Online Shopping Spree

You are driving to the mall, trying to find a parking spot in an endless lot, fighting over the one shirt in the right size at the crowded store, and finally, you are waiting in the infinite line for the fitting rooms. Why do all that when you can simply go shop online?
This is the new social trend which is taking over our shopping experience. Costumers feel more comfortable and efficient when they can click on the product they are interested in while sitting at home, and after couple of days get their purchase in the mail. It does not get more convenient than that. Or does it?
Wal-Mart, the world’s biggest retailer, came up with a new online program called “Pick Up Today” which is expected to increase online purchases and store sales as well. This program enables customers to choose from thousands of products online and receive a text message when their buy is ready for a pick up at the costumers’ local stores. This new marketing tool is handy for the shopper who gets free delivery to a close to home location, and is ultimately beneficial for the store as well. By requiring the buyer to physically enter the store, Wal-Mart increases the flow of customers and eventually increases its sales.
Interestingly enough, there is a paradox in this marketing method. Wal-Mart relies on customers to be constantly connected and shop online. Yet, Wal-Mart developed this application to enhance its at-the-store purchases in addition to the online buys. This recent marketing innovation represents the balance our society seeks of “old-school” habits and new technology. After all, every form of life on earth has to reach equilibrium at some point. As a society, we need to find a way to maintain our traditional life style while still pushing for higher life quality. This juggling around of events will eventually lead us to an ideal equilibrium.

Wal-Mart Unveils New Web Program

One of the most appealing aspects of online shopping, aside from the anonymity of the whole process, is the convenience to the consumer. Online shopping allows for shoppers to avoid the time wasted browsing up and down the aisles looking for specific goods and even allows for them to customize their products of choice. Nowadays, most chain retailers offer online shopping services, though the success of each company varies greatly.

According to government census figures, the value of electronic shopping and e-commerce sales between 2007 and 2008 totaled about $222,464 million. The decision makers at Wal-Mart, however, have made some not-so-slight modifications to their business plans. Instead of delivering the products to your home from a warehouse, customers will have the opportunity to shop for in-store inventory at specific store locations then pick up the selected items on-site. If the selected products are not available at the store location of your choice, then they may be shipped to that store for free. In fact, you will be texted—if you so desire—when your order is ready to be picked up. I think that this is a brilliant example of corporate America adapting to technology and participating in the phenomenon of constant connectivity.

Wal-Mart has been testing the program since October in about 750 stores to successful results and is planned to include about 40,000 items. I believe that this system will largely be successful so long as Wal-Mart approaches the marketing aspect of it in a way that promotes efficiency. So long as the consumer believes that participating in this program will save them time—and perhaps even money—then the company can rest assured that online sales will increase.
Wal-Mart’s in-store traffic, however, has been declining over the last few quarters, and this move is believed to partly be aimed at reversing that trend, as consumers will be picking up their packages at Wal-Mart stores and might be inclined to do some more shopping while they’re in the vicinity.