Each year in the ramp-up to Black Friday, err… Thanksgiving, it seems more and more like the actual spirit of the holiday season, not just the marketing pitch, is about shopping. After speaking with the other editors, we’re almost surprised that Obama, in his Thanksgiving address, didn’t mention checking circulars as part of his routine. And as the holiday season becomes increasingly commercialized, and as it becomes more acceptable to eat your turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes inside of a tent beside the entrance to Best Buy, people seem to be responding in three ways. Some will of course embrace this commercialization (I’m not sure whether they want to expedite the unraveling of the traditional “holiday” spirit due to cynicism, or if they don’t notice it happening due to naïveté), others will reel in disgust, and some will straddle both sides, by spending as much time with family as possible while doing most of their shopping online.
Given how incredibly easy it is now to shop while sitting on the couch, it comes as a shock that many thousands of people still line up overnight to get a crack at cheap televisions and gaming consoles, occasionally attacking one another for the chance to buy them. And while online sales rose dramatically this year, I wonder whether it’s consumers or retailers that are finally catching on to the ease of online shopping. At the same time, I’m curious why some still insist on camping out in the cold. So for today’s article, we pose two questions – who’s precipitating the move into online shopping, and why do some still insist on shopping brick-and-mortar?
Perhaps those questions are missing the point. Technological capabilities and the media may actually be the biggest drivers behind online shopping, with consumers and retailers simply buffeted by the pair. As shopping platforms get simpler, customers are finding it easier to sign up on websites. Moreover, once a customer’s information is in the system, it’s faster for him or her to make another purchase later on. Thus, every year, websites will tend to play host to a larger pool of potential shoppers, many of whom never opted out of receiving promotional emails. And once those shoppers sign in, they’re faced with improved online experiences that make purchasing decisions easier. Promotions like free shipping and free returns certainly don’t hurt in making online shopping a winning proposition.
And how about the media? Reporters love to drone on about the use of all things digital, largely because it makes them sound smart (you might even say…arteculate?). Certainly news outlets don’t want to appear “behind,” and when a competitor starts to comment on internet phenomena it’s a signal for everyone else to get in line. Many people feel more confident in shopping online after hearing a report from a trusted anchor than after their grandchildren point out that some of the best deals might not be at Macy’s or Old Navy stores, but on websites instead. Add to that the media’s delight in creating any sort of frenzy (news that begets news!) and it’s a recipe to put people behind computer screens to make their holiday purchases.
But the discussion over what’s responsible for the push towards online shopping is murkier than this. It’s a complex interplay between available technologies along with their adoption by retailers and consumers. Moreover it takes into account the changing demands and behaviors of consumers and retailers. Boiling it down, innovators will create new technologies that early adopters and the media evangelize to those who will listen, and then with any luck, others catch on. For retailers and consumers, this has happened on both sides, with retailers copying others’ online marketplaces, and consumers shopping through new channels and in new ways based on others’ recommendations.
So with all of these new options available, why are some people still deciding to shop in store? My best guess is that this is showcasing the divide between the poor and the middle class, the difference between CHEAP and a great deal, and the gap between the luddites and the technophiles. To some extent, we could say this is just two categories of people. If you’re scared of using technology and don’t have much money, you’ll be looking for low prices while avoiding specifications (these are often numbers, they’re scary, and you wouldn’t understand them anyway). If you’re tech-savvy and have a bit more money, you’re probably interested in great deals on nicer products with good specifications (you’ll appreciate these and brag about them to your friends). Even in the models of brick-and-mortar versus online retailers, it’s fairly clear what products to market to which segment. Best Buy is going to fill the trough (their circular) with enormous, shitty TV’s, and the unwashed masses will stand in line for hours in hope of claiming their piece of the American dream. Savvier customers will stay home, scoff at reporters commenting on quarter-mile lines, purchase much nicer items at similar discounts, and enjoy their day off with family. I hope the condescension didn’t impede the article, but seriously people, your $200 42” television looks terrible, and if you had just decided to work the night shift rather than camp outside you’d have been able to afford something much nicer with the same overall cost (you might even be warmer at the end of it!).
