E-commerce Retail Revolution

“Technology. The knack of so arranging the world that we don’t have to experience it,” a wise Swedish playwright, Max Frisch, once said. This single quote sums up the argument of online shops versus brick-and-mortar stores. The online shopping market has grown exponentially in recent years. This is mainly due to the sheer convenience and economic benefits from this new avenue for shopping. However, I feel that physical shops are still relevant in modern society, even as we progress into the future.

Online shopping has revolutionised the way we buy and sell things. The rise of the internet at the end of the 20th century gave innovative individuals a new playground to explore. While Mark Zuckerberg was still in the early stages of establishing Facebook, eBay had already been connecting buyers and sellers for almost a decade. eBay was founded in 1995 as a person-to-person trading community. The option to buy from everyday people or sell unwanted items was made available to anyone with an internet connection. Nowadays, people have the choice to buy second-hand for cheap, from artisan specialists or in bulk, from companies that have no presence in their home country, whatsoever. These benefits from shopping online seem to make retail stores gradually more obsolete.

However, there is still hope.

Traditional shops and markets are ever-evolving. Despite the major consumer shift towards e-commerce, 95% of sales still take place in physical locations. This could be attributed to retailers’ constant effort to remain relevant in this shifting consumer landscape. Shoppers are offered the option to order online before collecting their purchases in-store. This applies to apparel, groceries and even restaurants. This initiative appeals to customers who would like to skip the queue, but are unwilling to pay for delivery costs. Nordstrom, an American department store, is a company that has utilised this tactic to draw customers into their physical stores, providing the best of both worlds. They allow shoppers to reserve clothing online and try it in-store. The shopper has the convenience of browsing through their catalogue from anywhere while simultaneously relishing in the kinesthetic in-store experience. Therefore, there will still be a demand for brick-and-mortar stores.

Nevertheless, online shopping comes with new risks that many are unwilling to overlook. There are some issues that come with all the new innovations— e-commerce is no exception. Online scams are rampant throughout the internet. Stories about “ghost packages” that never seem to arrive are commonplace. The scariest part about those stores is when the buyer’s bank account information is stolen, along with stacks of hard-earned money. These cyber-crimes act as a deterrent for many, especially the older generation. These fears are not unfounded, and are not to be ignored. The security of online shopping will determine the future of this medium of retail. Until this issue is further looked into and there are more safeguards against cyber-criminals, it is unlikely that brick-and-mortar stores will entirely dissolve.

The host of popular games show, Brain Games, Jason Silva, sums it up the best: “Technology is, of course, a double edged sword. Fire can cook our food but also burn us.” The e-commerce revolution is a hallmark of technological advancement. Whether or not human development continues to go in this direction, depends on our ability to adapt to these newfound issues. Once we work out the kinks of this glowing new technology, its takeover will be inevitable.

Personally, I believe that online shopping takes away the human touch of retail. The true retail experience is lost within the ones and zeros, and we get robbed of the warmth of human interaction. This is the main reason why I feel that there will always be a place for shops and markets. Without human interaction, retail becomes more of a chore and less of an adventure.