Online shopping is a form of electronic commerce which allows consumers to directly buy goods or services from a seller over the Internet using a web browser. An online shop evokes the physical analogy of buying products or services at a bricks-and-mortar retailer or shopping center; the process is called business-to-consumer (B2C) online shopping. This is evident because of the increase in retailers now offering online store interfaces for consumers. With the growth of online shopping, comes a wealth of new market footprint coverage opportunities for stores that can appropriately cater to offshore market demands and service requirements.
Customers:
Online customers must have access to the Internet and a valid method of payment in order to complete a transaction.
Generally, higher levels of education and personal income correspond to more favorable perceptions of shopping online. Increased exposure to technology also increases the probability of developing favorable attitudes towards new shopping channels.
Payment:
Customers can pay online commonly use a debit cart/credit card/net
banking or a PayPal account in order to make payments. However, some
systems enable users to create accounts and pay by alternative means,
such as:
• Billing to email
• Cash on delivery (C.O.D.)
• PayPal
• Cheque/ Check
• Debit card\Credit Cart
• Net banking
The financial part of a transaction may be processed in real time or may be done later as part of the fulfillment process.
Product delivery:
Once a payment has been accepted, the goods or services can be delivered in the following ways:
• Downloading/Digital distribution: The method often used for digital media products such as software, music, movies, or images.
• Drop shipping: The order is passed to the manufacturer or third-party
distributor, who then ships the item directly to the consumer, bypassing
the retailer's physical location to save time, money, and space.
• In-store pick-up: The customer selects a local store using locator
software and picks up the delivered product at the selected location.
This is the method often used in the bricks and clicks business model.
• Printing out, provision of a code for, or e-mailing of such items as
admission tickets and scrip (e.g., gift certificates and coupons). The
tickets, codes, or coupons may be redeemed at the appropriate physical
or online premises and their content reviewed to verify their
eligibility (e.g., assurances that the right of admission or use is
redeemed at the correct time and place, for the correct dollar amount,
and for the correct number of uses).
• Shipping: The product is shipped to a customer-designated address.