Module One

Let’s go shopping! Just hearing this phrase, even once, fills our bodies with adrenaline and our brains with dopamine. There will hardly be any individual who does not like shopping, offline or at an e-commerce store. 

 

Remember, how when you are at your lowest, even the thought of shopping makes you feel better. Do you know that 1 out of 20 women owns more than 50 pairs of shoes? Will it be possible without a love for shopping? 

 

Be it clothes, gadgets, or even groceries, there is something or the other that we can never deny purchasing whenever given a chance. Moreover, the ease with which one can shop today must be noticed.

 

You just have to open your phone, browse different e-commerce stores, select the items you love, and buy! But was it always this easy? Have you ever imagined what it was like to shop before? Why do people love shopping? What led to the development of e-commerce?

 

As a student who is learning e-commerce, there are so many questions that come to our minds when we think about shopping. In this chapter, we are going to explore every aspect related to shopping. By the end of this chapter, you will understand:

 

• Psychological and sociocultural aspects of shopping
• Historical development of shopping 
• Different shopping methods

 

 

So, let us find out what this chapter has to teach us. Later, ahead in your journey to becoming an e-commerce sensation, you will benefit from learning how to make an e-commerce platform that provides the best shopping experience to customers. 

 

1. Why Do People Love Shopping? 

 

Let us imagine two scenarios for this. 

 

Scenario 1: You went to a mall to purchase some specific items that you already made a list of. Moreover, you also had a set budget in your mind for the day and the items that you would be purchasing. 

 

Now, you start shopping and wait, other than the items you made a list of, there are many more additional things that you purchased from the shopping mall. The sense of satisfaction after shopping for those items was so good that you did not stop and purchase so much extra, spending way more than what you earlier thought. 

 

Scenario 2: Now, you have your mobile phone by your side. You were just randomly scrolling through Instagram and an advertisement from a famous brand just popped up on your screen. You started looking at different items available at the store. By the time you realize it, you have already shopped several items from the platform. 

 

After both of these scenarios, you feel satisfaction and are happy about the experience. But why does this happen? Why is shopping so addictive and satisfying? Well, this can be related to the psychological and sociocultural aspects of shopping. 

 

People shop because of the two major aspects. These are:

1.1. Psychological Aspects

 

Shopping provides a great sense of contentment and pleasure. For many, shopping is nothing less than a therapy, specifically known as “retail therapy.” The act of purchasing has the power to take away stress, sadness, and anxiety for many. 

 

Let’s take an example. After a stressful weekend at work. Will you not want to head out to shop at your favorite store? This simple activity holds the capacity to take all your stress away and give you a happy feeling. As per the Journal of Consumer Psychology, making purchases holds the capability of reducing residual sadness. 

 

By shopping, people can easily express themselves and make their own choices. Psychologically, it has an immense impact in uplifting the overall confidence of an individual. The power of perception is highly reflected in shopping where people easily spend extra on a certain product, just because it has the logo of a particular brand. 

 

1.2. Sociocultural Aspects

 

It allows people to interact with others as it is a social activity. More often, people prefer going outdoors and shopping, or sharing their favorite items online with their friends asking for reviews, and then purchasing it. It is a social activity. 

 

In many societies, shopping for luxury items is often associated with a way to display wealth and social status. Hence, people also shop for this purpose. But if we consider in a broader aspect, what people shop and their choices are highly influenced by trends. 

 

Don’t we observe that there is a certain hype associated with specific items? Almost everyone is talking about a particular item or wants to have it. Hence, trends and celebrities have a large impact on the way people shop. 

 

Let’s take an example of it. How many times have you done it yourself? Getting inspired by how your favorite celebrity dresses and getting inspired for a similar outfit. Right? 

 

2. How Shopping Has Evolved? 

 

Imagine yourself being a member of a Mesopotamian tribe around 6000 BC. Do you think that ever in your life, you would have thought that people could purchase anything from a device through something called e-commerce shopping? Not in the wildest of dreams!

 

Then how is it possible now? How did people used to purchase anything back then? Let us go into the past and see how it has evolved to this day where e-commerce has become the new normal. 

 

2.1. The Barter System

 

Do you know that the first mode of exchange among people was the barter system? What was that? Well, for example, there are two individuals. One has a bag full of rice and needs potatoes. The other has a bag full of potatoes and needs rice. Both these individuals will exchange their commodities with each other. This was known as the barter system. 

But do you observe something here? The trade between these individuals is dependent on a mutual requirement. Yes! If for some reason, there was no one to exchange to purchase rice, would the first person get potatoes? 

 

2.2. Coinage and Regulations

 

Do you know that the first when punched marked coins were introduced in India was around the 7th-6th century BC to the 1st century AD? As time moved ahead and civilizations began to emerge, empires started building their method of exchange. The development of coins was a breakthrough here. 

 

These coins came in different types, and each of them had a value of their own. So, if someone wanted to get something, they could give coins and in return would get the product/commodity of their choice. 

 

2.3. Emergence of Markets

 

The emergence of markets was one of the primary foundations of the e-commerce scenario we have today. Some local markets and fairs used to be organized in different cities and places. People used to go there and shop. With this, people started migrating to different places to sell their products. The famous Silk Route was the outcome of such development.

 

Fun Fact: Do you know that the Silk Route was not just a single road? Yes! It was a connection of various routes, all interconnected together. 

 

Fast forward to the period after the Industrial Revolution, supermarkets and shopping malls came into existence. These places were designed in such a manner that an individual could get anything they wanted in a single place. 

 

Not only this, we also see the use of psychology and marketing in the operation of these places. The places were highly decorated, and organized, and different offers were given to people who came here to shop. 

 

3. How has the Internet Influenced Shopping? 

 

The Internet played a crucial role in influencing the way we shop today. In the year 1979, Michael Aldrich, also known as the father of online shopping, made a breakthrough. He invented online shopping for the first time. 

 

After this, we see an emergence of different companies. For instance, Amazon, which established itself with the idea of selling books online, later became a sensation in the world of e-commerce. Companies like PayPal came up with the idea of providing a secure medium of transaction for online shopping. 

 

Read: https://zopoxo.com/the-ultimate-development-of-e-commerce-from-markets-to-the-internet/ 

4. How Shopping Looks Like Today?

 

Today, shopping has drastically changed from what it was before. We are living in a digital era where we have been surrounded by technology from all around. 

 

Remember how you are just talking to a friend on a call about the new shoes from a brand that you have been checking? And what! You start seeing ads and offers about the particular brand. How is that possible? All thanks to machine learning and artificial intelligence. 

 

Moreover, technology has become an integral part today. For instance, if you want to eat something, you can Zomato it, if you want groceries or any other item, you can use Blinkit and more. E-commerce stores are making the overall shopping experience as real as possible for users.

 

Are you aware of the stores where you can virtually try a sunglass and see how it is going to look on you? Not just sunglasses, you can also try this for clothes as well. Even the long wait that one has to do to get their product shipped is over now. 

 

Lightening fast deliveries, being as soon as under 10 minutes is the new reality of shopping. From medical supplies to groceries, and electronic gadgets to clothes, there is hardly anything that one cannot shop online. 

 

5. How Is the Journey Ahead?

 

The journey ahead looks even more promising. With drone deliveries, automated delivery vehicles, artificial intelligence, e-commerce management tools, and more, the growth of the e-commerce industry looks promising. 

 

There is a famous proverb that says, “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” So, as a student of e-commerce or someone who is looking to establish their own business, understanding this chapter will help you understand the basics of shopping. 

 

Shopping is not just an activity for people, it is an experience. As an e-commerce platform, we should always ensure that we make it worth cherishing for people. Keep learning!

Image Source: Unsplash.

Crucial Takeaways from This Chapter

 

• Purchasing provides pleasure and social interaction, often serving as “retail therapy.”
• Shopping evolved from the barter system to online shopping through historical developments.
• The Internet revolutionized shopping with pioneers like Michael Aldrich and companies like Amazon.
• Modern shopping uses technology like AI and fast delivery services for convenience and personalization.
• The future of shopping includes innovations like drone deliveries and automated delivery vehicles.