Online kopen is mainstream geworden

Consumenten laten voordelen online (in)kopen niet lopen

Online kopen is mainstream geworden.

Nieuwste toepassingen met bv. smartphones en GPS maken combinatie van on- en offline retail van koopjesjagers moderne consumenten.

Recente artikelen van CNN en trendwatching.com geven aan dat consumenten zich eindeloos kunnen uitleven en hun voordeel kunnen doen, wanneer ze er een beetje moeite voor doen. En dat zijn er kennelijke velen !

London, (CNN) -- Group buying websites enjoyed massive growth in 2010 grabbing new customers and the headlines as the sector's biggest player, Groupon turned down a reported $6 billion offer from Google in early December.

But how will Groupon and its rivals fare in 2011? Is this a recession-led fad, driven by cash-strapped consumers desperate for a bargain? Or will the sector spawn a Facebook of the future and revolutionize our buying habits the same way social media has transformed communications?

In their "Top 11 Crucial Consumer Trends for 2011," trendwatching.com says group buying sites are "springing up everywhere," and are "here to stay."

And Doug Aitken, managing director of Hong Kong-based ValuUp, thinks there's nothing remotely faddy about group buying websites.

"It brings offline and online together in a very unique way, which banner ads simply don't do. It's definitely opening people's eyes up to the way e-commerce can be transactive," Aitken said.

Group buying websites like ValuUp, and the more familiar bigger brands like Groupon and LivingSocial offer discounts of up to 90% to subscribers depending on how many sign-ups they attract for a given product or service.