Customers have gained a huge amount from the use of the internet. As the number of internet users are increasing all the time more and more will shop online. Listed below there are some benefits of internet marketing to customers.
There are many benefits of internet marketing to customers. For instance, their 24 hour presence allows customers to spend more time shopping not worrying about closing times or them been turned away as its closing time. ASOS are available to customers 24/7 which means customers can visit their website at any time of the day, because there's no time limit. Customers can shop at ASOS whenever they want and the only other thing they will need is access to a computer. ASOS website is well designed and customers will find it very easy to find there way around it, even when they are using it for the first time. ASOS have clearly labelled everything on the web page with many different arrows that indicate where to go next. They also have put everything is categories, such as Women, Men, Designer and Beauty. This will breakdown the users searches and saves their time. Because if they want to only shop for women wear then they have to just click onto the women section and a drop down list will appear so they can decide what they want to browse through first.
Another benefit of internet marketing to customers is its convenience. For example its far more convenient for a person to research a product online, rather than getting into their car, drive somewhere and look for or ask someone for information about a product. However, internet marketing makes life a lot easier for the customer as they can do everything sitting comfortably at home instead of going elsewhere. Customers can visit ASOS from their homes which makes things a lot easier for them because they can do all their researching and shopping from home, and they don't even need a third persons help. By organisations offering their customers convenience, they also offer them value and satisfaction at the same time. This is because websites can offer more than just one thing to their customers, they put forward other things like, advice, more choices, and other general interests that can entertain their customers all the time. This then adds value and satisfies the customers because eventually they find what they were looking for. On their website ASOS offer their customers more things than usual. Right at the bottom of their website they have a long list of everything the customers might be interested in. They have put everything in categories, such as, "Why shop with us", "Whats in store", "How can we help", "Further information" and lastly "Join us". The user on the website can click onto any of these which are presented with lots of information for each subheading, and find out anything. Below there is a print screen showing this.
Another benefit of internet marketing to customers is that it allows them to search for what ever they are looking for freely. There's no restrictions what so ever. This then allows customers to look for the right products and goods they want. At ASOS they have a search engine into which customers can write what they are looking for and will be given searches that match their needs and wants. With this possible, it saves the customers time because they don't have to browse through a lot to find what they what, it sort of cuts the number of searches they have to do.
Above is a print screen showing that ASOS have a search engine which customers can use to write exactly what they are looking for. This is a very big advantage for them because it will cut short the number of things and pages they have to browse through, because if they use the search engine instead, on their monitor screen they will be presented with the item they have searched for. For example if they type "Nail Varnish" into the search engine they will be presented with all the different kind of nail varnishes and nothing more than that.
This is something customers will like and enjoy using. Firstly, it saves their time and secondly it gives them with only the product they have searched for and not that is not necessary.
Internet marketing also allows customers to compare prices using the internet, so that they get the best for cheap. This shows us that internet marketing saves the money of the customers as there are price comparing websites they can visit to find the best deal for the lowest amount of money. There are many prices comparing websites that customers can go onto, so that they find the best deals out there. Examples of price comparison websites are shown below.
Buying over the internet is very quick, convenient and private which is another benefit to customers, because there's no driving away to buy what they need, nor do they have to battle their way through crowds or other customers for the same thing. Another benefit is that customers always stay updated through emails or through their website. This means product information is sent to customers always keeping them updated about anything new happening or any latest fashion trends. This is helpful to the customers as they will be aware of everything new going on. With the internet now becoming available to customers through their phones, they will be updated almost in real time.
ASOS also send emails to their customers keeping them informed about all the latest products that are available for them to purchase. They also send emails informing them about any sales or offer they are offering to their customers. This is a benefit to the customers as they don't even have to visit the website to find out whats going on and whats new. This way if the emails sent out get their attention they can visit their website, otherwise they can wait until something that applies to them. On their website they have a section where you can log into your account and that is how ASOS use their customers emails. If you are a new customers, it is very easy to make an account with them, however, if you are a existing customers you just need to enter your email address and password.
A major benefit of internet marketing is that is allows the customer to track their parcel any time. As customers pay for their product before they get it, its very important that customers feel reassured about this process. Many websites allow customers to track their parcel before it reaches them. This then makes them feel reassured and certain that they are obtaining a good mannered service. ASOS allows its customers to track their parcels from order, dispatch to transportation so that they feel their parcel is in the right hands and will get to them very soon.
Another benefit of internet marketing to customers is that their power to bargain has increased because they can see the prices of a product on every website they wish to visit therefore they can let other websites, whose prices are higher compared to others, know that they will not be purchasing from them since they found another website who sells the same product but at a cheaper price. This then makes the other website change their prices to match their competitors as they don't wish to lose any more of their existing customers. This shows us that customers bargaining power increases as they can do this anytime they wish to. Since websites are updated all the time, even if the slightest change needs to be made, its beneficial for the customers because they are provided with up to date product information all the time. ASOS also make changes to their website all the time as well, and they give a lot of really detailed information out about their products to their customers. This is useful and helpful for the customers because they can read the information to get a better idea about it, which will increase their chances of making a purchase. Another benefit of internet marketing is that there is now a greater supply convenience through availability of responsive transaction facilities. This means that customers can purchase tickets for many different things by using the internet, making the purchase online and then printing the tickets out in their homes. They wont even need to step outside or even queue up for however long waiting to be served, because thanks to internet marketing all of this can be done at home without taking a third step outside. Also, internet marketing provides their customers with immediate online sales and services without any need of travelling. Customers can purchase anytime online, and they wont need to worry about them not having enough time to look through everything properly because there isn't a time limit at all. Also customers receive good customers service as well because if they are facing any problems they can send out emails, without having to stand in a queue waiting for their time to come so they can speak to the advisers and tell them their problems. Sending out emails can be done very quickly right there on the spot, so they wont even need to wait for a right time or anything because its there 24/7. ASOS also give their customers a chance for them to email them at any time, explaining their problems if they are facing any. ASOS also reply back very professionally making sure they are giving out the best solution. Lastly, internet marketing gives the customers many opportunities for them to talk to other existing customers via chat rooms so that they can share their experience with one another. This is a benefit to the customers because they can talk to other customers and find out useful information and their views and opinions - consumer to consumer (c2c).
ASOS offer their customers many kinds of benefits, some which you don't get anywhere else. For instance they offer their customers delivery hours that suit them the best. Normally, online businesses do things according to themselves and what suits them best. But ASOS have changed a lot to make sure their customers feel more happy and satisfied by shopping with them. On their website they have a whole section under flexible delivery hours. They have FAQ (frequently asked questions), such as, "Has my order been shipped out yet", "An item is missing from my order", and "Do you deliver to work addresses". All these questions and many more are listed on their website that they believe their customers would ask them. And as soon as you click on them, your presented with more information, and they also have links that can be clicked on and followed for further more information. Below there is a print screen to show that ASOS have a section on the website that allows customers to find out more about the delivery service they provide, with a section on frequently asked questions.
This is a benefit of internet marketing that it provides to its customers because for instance if they made a purchase from a shop, and when they get home they realised there's a fault in it, they will have to make a revisit to that same shop to get the problem sorted. Whereas, internet marketing has grown so much that customers can sort out all their problems by sitting comfortably at home on their computers.
Internet marketing offers customers far more than they think it does. They can always get themselves the best deals taking place at the moment and are kept updated about any thing new happening or about any latest fashion trends. This saves the customers from doing research themselves as they are presented with all the data already. Internet marketing is an inexpensive yet effective method and allows organisation to reach out to all their customers, who they can then interact with, making sure by doing this they can understand the needs, wants and most importantly the buying habits of their customers.