What consumers value with regards to online shopping

There are so many different elements to online shopping, but have you ever wondered what consumers value most?

While new experiences are added as online retail evolves, there are some boxes that all businesses in this space should tick if they hope to be successful.

The first is speedy delivery, particularly when it comes to groceries. Apps that allow people to order food that is delivered the same day or sooner have changed the game, and with that comes greater expectation among shoppers.

The emergence of these apps has contributed heavily to pushing online retail sales to over R50-billion in 2022, according to figures from World Wide Worx.

Another “must” for any retailer is to offer an omnichannel shopping experience.

As the Covid-19 pandemic receded, it quickly became clear that many people still like to venture out to physical stores as well. This is where the hybrid shopping model works well.

Services like Click & Collect, where consumers can order an item online and then collect it from a Pickup Point of their choice, have taken off.

Pargo now has more than 3,500 Pickup Points around South Africa, many of which are attached to retail stores where people already like to shop. This means they can do all their shopping at the same time, saving them money on fuel and freeing them up to do other things.

Finally, shoppers are becoming a lot more conscious of social, environmental and governance standards. Ethical shopping or “conscious consumption” is playing a bigger role in buying patterns, so retailers will want to ensure the products they offer meet the highest sustainability standards.