Writing practise thingies

5th part: Shopping Habits

(An essay we were required to do in commerce)

Shopping habits have changed vastly over the years in terms of where people shop. With reference to specific examples discuss the reasons for these changes.

Consumer choice refers the the decisions a consumer (anyone who buys goods or services) makes on a daily basis. Over the years, the shopping habits of consumers have changes vastly. As people work for longer hours, they have less time to shop and would choose services which are more convenient to use such as direct marketing and planned centres. As the trend of e-commerce rises, retail outlets start to close down and are being replaced with online shopping and other e-commerce related methods.

With e-commerce being on the rise of popularity, it is evident that the shopping habits of consumers are changing. E-commerce is the transactions of goods and services through the internet, and with the access to the internet being at the tips of our fingers it is now much easier to purchase online than it is at a retail outlet. Amazon.com is a popular example of an e-commerce website where consumers can simply browse for the products they are looking for and can have it delivered directly to them by mail. People are becoming busier with work, and as our access to the internet becomes faster, it is no wonder as to why e-commerce is more appealing to consumers than retail outlets.

Instead of making the consumer come to them, direct marketing takes a different approach by promoting a service or product directly to the consumer, and has proven to be effective becoming more popular than shopping at retail outlets. Direct marketing includes infomercials, telemarketing, newsletters, postcards, mail/e-mail and any other form of interaction where goods can be sold directly to the customer. Being cost effective, having quick execution for being a mass-media campaign, and having the ability to target a specific audience make direct marketing a popular choice of advertising. It is also convenient for the consumer since they can overcome difficulties such as lack of transport and spare time by ordering over the phone or by mail and having the good sent directly to them, as well as having the flexibility to change your mind for particular type of purchases. Direct marketing of products can easily be advertised and can reach to potential customers who will choose to purchase the good directly from the seller rather than retail outlets because of its convenience.

Consumers will now choose to shop from planned centres over shopping strips because people now look for convenience, changing the shopping habits of consumers. Planned centres such as Westfield and Stockland have many shops under one roof as well as a parking facility, allowing shoppers to make fewer trips and quicken their time to get to their destination. Planned centres also offer other conveniences, luxuries and entertainment such as air conditioning, music and lounging areas. The comfort of planned centres persuade consumers to stay for longer and entice them to come back, especially since they are more convenient to shop at than shopping strips.

The shopping of habits of consumers has changed in the past years because the demands and needs of customers change. As people begin to work for longer hours, they have less time to shop and desire convenience which is exactly what e-commerce, direct marketing and planned centres offer. Shopping strips and retail outlets don't offer the same convenience and cannot keep up with the changing shopping habits of consumers, hence why many are starting to close down.

(Thanks for reading plz critique.)