Question

do you think apps for online shopping will take over websites ?

PLEASE BE DETAILED

Answer 1

Firstly, we need to understand that online shopping by definition means purchasing anything (products or services) using the online portals such as Apps or Websites. However this includes a wide variety of services as well and is not restricted to tangible products. For example, when we hire a cab using Uber it is an event that can be classified as online shopping. Here we are using internet and an app to purchase a service – transportation. Similarly purchasing a tangible product like a gadget on Amazon is also considered online shopping. Thus the idea of online shopping is extremely diverse.

Now, coming to the apps vs website debate I believe that the tangible products will still have a large channel through websites. This is because website usage (through tablets, laptops or desktops) provide a higher level of detail about the product than a small mobile screen can. This is why when want to purchase something tangible we may want to look at various details online using a larger display. This is where the website comes into play. Due to this, online shopping of tangible products will not likely be taken over by apps.

However, if we consider services, then apps are a considerably handy solution for online shopping. They provide convenience, speed, ease of use, and since there is not much details to be checked, these advantages outweighs the website use. Consider the example of Uber and we can see that booking an Uber cab over website has not benefit over booking it on an app. Instead the app is more convenient as it provides portability. Thus, in the services space the apps for online shopping will likely take over websites.