What are the advantages of comparison food shopping?

Shopping online is convenient, offers a wider selection and the opportunity to compare products and prices easily across different stores and brands. When coupled with deals of the day, online savings codes and free shipping offers, internet shopping can save you a substantial amount of money.

Comparing prices is also very important If you are shopping online for wholesale retail products because it helps consumers find great deals on the same item or find similar items at discounted prices. Research shows that about 59% of customers prefer to compare prices online in all categories before making a purchase.

Below are the reasons why you need to compare prices when shopping online.

1. Some Websites Can Help You Find the Best Deals

There are websites that can help you save money on any purchase that you could make in your lifetime. With these sites, you can compare thousands of online and local stores as well as products across different retailers.

Some comparison sites like price comparison Shopify can help save you 20% or more on anything from skin care products, clothing items and gym memberships to education expense and real estate for those looking to invest.

2. Universal Price Tags No Longer Exists

The highly competitive retail environment has eliminated the idea of universal price tags. This means any product you buy either at online or physical stores will greatly or slightly have a different price depending on where and when you purchase it.

Comparing costs across different platforms will help you save some money, whether you are buying clothes or major appliances.

3. You Are Can Find Better Deals from The Manufacturer

The constant competition has not only forced retailers to sell at low-profit margins but manufacturers as well. This means that you may not get value for your money if you are not willing to try out a new company when purchasing the latest electronic gadget. Manufacturers in every field are setting up shop and they offer amazing deals to promote their items.

To stay ahead of the competition and grow their repeat customer base, more established brands have to lower their process to be competitive. This is a huge plus for consumers as they are sure of getting something similar or even better but at a cheaper price.

4. You May Find Outdated Prices

It is not uncommon for online shopping websites to have products with outdated prices. You may find plenty of items that were released a couple of years ago having the launch price tags while other websites may currently be selling the same item at a much cheaper price.

Comparing product prices across different sites will help you notice the difference and give the real price at which a product is retailing at. Not only will find the product at a price that is more reasonable for its age, but you may also find new models at cheaper prices.

When shopping, quality is of utmost importance. So whether you are purchasing dietary supplements, skincare products, appliances or hardware, stick to reputable brands or use trusted comparison sites to help you out.

Expertise from Forbes Councils members, operated under license. Opinions expressed are those of the author.

Jun 18, 2021,08:30am EDT|

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Mahmoud Akrin is the founder & CEO Of GoBazzar.com.

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Smart consumers understand a product as well as its retailer well before they make a purchase. This has been true of consumers for decades. In past years, they would wander from shop to shop searching for products, comparing features, quality, price, brand name and more before deciding upon a purchase.

In our current age of the internet-savvy consumer, not surprisingly, smart consumers are on the rise. With all the information available literally at the tips of their fingers, consumers still engage in product comparisons to make their purchase decisions. Of course, not every buying decision requires comparison. Consumers likely compare products such as electronics and appliances, streaming devices, vehicles, beauty products, home decor items and even vacation trips, but you’ll rarely find a consumer doing extensive research before buying toothpaste.

If you’re a business owner, you need to understand these various consumer comparison habits so that you can strategize to increase visibility with these consumers who are actively searching for sellers. So, let’s take a look at how consumers compare prices to make purchase decisions.

1. The Traditional Way

This is the traditional way of comparing products, and many consumers still make use of it: enlisting the help of their family, friends and acquaintances. If anyone they know has bought a similar product, they will ask them for insight to help make their purchase decision. 

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Improving Word-Of-Mouth Marketing

To tap into this consumer pool, businesses need to work on their customer satisfaction so that consumers recommend them through word of mouth. This is probably the most reliable channel for marketing. To get consumers talking about your product, you have to show them the value that your product delivers to users. Even with that, some people still need some sort of gratification in the initial phase. A solid referral program that benefits both the referee and the referrer can go a long way in word-of-mouth marketing.

2. Search Engines

Many consumers simply Google the product they want to buy and research it on the various websites offering that product. They will likely purchase it from the site that offers the best deal. It’s important to note that Amazon has gone beyond an e-commerce website today and has become a search engine in itself. Thus, it should also be factored into your marketing efforts. 

Improving SEO

Businesses need to consider SEO best practices to reach consumers across search engines. Content is king when it comes to SEO; there are plenty of articles on that, so I’ll skip to a more recent SEO trend. User comments on Google My Business pages play a major role in signaling the trust factor of a business to Google; that doesn’t just impact your rankings on Maps, but also on Google in general. I recommend maintaining good ratings on GMB to promote your overall SEO.

Amazon and Google are both search engines, but not the same. Each platform has niche information about its userbase that the other does not have; for example, Amazon has purchase and return percentage information for products and it takes that information into consideration when ranking products organically. Companies must understand these differences before devising a strategy for Google or Amazon.

3. Vertical Search Engines

In other words, price comparison websites. There are many different comparison shopping websites today, including Google Shopping, my company GoBazzar, PriceGrabber, etc. These vertical search engines allow consumers to search for products; the results list all the retail/e-commerce websites that sell that product along with the price offered.

Improving Your Presence On Price Comparison Sites 

Businesses can reach these consumers by forming agreements or partnerships with comparison shopping websites. It’s a win-win situation for both companies and consumers when you establish partnerships with comparison shopping sites, as businesses get one more major acquisition channel and customers receive more choice and convenience.

4. Price Comparison Apps

Along with comparison shopping websites, numerous comparison shopping apps have emerged, including ShopSavvy, ShopMania, etc. Many mobile-first consumers use this option for convenience.

Improving Your Presence On Price Comparison Apps

Again, partnering with price comparison sites makes life easier for both parties and gives businesses access to the app channels as well. Be sure your site is optimized for Google and Google Shopping, and that your product title and meta descriptions are nice and clean so Google crawlers are able to read and understand them.

5. Review Sites

If customers don't have an acquaintance who has bought a product similar to the one they wish to buy, they turn to review sites. There are various review sites and knowledge platforms such as Angie’s List, Quora, Trustpilot, etc. where consumers review products as well as businesses. Many consumers search for reviews for a specific product or retail website that sells that product before finally making a purchase decision.

Improving Your Reviews

Marketplaces have allowed companies to build their brands within their infrastructures; similarly, businesses should allow individuals to become influencers or voices of the community, as Google has done with Local Guides. Encourage users to follow other users, ratify users with different “badges” and, depending upon the badge, offer consumers discounts. In practice, to increase reviews, this might mean offering badges when consumers leave a review for a product they just purchased, whether on your product page or a third-party site. 

These are some of the ways in which today’s consumers are comparing products and prices. Using these tools, consumers can easily compare prices and make their decisions, and savvy businesses can meet them where they are.

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