Traditionally the buying decision is made after significant time and effort spent in identifying the correct product or service, physically navigating around one or more locations and followed by a period of negotiation (the level of which is based on the items in question).
For a company who works solely on the net though, the buying decision is less about contrasting and comparing presented goods and more about a winning Online Marketing campaign and the employment of an effective and diligent Search Engine Optimization Company.
If we rule out the price and quality comparison sites for the purposes of this discussion we can see that there are a number of factors in the normal buying process that are omitted on the Internet.
Firstly, geography, which is a massive restriction for any non-internet purchases. Buyers are constrained to what is available within their local area, otherwise they have to put up with a long journey. Locality of course is relative as some people will be prepared to travel the longer distances and search in a much wider area than others. An internet purchase is location neutral, with the potential exception of a raised delivery charge. Effective Search Engine Placement will mean that an individual can buy from anywhere in the World, potentially without knowing where the products are coming from.
Secondly, variety. Whilst the advent of the Internet and access to global markets would seem to provide the buyer extra choice, is that really correct? A number of businesses, who have the funds, will employ efficient and robust online marketing processes to ensure that their search engine placement is as strong as it can be. A company offering the same products for lower prices may not be visible in the search engine rankings. They may not have the funds to make use of the same calibre of Search Engine Optimization Company, and therefore given the profile of Internet buying habits and the propensity for searchers to buy from page 1 the lower priced items may well be invisible to the market.
Finally, availability. There is an increasing criticism that the “just in time” stocking strategies of high street shops means that buying decisions are being made on what is available ( “I’ll have it in Black if that’s all you’ve got….but I really wanted Yellow”). The internet would seem to offer unlimited stock but again how many people are prepared to spend time in looking through listings after page 1 or 2. As with high street shop it is likely that the buying decision will made to save a few more seconds of searching.
What we seem to have is the situation where efficient Online Marketing processes run by a small number of organisations will effectively control the market. In physical retailing one can always look around the corner, in the internet world however you are basically told which corner to turn.
Through effective Search Engine Placement successful sellers can control the virtual high street and on the internet there are no secondary and tertiary pitches. What you are shown is what you get to select from and most people will.
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Tags: marketing, Online Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, seo, web site marketing
