WeGoLook ventures into unseen territory

As more and more of us head online to do our shopping, we sacrifice the luxury of viewing items in person.

According to Colin McLeod, executive director at the Australian Centre for Retail Studies, consumers value the ability to touch items before they purchase them.

“Touch is probably the most informative of the senses because it tells you lots of different things,” says McLeod.

So when it comes to purchasing a product online, we’re rarely able to make a fully informed decision because we’re deprived of all our senses except sight – and even this is limited.

However, there are organisations emerging that promise to verify online purchases for you, including US site WeGoLook.

With a network of 7,000 “lookers” throughout the country, WeGoLook targets transactions conducted through eBay and Craiglist for big-ticket items including cars, boats and property.

WeGoLook can take current photos or videos, watch working demonstrations, and complete personalised reports for verification of a person, place or thing.

As more Australians move house, change jobs and travel on an increasingly regular basis, it becomes harder and harder to purchase every major item in person.

So there’s certainly an opportunity here to start a business like WeGoLook. You could start small – say cars in your local area – and gradually build up the items that you analyse. As confidence in online retail grows, so would your business.