Remember when you had no option but to physically go to the mall to shop? Back when you had to commit a full day of your life to get all your groceries, fashion, household products?. Then you had to lug all your heavy bags around, feeling the weight of every purchase tugging on your arms, wallet, and soul.
Luckily, the days of trudging through crowded malls are long gone. No more wading through racks and rows of items, and dealing with endless queues. The future of online shopping is here, and it’s all right at your fingertips – literally. Shop from the comfort of your sofa, a cup of coffee in one hand, and a universe of products in the other.
At its core, online shopping is all about convenience. People are busy, and want an accessible option that brings them all the things they want and need with as little effort as possible. With online shopping, you can get that and more. Need a new outfit? Groceries? Medication? A car? Anything you could ever want is quite literally at your fingertips.
Over the next few years, we’ll see the online shopping environment advance beyond what we thought possible, answering desires we didn’t even know we had. Here are just a few of the things we can look forward to in the coming years.
Deeper Personalisation
Building a personal relationship with customers is unbelievably important to online retailers, especially considering almost every brand has an online presence now.
So, how do you add value and stand out when there’s so many others doing the exact same thing? Intense personalisation. Think about it: People want to feel special, seen, and understood. We’ve already had a small taste of it, with online retailers offering ‘curated for you’ selections based on a unique user’s recently viewed products and purchases. Now, it’s time to take it a step further.
Artificial intelligence and automation will soon craft a personalised journey that speaks to each customer individually. In the coming years, emotionally intuitive technology will be at the forefront of online shopping.
It will continuously assess a customer’s mood, context, or taste to adapt what they see. And it’s not just the products customers see that will be tailored. Even the text on the page can be altered to feature the shopper’s name, to really drive home that personal feeling.
Augmented Reality
Ever see an item online but you didn’t have a strong enough imagination to visualise what it would look like in your space? Fear not. In the near future, augmented reality technology will do that for you. Whether it’s a couch or a dress, you’ll be able to “try on” these items virtually from the comfort of your home.
But why limit this technology to your personal screen? In the near future, it’s predicted that we’ll be able to shop directly on interactive touchscreen billboards and ads on the street. And that new Netflix show you’re binge-watching? In the future, you can simply pause the show and tap to shop the main character’s outfit, so you can rock that exact look.
Augmented reality makes the online shopping experience more interactive and immersive. Beyond that, bridging the digital and physical worlds allows customers to make more informed decisions on what they truly desire, enhancing their overall satisfaction.
Subscription Economy
The advent of online shopping changed the way we receive products, and thanks to subscription services, it’s also changing the way we use and keep them (or don’t keep them). The circular economy is becoming more and more enticing as the call for sustainability grows louder and louder.
Consumers are becoming increasingly conscious, and care about their impact on the world. Subscriptions allow users to reduce waste by encouraging a sharing model.
That’s why Rentoza exists. We want to help lessen tech waste by encouraging shoppers to change their lifestyle. That laptop or gaming console you got two years ago doesn’t have to sit in your home, unused. You can trade it in for a new model that you’ll actually use, and we can give your product to someone who needs it.
Beyond being better for the environment, having a Rentoza subscription allows you greater flexibility because you can change your subscription at any time. No longer want the phone you ordered because there’s a newer model out? No worries. You can upgrade or downgrade your product at any point in your subscription journey, penalty free. You can truly get whatever you want, whenever you want, no strings attached.
Beyond this, subscriptions are also a lot more affordable. You might not have the time or luxury to save up R5000 to buy a new fridge, but you’ve got R400 every month that you can use to pay a subscription that gives you access to the item you need right now. No more waiting, no more struggling.
The future of online shopping is here, and it’s exciting. As things continue to evolve, remember to turn to a business that gives you the chance to grow without tying you down.
Commitment is messy. Just Rentoza it.
