Ever since we were children, the start of the new school year has been synonymous with “new beginnings”. It’s a time of year when the economic stakes are very high. E-tailers strive to meet the ever-growing demands of the market.
Consumer purchasing practices are changing, and the vast majority of them are moving towards digital consumption (on the internet). This change was accentuated by the Covid-19 global health crisis.
In partnership with Médiamétrie (a research company specialising in audience measurement and analysis of different media), the Fédération du e-commerce et de la vente à distance (Fevad) has carried out a study entitled “Online shopping habits, between confinement and deconfinement”. * It gives us a better understanding of the reasons behind this rapid growth.
More and more shoppers are turning to e-commerce on a regular basis, becoming web surfers, cyber shoppers or even mobinauts. Let’s take a look at the profile of these new web consumers. What are their buying motivations, requirements and expectations? And what are their fears and apprehensions ?
1-Practical aspects of e-commerce
As you already know, according to INSEE (Institut National de la Statistique et des Études Économiques), the fundamentals of the Internet are “a set of interconnected global networks that enable computers and servers to communicate effectively”. Thanks to search engines such as Google, Qwant, Bing, Yahoo and many others, the ‘web’ gives consumers access to a wide range of virtually unlimited offers.
Canvas opens up an infinite range of possibilities!
Taste the world’s best fair-trade Indonesian coffee, Kopi Luwak, at home in Ariège, take a muscle-strengthening class during your office break, rethink your interior design from the airport while you wait for your flight from Paris to London, find the rare piece of music you used for your end-of-year show in primary school, and use Google Earth to visualise your future holiday destination on the other side of the world.
In short, the adage “each to his own” is more relevant than ever in the Internet world.
Choose the e-commerce that suits you best
It’s hard to choose between all these possibilities. That’s why computer geniuses have developed comparators. Using complex algorithms, they make it easier for users to compare and choose.
These are sites or applications that analyse and rank prices in different areas: Liligo.com evaluates the best offers in terms of transport (trains, planes, buses, carpooling), Booking, Trivago or Kayak allow you to book a hotel room at the best price, etc. Browser extensions such as Wanteeed automatically apply promotional codes to online shops (over 1,500 partner sites) and earn cashback on purchases. This means you can save money in record time !
A business tailored to your availability and location
Let’s talk about the unit of time … obviously not that of relativity so dear to Albert Einstein! It’s the time between the action of ordering and delivery, which should be as short as possible. Ordering on a merchant’s website does not generate any constraints linked to opening and closing times. In fact, whether it’s a bank holiday, at three in the morning, or in the most remote part of the world, you can always buy your Kopi Luwak coffee.
You will also notice that e-commerce is not dependent on a specific location. A single access to the network connection means you can avoid the crowds that are so characteristic of busy periods such as Black Friday or Christmas. Online shopping even has its own day (30 November 2020) dedicated to promotions and exclusive offers : Cyber Friday.
To sum up, e-commerce in 2020 will be a gigantic market, with no catchment area limits, open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
E-consumer selection
These new consumers are increasingly sophisticated and demanding. For example, when you are looking for a service or product on the Internet, what are the indicators that will help you choose this e-tailer over another?
Naturally, you will analyse the opinions of other buyers, who will answer your questions and influence your choice positively or negatively. These evaluations have given rise to an objective rating system, the E-reputation*, in the form of little stars that are much sought-after by online companies.
But beware, the internet is capable of both the worst and the best, so we’re deliberately focusing this article on the positive.
This digital world allows real investigation thanks to transparency, traceability and, more generally, all the information available… In fact, you are more likely to pay attention to a brand or company that advocates ethical and moral values close to your own.
The following examples, from The Body Shop, in partnership with its customers and Cruelty Free International (an organisation founded in 1898 to oppose animal testing), which has set up an international campaign to ban cosmetics tested on animals (FAAT : Forever Against Animal Testing) *, and all the citizen initiatives such as AMAPs, short circuits, fair trade, etc…. are proof of this. You’ll see that digital globalisation can be used to support local initiatives.
2-Buy securely and with peace of mind
Ordering online can also give rise to fears and questions. A number of “tools” are available to help buyers overcome these risks and carry out their research in the best possible conditions :
We’re going to look at secure online payments that allow you to manage your financial transactions with complete peace of mind. You’ll no doubt be familiar with the main ones : Paypal, Google Checkout / Google Pay, Paylib, Apple Pay, etc., when you shop on a number of merchant websites such as Fnac, Cdiscount or Asos. These payment methods are all based on electronic wallet systems, which process your payments without disclosing your personal financial data.
For several years now, HSBC, BNP Paribas, Société Générale, etc. have been offering a service dedicated to online purchases : a virtual card, the E-carte bleue, which allows you to pay for purchases remotely with a new e-number for each transaction. *
You can also use a prepaid card that you top up at the appropriate time to avoid fraud.
In France, the Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Economic Recovery has published “7 tips to avoid the risks of piracy” on its Bercy Infos Particulier portal*, a guide to help you better understand the dangers of the internet and buy from trusted sites.
In conclusion….
Fellow football enthusiasts, once you’ve made your purchase in complete safety, you’ll be waiting impatiently for your new jersey from Paris Saint-Germain or Olympique de Marseille (we don’t want to take sides in this legendary “Classico”), who will be playing their first head-to-head match of the autumn season on Dimanche 13 Septembre à 21h00.
As an accomplished supporter, your parcel must “arrive on time” for this event, so we’re talking about delivery times… These logistical aspects, from storage to delivery, will be covered in a forthcoming publication. We’ll also be talking about packing and securing your parcels.
E.B
To find out more :
Les habitudes d’achat en ligne, entre confinement et déconfinement
https://www.definitions-marketing.com/definition/e-reputation/
https://www.thebodyshop.com/fr-fr/a-propos/contre-les-tests-sur-les-animaux
https://www.economie.gouv.fr/particuliers/paiement-en-ligne-conseils
https://www.labanquepostale.fr/particulier/mbp/faq/e-carte-bleue.html