There are people who still shy away from shopping online even in the third decade of the 21st century. Among the countless reasons why they still want to queue up in front of a store or carry wads of cash with them is the failure to understand all the benefits of shopping from the comfort of one’s home.
Even the world’s largest department stores have limited space for displaying goods. That’s why there is always a limit on the quantity and more importantly, on the variety of goods, they can offer to shoppers.
On the other side, a virtual store doesn’t have any housing issues, as the only physical impediment is the number of warehouses it operates or leases. Therefore, its online shopping platform can offer a variety of products that a brick-and-mortar store can only dream of.
Since shoppers can browse wares using nothing more than a touchpad or a computer mouse, they can buy various items in one place. Online retailers are constantly adding more items to their virtual store by increasing the number of suppliers and/or third-party sellers. For shoppers, the sheer volume of items offered for sale means they can get their weekly shopping done in a couple of minutes.
Speaking of speedy shopping, the Sunday trip to the mall can turn into a real drag. There are traffic jams, searching for a parking spot, getting the shopping trolley, waiting to get inside the store if there’s a line at the entrance, etc.
Shopping from the comfort of your home is hassle-free and you actually get to save money by getting groceries delivered to your doorstep. The gas money spent and the time wasted cruising among supermarket aisles costs you more in the end than flat delivery costs.
If you wish to be economical, you are bound to find better deals online than you would after perusing through branded catalogs and leaflets. Firstly, the number of well-designed B2C shopping platforms is so big that it creates a virtual, yet a real competitive market.
Discounts, e-coupons, and specials never cease online. Quite the contrary, special offers only multiply during the holiday season, for example. On top of it, retailers run customer loyalty programs, so the more you shop online, the bigger the discount over time.
As already pointed out, shopping in a brick-and-mortar store costs you time and money before you even enter it. To shop online, on the other hand, you just need Internet access and a valid credit/debit card. Moreover, e-commerce platforms are known for a high level of user-friendliness, so even seniors can shop online without much difficulty.
The first thing a person new to shopping online, like your grandma or grandpa, is going to ask is whether it’s safe to shop online. Identity theft through untrusted sources is a real issue but there are safety protocols and certificates businesses have adopted to protect their shoppers.
To start with, credit cards are encrypted and retailers usually outsource this segment of their business to companies that solely deal in secure payment options. Actually, you are safer shopping from the comfort of your home than you would be inside a crowded supermarket.
In reality, it’s hard to list all the benefits of shopping online. As the number of online shoppers increases by the day, they discover the full scope of benefits of armchair shopping, from the variety of items offered to an unparalleled level of security of online payments.