Lately, the Internet has dramatically impacted our lifestyle. It has changed the way we learn, the way we communicate and the way we shop. It made buying things from the comfort of our homes easy as making a few clicks. There are many reasons why online shopping has made shoppers of all ages worldwide shop online.
Its contactless nature and the prevalence of smartphones are only a few to name that contributed to its steady increase in the last couple of years. And since the beginning of COVID-19, it has gained even more popularity. Despite the exponential growth of online shopping and the predictions that soon everyone will shop online, in-store shopping is very much alive. The vast majority still shop in brick and mortar stores.
Is it better to shop online or in stores? There’s no straightforward answer to this question. The only proper way of shopping for a person is the most convenient and sometimes the most enjoyed one.
The Benefits of Shopping Online
Convenience
Online shopping stands out when it comes to convenience. Its time-saving nature can turn shopping hours in seconds. If a long shopping list that once required hours of browsing through different stores, now it can be completed in minutes. Having our smartphones at hand at any time, we can now squeeze shopping whenever we have some free time. It can be during a 15-minute work break or while our kids’ naps. The fact that we can shop online at any time, 24/7, outside of regular business hours, makes it even more convenient.
Some online shopping stores offer automated discount details, which speeds up the process by saving regular items like groceries on your site or app.
Wide Product Variety at Competitive Prices
Compared to the limited shelf space of brick and mortar stores, online retailers present a wide range of products, both local and international. Search buttons make these products easier to find.
Other perks of online shopping are the online discounts and voucher codes. Many online retailers offer a large amount of these as a part of their marketing promotions. You can enjoy sweet deals year-round and fast delivery.
Product variety and competitive prices are especially important for those living in small towns or areas with no large shopping area. If this is you, look for a trusted online store that offers a delivery Australia wide.
Avoid Crowds and Sales Pressure
Shopping in malls can be exciting and fun and sometimes overwhelming. You can avoid crowds and long lines at the checkout by shopping online. This can be especially helpful around Christmas and Black Friday. You can also avoid unnecessary spontaneous purchases.
Although we can all use sales personnel’s knowledge, their assertiveness can sometimes be nerve-racking. It’s even worse if we leave the store buying something we don’t even need just because we felt pressured to buy it. We can avoid the sales pressure with online shopping.
More Product Information
We can find much more information on products online than on the product labels in the stores. The description is more accurate, although it depends on the ethics of the online store. On online stores, it’s quick and easy to browse through hundreds of products in a matter of seconds to find what you need.
There’s also plenty of research and product reviews from trusted and unbiased sources, like different blogs. Many bloggers and influencers make vlogs on testing products, outlining the pros and cons. This can be very helpful, especially if we find ourselves before a big purchase.
Research has shown that many shoppers start by doing online research following up an in-store purchase. No matter the future of brick and mortar shopping, it looks like there will always be an element of e-commerce to it.
The Benefits of Shopping In-store
Better Customer Service
In-store shopping makes for a more personalised shopping experience. Everyone can benefit from the advice and input on products from friendly and knowledgeable sales associates in stores.
This is especially true for local and specialised stores. Small business owners are also very passionate about the products and services they sell. Shopping in such stores will for sure be a fond memorable experience.
You Can Try on and Test Products
While you can find more product information on the web, you get to test them and try them on in stores. This is especially useful for cosmetics and perfumes, clothes, and more significant purchases, like a mattress or a new car. Interacting with the product before making a final purchase is a substantial benefit of shopping in stores.
In-store Promotions
These promotions are designed to attract customers to brick and mortar and build brand or product awareness. You can buy quality products at very low prices using in-store promotions.
Instant Gratification
It feels good to get what you buy immediately after shopping. If you are impatient and don’t like waiting for a delivery, you probably prefer brick and mortar to online stores.
Support Local Businesses
This is one of the main reasons why many people stick to traditional shopping. They like the impact they have on the local community. However, this doesn’t refer to brick and mortar only, as many retailers have online shops too.
Final Thoughts
Online shopping is becoming more and more popular lately, and people of all ages have started to get interested in using the web to make purchases. Convenience, variety and better hygiene are the main reasons for this. While it won’t replace the traditional way of shopping, it certainly makes buying easier. So, what’s your favourite?
