Читать книгу End Of Competition, The: The Impact Of The Network Economy - C N A Molenaar - Страница 23

A second development is based on the behaviour of buyers. The behaviour is increasingly individual, and consumers are becoming more assertive and better informed. What’s more, thanks to the Internet everyone has access to sources of information and communication. The penetration of smartphones is above 80% in all age groups. In addition, the old purchasing barrier to online shopping no longer exists; it is just as easy to buy in one’s own country as it is abroad. The disadvantages of not being able to see and touch the product and having to wait for delivery are accepted because of the many advantages, such as access to all the desired information, a wide choice on the Internet, price transparency, the right to return items and home delivery. Target groups, a distinctive feature since the 1960s (the Third Industrial Revolution), are rapidly disappearing due to individualisation. A consequence of this is the demand-driven approach aimed at the individual buyer, which contributes to the individual buying behaviour.