Introduction
The internet has massively changed people’s shopping habits. Using the internet, customers
can shop more easily whenever and from wherever they want, they can easily compare
products from different retailers and get access to all the information that they need.
Opportunities to compare and select providers/Consumer bargaining powers
One of the many benefits of internet marketing to customers is the opportunities to
compare and select providers. This gives customers a power of choice. On the internet,
customers are able to compare a variety of products from different retailers, and select the
product that has the best value for money and is the most suitable for them. A lot of
companies offer to let customers be able to compare their products with other businesses
offering the very same products. This benefits customers as it helps them to save time, as
they do not have to go to each individual retail store, they can just quickly open up different
tabs on the internet and compare. This of course also helps customers to save money
because sometimes they may find the very same product on another stores website for a
much cheaper price that provides the same value. There are websites that let customers
compare different retailers so they can make the right decision, which makes it even easier
for customers, such as the comparethemarket.com.
With offline marketing, if a customer wanted to compare products from different retailers,
they would have to visit to each individual store at a time; this would take a lot of time, as it
would require customers to travel, especially if the stores are further away from each other.
Even after visiting each store, customers may still somehow miss a product that is for a
better deal. Traveling to different retailers also wastes a lot of gas and customers may miss a
lot of good coupons that they could have found with internet marketing “Consumers can
quickly find what seller has the best price, rather than calling each and every physical store,
waiting on the line for an associate, inquiring about the item, waiting for the employee to
check…only to find out that the store is out of this product.” - operationroi.com
This is why internet marketing is better and more beneficial for the customers, as they can
quickly browse through stores and will easily be able to find good deals. However, by going
into the stores, customers are able to feel and touch the products, and compare the
materials with other retailers; this is something that cannot be done with online marketing.
So there are some aspects that cannot be compared with internet marketing. However
customers can read reviews and stars ratings online, that would give them a better image on
how the product will turn out to be, and they can then compare these star ratings and make
the best decisions.
This also gives customers the bargaining power, this is why companies have to listen to their
customers, and also why stores such as ASOS compete against their competitors and want
to offer the lowest prices. Customers have the power, as the business would not run
without the customers due to any income from the sales; they are the most important
stakeholders of a business. Customers have the power to change something otherwise they
can switch to other businesses. If the company is any good, and they will ask why the
customers are going somewhere else. So the business will take into consideration what they
do not like and what needs to change in order for them to come back. “The basic idea is that
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