Photo: Pixabay I didn't think about shopping online until the early 2000s. Instead of shopping in big stores, shoppers thought it was a mystery. However, this reality has changed and, due to the pandemic, the market needs to adapt quickly.To avoid being affected by the pandemic, Brazilians were adopting technology to place orders. In practice, the transition wasn't that difficult, as most people already use their phones to order other things, like pizza or private transportation. Still, the future promises to be extremely busy – and consumers need to tread carefully.
Using a cell phone facilitates purchases In 2019, 81% of Brazilians had at least one smartphone to access the internet, according to the latest report from IBGE's G1. In fact, this desktop device is very popular – 98.6% of people access the Internet through it.
Furthermore, apps can be a way to shop without leaving home. Many retail brands understood what consumers want and, therefore, began to offer special programs and features.
In terms of retail, it works the same way as any other retail store, like a clothing store or a bookstore. The user creates a list with whatever they want, enters an address, selects a payment method and that's it. A company professional will pick up the merchandise and deliver it at the agreed time.
Additionally, customers can also check prices before leaving home, even if they are planning to visit a store. Porta Folhetos is one of the places that allows this, especially when it comes to donations to Tenda Atacado, considered a self-sustainable shopping model and which has already donated more than 40% of its sales to NGOs and affiliated groups and access more than 50 social groups . , from an article published on the Click Guarulhos website. The online catalog also contains a wide range of products from Carrefour, Extra, Lojas Americanas and other traditional supermarkets in the local market. This way, you can see which stores have the cheapest rates and you don't need to waste time going from one to another.
Photo: Pixabay How to shop safely Although more and more people are buying things online, it is important to be careful. Although the network has security measures, it does not cover all areas. Not to mention the fact that there are hackers trying to obtain people's personal information, including bank details.
The first thing to pay attention to is the product. In return, customers cannot use public computers to make purchases. Additionally, it is important to check whether information such as email address and credit card number have not been entered correctly.
Another obstacle is the installation itself. Nowadays there are many stores on the internet, but not all of them are offered. Therefore, before thinking about buying elsewhere, it is a good idea to check the brand's reputation. Is the site trustworthy? Does the store deliver on what it promises? And what about consumers? They can be easily identified with programs like Reclaim Aqui.
Consumers should also be careful with advertisements and promotions. People with malicious intentions send, for example, malicious messages via WhatsApp with the aim of capturing sensitive information. This year, the supposed Boticário gastronomic festival has been used as a joke by the community, but has no real connection with the event.
Technology has opened up many areas of business. Although the industry has some form of marketing, consumers benefit from the service. In any case, it's worth being careful, because with the internet, most people are not in front of a store and, most of the time, they don't know which brand they want to buy from.