JOIN USThe global fashion industry is furthering its cultural and corporate influence in today’s world and has become a key image player. The youngsters make a conscious effort to use their image as a tool of communication. And the internet has played its part in enhancing this experience.
It has also made it easier to shop for a variety of items. An increasing number of people have taken to shopping online, without the fear of being left in the lurch at the last moment.
Monisha AK, a 24-year-old software engineer, says, “When you need to buy for the whole family, it means visiting multiple stores with different products, and it becomes a very daunting task. Online shopping, on the other hand, saves time.”
With a few clicks, one can select a variety of products while sitting in the comfort of home or office.
With a choice to compare prices from hundreds of different retailers, products like electronics, jewellery, shoes, handbags, toys, kitchenware and furniture have seen an increase in sales.
Shobha SV, a 20-year-old architecture student, says that it’s easy to access consumer reviews for almost any product online, which makes for a more informed purchase. Smart consumers today are not only getting bombarded with discount offers, which range from 20 per cent to 70 per cent, at any time of the year, but are also getting a virtual style expert.
“When you visit a store, you are most likely to settle for the price the vendor has placed on a particular item,” says Pavan, a 22-year-old civil engineering student. With thousands of styles, designs and colours, along with product reviews, the young and the old alike can shop without any hassle and a salesperson.
Kiranmayi Udayshankar, a 24-year-old software professional, who shops online regularly says, “I cannot resist a great discount offer.”
With the world at our fingertips, one could ship any item one wants from any destination to one’s doorstep in a day or so.
With the added advantage of being able to try on the clothes at one’s convenience and the facility to return the item, online shopping is becoming popular by the day.
But there are still many who are loyal to traditional shopping and don’t entertain the idea of shopping online. “If you are buying an outfit online, you don’t have the ability to feel the material and see how it’s made,” says Kiranmayi.
A few people have also had bad experiences with online shopping portals. “Unless you know your measurements and are familiar with the brand offered, it could end up being a bad experience,” she adds.
Just as smart as the consumers are nowadays, the even smarter retailers are responding with improved user-friendly sites, direct promotional events and just some good old-fashioned customer service. With popular sites like Flipkart, Amazon, Snapdeal, Myntra and Jabong, youngsters these days have a plethora of options to choose from.