How Technology Empowered Consumers Everywhere
Has the rise of technology and the internet been wholly positive? Absolutely not. But there’s no question that it has helped more than it has hurt. This is especially evident when looking at how technology has helped consumers. It’s unusual to think about now, but it wasn’t all that long ago that consumers were more or less all on their own, with little or no access to tools and resources that would help them make the most of their shopping experience. Tech changed all that. Below, we’ll run through just a few ways that your consumer side has been helped by technology.
Access to Deals
There were deals in the old days but only infrequently, and in any case you couldn’t be entirely sure whether what you were getting really was a deal. It was hard to independently verify since you couldn’t easily check the prices set by competitors. Today, consumers can get deals, offers, and the best price on any type of product they’re looking to spend money on.
To see the impact of this shift, let’s think about the difference between placing a bet in 1993 and 2023. In the pre-internet era, a person who wanted to bet on the outcome of the Super Bowl would need to find a real-world sportsbook operator and accept the odds that were offered. In the digital era, they have a wide range of websites to choose from, and, in the case of people who use an introductory betting offer like those on OddsChecker, don’t necessarily need to spend any money at all.
That’s a gigantic shift in the space of a generation. You have to spend money to have a smartphone and the internet, but it’s a worthy investment, purely because of how much money it can save you in the long run.
Their Voice Is Heard
If you had a poor customer experience in, say, 1993, then there would be little that you could do about it. You could tell your friends, and maybe write a letter to the local newspaper, but that’d be about it. If you had a bad experience today, on the other hand, then you have dozens of outlets for your anger and disappointment.
The rise of customer reviews and social media has been extremely beneficial to consumers, who know that companies have to deliver their best or run the risk of digital shaming.
Availability of Products
When was the last time you struggled to find a product you wanted to purchase? The internet has made this experience a thing of the past. It doesn’t matter where you live. If you have an internet connection, then you can surely find the item that you’re looking for. And not only that, but you can get the product delivered straight to your front door.
It’s a level of convenience that would have been shocking a few decades ago, but which is commonplace today.