Online retail channels became one of the core practices in marketing. It is essential to understand that online buying behavior significantly differs from traditional retail stores, as there are many new factors that affect buyers’ decisions (Lim et al., 2017). Online stores must assess these differences in consumers’ perceptions in order to identify effective stimulants (Lim et al., 2017). This essay will review and summarize the article “Achieving consumers’ attention through emerging technologies” by Abdul Waheed and Yang Jianhua.
The article by Waheed and Jianghua focuses on the assessment of factors that may be influential in the customers’ decision-making process. In this paper, Waheed and Jianghua overview e-mail, mobile, Internet, intranet, and extranet marketing as parts of e-commerce marketing processes (Waheed & Jianhua, 2018). The authors draw seven hypotheses that stem from the correlations in online buying behavior to measure the significance of these factors (Waheed & Jianhua, 2018). The authors also highlight that every student had access to the Internet and tends to search for products online (Waheed & Jianhua, 2018). Their research reveals that online advertisements that are engaging, creative, and emotionally sound significantly positively affect buying behavior among the chosen population (Waheed & Jianhua, 2018). Moreover, the authors call for a close examination of technological advancements as a major source of influence on buying behavior tendencies (Waheed & Jianhua, 2018). The article can serve as solid support for shaping a marketing strategy.
The study provides a crucial overview of online buying behavior. The primary factors that affect the decision-making process of a customer are the simplicity of making a purchase, the visual appeal of a store, emotional response from the interactions with a website (Lim et al., 2017). Marketing teams must follow the constantly changing preferences in these factors while keeping in mind that they appear different based on a platform through which a customer interacts with a store (Waheed & Jianhua, 2018). It is essential for a store to express the value of its products, depending on whether it is hedonistic or utilitarian, in a concise manner (Lim et al., 2017). E-commerce is a growing industry that has to deal with a new set of challenges for marketing teams on a frequent basis, as factors that affect customers’ behavior are swayed by constant technological advancements.
Online customers are exposed to an overwhelming amount of advertisements. This notion makes them more resilient to attention-grabbing marketing campaigns, and the value can be added to an ad through engaging and creative approaches (Waheed & Jianhua, 2018). Web stores that have visual and structural appeal, are easy to navigate, and possess a reputation of being secure, are more inviting for an online consumer (Lim et al., 2017). Customers make several assessments when picking a product and a store for its purchase. The reviewed article highlights how an online store can ensure that a consumer will choose it over other alternatives beginning from the pre-purchase search.
In conclusion, buying behavior of customers is affected by factors that tend to shift unpredictably and require constant monitoring from a marketing department in order to remain appealing. This task plays a vital role in a success of an online store, as e-commerce is a highly competitive environment that demands innovativeness and creativity from a company. The article by Waheed and Jianhua reveals essential traits that consumers tend to prefer when using the Internet for shopping. Many companies who enter this market can benefit greatly from making decisions based on the authors’ findings.
References
Lim, S. H., Lee, S., & Kim, D. J. (2017). Is online consumers’ impulsive buying beneficial for e-Commerce companies? An empirical investigation of online consumers’ past impulsive buying behaviors. Information Systems Management, 34(1), 85-100.
Waheed, A., & Jianhua, Y. (2018). Achieving consumers’ attention through emerging technologies. Baltic Journal of Management, 13(2), 209-235.