Nowadays, online shopping has experienced a very strong progression. There are many reasons why customers place their orders online, maybe just for fun or for a specific reason. But one cannot deny that it has proven to be very beneficial, for both buyers and sellers. However nothing is perfect and online ordering also comes with its pros and cons and here we explore them in detail, particularly from the seller’s point of view.
The benefits of ordering online
Time saving
Receiving orders online means saving time. Indeed, orders by phone can take up to 8 min, and misunderstandings can occur. In contrast, receiving online orders takes less than a minute. In addition, it helps to avoid errors, because the customer places his order himself. With these time savings, your staff can improve their productivity and process the order efficiently.
It is also convenient for the customer as all they have to do is simply come and pick up their boxed packaged goods without much hassle or have them delivered to their homes.
Marketing tool
Online ordering, which is part of digital marketing, helps strengthen your presence on the Internet. It helps to attract new customers. Moreover, it is a very important marketing tool. Indeed, when your customer places his order on your website, he must register and provide his contact details. As a result, you will have access to their profile (age, gender, geographical area, etc.) and their past orders. All these elements will allow you to offer him promotions adapted to his characteristics.
Thanks to online ordering, you will also have access to data such as the products that are selling the most at the moment or the products preferred by which types of customers. This data will allow you to create personalized, targeted and optimized marketing campaigns.
Available 24/7
Your store probably isn’t open 24/7, but your online ordering platform is. Because of this, you can generate income even when you are not working. Indeed, your customers can place their order on time at their convenience. They can therefore order outside opening hours and select the time at which they want to pick up their order or have it delivered.
There are many software and applications for taking orders online. With features designed specifically for a target audience or specific products. These software allow you to highlight your product list and offer your customers the possibility of ordering and paying directly online.
The disadvantages of ordering online
Online ordering has disadvantages for both the seller and the buyer.
In the case of a clothing store, it is very likely that the customer wants to try on the clothes before buying them, while this may not be possible with online ordering.
Another disadvantage is the lack of communication and exchange between the seller and the buyer. As a result, the customer does not have the possibility to discuss prices, models, etc.
Sometimes the delivery time is not met, because of this, the buyer’s waiting time will be longer. It depends on the efficiency of the transport company and the distance between the factory, and the store and the customer’s home. Moreover bottled and jarred packaged goods can perish, if taken too long to deliver or not stored in optimum conditions
In addition, during festive periods, the sites can be saturated, so these saturations can block access or make connections very slow.
The big disadvantage is also the fact that you are never 100% reassured about the reliability of an online ordering site. In other words, there may be fraud, dishonest international networks may appropriate customers’ bank details. Not to mention the great freedoms offered to sellers and consumers of illicit substances.
