Selling Online is Growing in Importance
The internet is growing in importance as a sales channel, according to the British Retail Consortium.
The internet is growing in importance as a sales channel, according to the British Retail Consortium.
Spokesperson Richard Dodd explains that online sales are taking more of the market share from conventional techniques such as telesales.
And he suggests that this may not be surprising due to the rise in usage of the internet in the population in general.
Over the past ten years he contends that many people have become more used to shopping online, while technology has developed to support the internet as a sales platform more effectively.
Mr Dodd points out that the process which is currently taking place is nothing new, although the technology involved may be.
Previously, the move from mail order shopping to telesales and telephone ordering occurred as more households installed a telephone line of their own.
Now the pattern is repeating as more internet connections are installed and online becomes the medium of choice.
However, that does not mean that telephone sales channels are to close completely in the coming year.
Mr Dodd suggests that they still have a role to play in satisfying the needs of some areas of the consumer market.
He explains that there are some members of the population who prefer to speak to somebody rather than to conduct transactions purely online.
