Why would a consumer go all the way to a mall in traffic to buy groceries and fashion items when they can simply browse and order online, with many companies offering same or next day deliveries? The digital landscape has changed the way people buy products as well as their decision-making process. Certainly, consumers are far savvier than they were before the digital revolution. There’s simply more information available and it’s there all the time. It’s also become an instant gratification world, where consumers expect service and answers, as and when they demand them – this is where chatbots and live chats have come into play, with companies offering consistent live support for consumer questions. There is no longer a need to wait for a company to open in the morning to get an answer or even order a product.
South Africa has the highest mobile penetration in the world and over three-quarters of all web traffic is initiated from mobile devices. But what exactly does that mean in terms of how consumer behaviour has changed? With digital technology growing daily and e-commerce activities becoming easier for businesses, more and more people are turning to their smartphones for daily purchases.
Craige Fleisher, Vice President of Integrated Mobility for Samsung South Africa says, “The world has gone mobile and Samsung has created a device that will fulfill all the needs of consumers on the go – from highly secure data storage to full immersion in graphics, searches and entertainment. The incredible screen ensures that people shopping online can fully explore and research purchases before making a decision, even if they’re shopping for music – the sound quality of the S9 and S9+ is exceptional so new music can be heard exactly as it was designed to sound.”
Even if people aren’t actually completing a sale online, new research shows that 56% of in-store purchases usually begin online – from research and comparisons to peer reviews and deal-seeking, consumers spend a lot more time than ever before to make an informed decision about what to buy and where. One of the shifts in consumer behaviour, specifically from the Millennial market, is the reliance on peer reviews of products. Being connected at all times to social media platforms to get a quick opinion or check out what a particular influencer is saying, is an important part of consumer decision-making.
“Smartphones are the personal shoppers of the future – from being able to view potential purchases to storing the information about each product for future decisions. Consumers are on the move and the S9 is the perfect tool for a fully mobile life,” concludes Fleischer.
While some products are still only purchased after a customer has had the opportunity to touch and feel it, there are numerous others that can easily be bought online. With augmented and virtual reality moving quickly into place in the marketing and advertising landscapes, this may change, with more people being able to experience a product more realistically online, by either viewing a product through a headset or being able to place a product directly in their home with technology for ease of choice. Having a reliable and technologically innovative device on hand is fast becoming vital to navigating everyday life, even the weekly shop.
Provided by Samsung Mobile SA
