The insanity and exhilaration of holiday sales both play a part in how consumers choose to shop. Some may prefer online shopping over in store shopping, while others may prefer shopping in stores rather than shopping online.
Shopping online can make things a whole lot easier for those who are busy with jobs and such, but it can also make things more complicated in that you may not know the quality of the item you just ordered. Another unenthusiastic quality about online shopping is that shipping and handling fees may apply. This is the main reason why some people prefer not to shop online.
When shopping online, people should read the reviews of the products before purchasing; however, not all people do that. According to Fortune’s Ecommerce Blog, a study showed that only 57 percent of respondents consider reviews before purchasing.
In an actual store, you can see the quality of the item you want to purchase and then decide whether it is a good buy or a waste of money. Also, you only have to pay for the item and the taxes that apply; no extra fee is added to the payment. However, there are fewer items to choose from when shopping in stores and there are some corporations that only sell items online.
Matt Demereck, a senior at Loy Norrix High School, prefers in-store shopping over online shopping.
“I like how you can actually see the item in stores rather than just looking at a picture of it online,” said Demereck.
The biggest sale of the year, Black Friday, upsets many costumers when they have to wait in line to check out their items. This could result in the costumers leaving early due to impatience. During the Black Friday of 2011, Kohls mailed everyone a ten-dollar gift certificate to be used on Black Friday; however, this certificate was to be used before 1:00 PM. Lots of people were still in line at this point and did not get the chance to redeem this certificate. On days like these, shopping online would be quite beneficial.
Mallory Thorne, a sophomore at Kalamazoo Central High School, prefers online shopping because she does not like the hassle of shopping in stores.
“I like to shop online since there is a wider selection and it’s faster,” said Thorne. “Sometimes, I can’t find my style in stores so I look for it online and most of the time, I find it.”
Thorne also experiences problems when shopping online because it may or may not be what she was expecting.
“I know my perfect size, but when I order it from several different places, they’re not the same fitting,” said Thorne.
With online shopping, you do not have to wait in line for your order to be processed. You can shop whenever you want and you do not have to deal with other consumers, especially during the holiday seasons when the line is insanely long and it could take hours until checkout. Most importantly, shopping online saves valuable time that could be spent elsewhere.
When shopping online, people need to have patience for the product they ordered to arrive at their doorstep. This could take days, weeks, or even months to arrive. Online shopping is a smart choice for those who do not mind this long wait.
Tisha Pankop, a Loy Norrix English teacher, ordered a car charger for her iPhone (which is being shipped from China) approximately a month and a half ago and it still has not arrived.
“I’ve checked on it and they say it’s coming,” said Pankop. “I wish I would have gone to Meijer and bought one right off the shelf truly.”
There are advantages and disadvantages to both shopping online and in stores, but it is really up to the consumer to decide how they want to shop, whether they like to go out to the mall with friends or save some time by shopping online.
