Over the last decade, shoppers have transitioned from buying goods in physical stores to ordering over the internet. Online shopping is now a multi-billion dollar industry thanks to the increased internet connectivity and development of smartphone technology. Physical stores, especially those specializing in fashion items and electronics are actually opening e-commerce websites for their products in a bid to claim a share of the growing online market. Grocery stores are now offering online services- including free delivery services- to online shoppers.
Shoppers, on the other hand, are riding on the convenience that comes with online shopping to improve their lives and make the most out of the current technological dispensation. Home computers and high-speed broadband connections have also played a key role in bringing the current shopping revolution to life. But the key question that we need to answer is this: Is online shopping simplifying our lives and if it is, how exactly?
1. Time is money
For most people, shopping is unpleasant, painful, and time-consuming. People want to get the best things in life but they don’t have the time, energy, or will to sample through thousands of different items in the store. Imagine having to spend a whole hour in a grocery store: The energy and time you end up wasting could be worth over 100 or even 500 bucks depending on your hourly compensation. Online shopping helps you avoid this onerous pain and inconvenience.
2. More shopping choices
The shopping choices that come with online shopping are immense. I mean, you can surf through online store inventories and numerous deals and discounts for days and still find new and better options. This is unlike the brick-and-mortar stores that operate under limited storage spaces, so they only store the amount and variety of goods that their space can allow. The online space is unlimited since all a retailer needs to do is post a picture of every item in stock and add a small description to the image. “In online shopping, your item is always one click away as opposed to physical shopping where you may be forced to wait for weeks or months before an item you ordered is available” suggests Heritage House, who sell boy suits online.
3. Remote shopping is convenient
Shopping from the comfort of your living room is the most convenient shopping experience ever. After all, who enjoys the pushy sales staff, long queues, and almost unavailable parking space at shopping malls?
Credit cards have made online payment seamless, so no one is restricted to only buying from local stores. Mail-order catalogs have made it convenient to order goods from overseas. Retailers, on the other hand, are constantly improving their websites in order to make them more navigable.
Read More: Best Tips for Online Shopping
4. Sending gifts is easy
Online shopping also means easy and convenient sending of gifts regardless of the recipient’s location. The retailer does all the heavy lifting- from packaging to wrapping, to shipping, to after-sale services- you name it! If you have friends and family living in different cities in the world, you don’t need to worry about how and when you will send them Christmas gifts. All you need to do is pay and wait for a thank you card.
If your gift recipient is passionate about interior design, for example, you can gift them great customizable wall art canvases, which you actually can order online. And because words may not be able to sufficiently express your love for your family and friends, a wall art canvas will tell the story at a very affordable price.
5. You shop at your own pace
Because no one is rushing you to move the line or to make payments, online shopping allows you to shop at your own pace. Think of the huge crowds that clog shopping malls during holidays and weekends. Think of the endless battles you find yourself in when looking for parking spots.
Physical shopping makes you feel like there is someone breathing down your neck at all times, so you end up rushing through your shopping. Sometimes you can even end up bringing home items that you didn’t want to because of the pressure that shopping attendants put on you. When shopping from home, you do it at your own pace and so you have all the time in the world to make the right choices.
In conclusion
Online shopping has clearly revolutionized the way we shop. And because there are tons of online platforms that offer amazing deals for shopping lovers, the conventional method of going into stores is no longer appealing.
