As we all know that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant changes to shopping activities. Some Indonesians have switched from offline shopping to online shopping.
Online shopping, in our previous article – has discussed the various impacts that occur on the environment due to the massiveness of these activities. Looking from another perspective, online shopping also has its own impact on humans.
People are getting closer to technology is the intended impact. Smartphone ownership and internet penetration encourage Indonesian people to be more developed and critical of something that is being discussed by many parties, including online shopping activity.
There is one thing that makes Indonesian people especially for boomers generation confuse when they do online shopping, they do not face the physical interaction. Interaction with sellers is an activity they usually do in offline shopping. However, online shopping removing this point.
Some of them are not used to it. This leads to erroneous communication between sellers and buyers in online shopping.
An example of a case that surfaced and went viral was that some online shoppers consider as a boomer – did not want to pay for the goods they had purchased because it is not same as their expectation. However, they used the Cash on Delivery method. As a result, some of these viral videos contain online buyers arguing with delivery couriers who actually do not know anything because they main job only deliver the goods.
Seeing this incident, for the boomers generation and around it, it can be interpreted that physical interaction with the seller is still an important point for them before deciding to buy the goods.
Therefore, there is another side that brands must know more deeply, namely consumers actually want to be closer to the brand but do not know how.
From this concern, StratX KG Media conducted desk research and found various interesting insights to be discussed in more detail.
Audience Want to Get Closer to Brands
Google’s report in Year in Search 2020 states that consumers or audiences throughout Indonesia are still actively shopping. However, the pandemic situation that presents these limitations makes them have to reduce their activities outside the house.
Therefore, they choose to shop from home. There is something interesting about changing offline shopping to online shopping. The interesting thing is that keywords searches on Google such as ‘cashless, pay later, and free shipping’ have increased significantly.
It can be interpreted that consumers or audiences want to shop quickly, safely, and comfortably.
The fast internet penetration coupled with the great curiosity of consumers, makes them more intelligent and critical in interacting and expecting brands. However, adaptation is something that needs to be passed properly so that the online buying and selling process can be enjoyed by all people.
Insight for Brands
There are concerns such as limited interaction between buyers and sellers on online shopping. It can be interpreted that the interaction facilities that are already available on sites, applications, or other online places do not feel optimal.
Keywords such as ‘cashless, pay later, and free shipping’ can be interpreted as consumers’ desire to make their online shopping experience better.
What Brands can Do?
As we all know that consumers or audiences want the maximum online shopping experience. This can be started from a simplified way of interacting, so that incidents such as the cases described above will no longer occur.
With high expectations, consumers or audiences want sophisticated features to facilitate their interaction in online shopping. Brands should be able to accommodate this point so that they can continue to win the hearts and trust of their consumers.
In addition to developing advanced features for interaction – brands can parallel invest in creative content. One of the things that consumers do before buying their needs online is to look at reviews of the item.
This can be used by brands to create informative and creative content. Brands can create content to help them choose the product or service they want. Brands can also create tips and tricks content – using the products or services they buy.
To make all products and services clearer – brands can also build communities that match the brand identity. By building a community – it is hope that this forum can become a separate amplifier for brands in marketing their products or services.
With a community – there is the potential to bring the consumer or audience getting closer to the brand.
One of the spirits that can be deepened in this communication strategy is proactively supporting a better online shopping experience. Given that the pandemic conditions cannot be predicted precisely, online shopping is still the main choice for Indonesian people to fulfil their needs.
