My Favourite Shopping Place: Shopping Online

Introduction

People do all kinds of shopping worldwide every day. They either shop traditionally inside the store, or they can shop online on the World Wide Web. Each individual has their preferences based on factors such as convenience, pricing, and product variety. There are many ways that both options are similar, but there are many ways that they differ as well. Some of the components of both options include the convenience or environment, pricing, and products. People have their reasons for why they shop certain ways, and for each option, there are pros and cons. Exploring these aspects sheds light on the strengths and limitations of each approach, helping individuals make informed choices when deciding where to purchase their desired items - whether it's within the walls of a familiar store or from the comfort of my favorite shopping place online.

Traditional vs. Online Shopping

Traditional shopping is an option that has been around for many generations, dated back to the Middle Ages, from shopping in the square market to modern days of shopping inside chain stores and malls. Shopping traditionally has its conveniences. If you shop in a store you can take the product you are purchasing home the same day. It also gets you up and moving, you have to actively move throughout the store to get your items. It also has its disadvantages as well. When shopping inside the store you have to prepare yourself for the possibility of crowds, especially surrounding big holidays and black Friday. You also have to spend time and resources traveling to the store to shop. When shopping traditionally there are certain perks to pricing. You can use in store coupons, and be able to save a little financially.

There is also no hassle of shipping costs to have the item delivered to you. You can also return locally if you are not satisfied with your product for an instant refund. Also when you are in store you have different options of payment methods whether it be credit card, check, or cash. The downside to pricing in a traditional setting is you cannot compare pricing to another store without having to go to another store or doing research online. For the products you are shopping for it has its pros and cons as well when shopping traditionally. When you shop inside the store you can feel the item, or try the item, try on an item, or even be able to recognize its size with ease. You can also see if there are any damages before purchasing. However on the down side, you might have less variations of an item, less consumer information about the item, and you could also potentially find that the item is sold out and that you have wasted time and resources and go home empty handed. Due to our modern technology we are now able to shop for items online. The limits are almost endless.

Conveniences of Shopping Online

There are many conveniences to shopping online. You can shop from the comfort of your own home in your pajamas, if you wanted. There are no crowds or lines involved. You can shop multiple shops or sites at one time. You can also shop worldwide, for items you can’t find where you live. The biggest downfall of shopping online is having to wait for an item due to having to ship the item to you, so if you need it immediately that can be challenging. When online shopping there are many factors when it comes to pricing, both good and bad. When shopping online a lot of times the stores have special online sales which can in turn save you money. They also have websites that generate discount codes, or the website may offer you a subscription and in return receive a discount code. When online it takes a click of a button and you can compare items on many different sites to ensure you are getting the best price and best deal. The bad in online shopping when it comes to pricing, would be the extra cost you have to pay for possible shipping.

Disadvantages of Shopping Online

As far as products go for online shopping there are perks and there are disadvantages. When you shop online there are more variations of products whether it be color options, sizes, materials, etc. You can also refer to customer reviews about an item before purchasing to see if it is a good item or if it describes what you are looking for. You also have the option of multiple sites for availability, if it is not available at one online store then maybe it is available at another online store. However, a major disadvantage to shopping online for products, is not being able to touch it, see it, try it, try it on, etc. You also risk the item becoming damaged during shipping, or the item was damaged prior to shipping but you weren’t aware. There are many ways to compare the two options but also many ways to differentiate them as well. For some it may just be easier to logon and fill an online cart and pay the extra to have it shipped, for others is may be easier to just drive to the store on their way home to pick up a few things. Some people may not have an issue with signing on and entering their credit card information, and others may just prefer to deal with cash only. Some people just simply may not trust shopping online and sharing their information.

Conclusion

There is also a huge difference between age groups, younger generations are more experienced with the technology, whereas the older community is less experienced; making it easier for the younger generation to understand online shopping. In conclusion, you can shop traditionally in a store or online, both have many advantages and both have many disadvantages. Sometimes it can simply come down to your lifestyle and your schedule. But it also weighs heavy on your preference; do you prefer to sit in your slippers and click away, or are you a little more old school and want to be able to browse aisle by aisle. Either way, whether you shop in a store or you login and do your shopping online, everyone shops, every day, all over the world.  

References

1. Pappas, Stephanie. 'Consumer Behavior: How People Make Buying Decisions.' HBR Ascend, 2020.
2. Smith, Aaron. 'Online Shopping and E-Commerce.' Pew Research Center, 2021.
3. Thompson, Derek. 'The Economics (and Nostalgia) of Dead Malls.' The Atlantic, 2017.