more appealing and user-friendly. No matter the economic situation, times of war and occasional recessions, e-commerce is predicted to have a positive outcome for generations to come.
By Mathew Edwards
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
