Online shopping can be an excellent resource for those looking to expand their purchasing
options and save money. Saving travel fuel/expenses, avoiding parking hassles and crowds, not
waiting in long queues for billing and checking out, being able to read reviews are few of the
many advantages of online shopping. It comes as a package along with some disadvantages
like: one cannot inspect your product(s) physically, no possibility of price-negotiation, unsafe
and unreliable delivery promises, challenges in getting money refunded, etc. Write a paragraph
analysing and balancing the pros and cons of online shopping.
Answers
Answer:
ADVANTAGES OF SHOPPING ONLINE
You can do it 24/7. You can shop whenever you want. If you want to buy a new Mobile at 3 a.m., you can.
You can shop from the comfort of your own home. If it is hot outside, you don't have to go out in the heat. If you don't feel like getting dressed, you can wear your pjs (or even nothing at all). If there is a foot of snow on the roads and you can't get out, you can still shop. Also, if you don't feel well, this is definitely the way to shop
Wide variety of stores within a few clicks. This is very important for me since there are few stores in our locale. However, I can get online and find almost anything I need or want. I have been able to sample foods from all over the world via online shopping
Comparison shopping is simplified. Let's say your Wife has told you that she would like apple ipod for her birthday. Comparing the prices of this ipod is much easier online than by running to a variety of video stores. The easiest way is to use some price comparison sites such as ebay.in or tradus.in.
Discount coupons and Cashback are more readily available online. For example, if you are planning to buy a book at a Local bookstore, you are unlikely to find a coupon to reduce the cost of the book. However, many online bookstores (like other types of online stores) offer discount coupons.
DISADVANTAGES OF SHOPPING ONLINE
It takes time to get your items normally 2-3 days or in some cases 10-15 days to receive your bought item.
You can only see what will fit on one page at a time. When you walk into a Local store, you can see many more items at a glance. When I know EXACTLY what I want (item name, brand, style, etc.), I find that I can locate the item more quickly online. However, if I only have a general idea (or less) of what I want, then I find that it can take me much longer to shop online. For example, if I am looking for a gift for a friend's birthday but I don't know what to get her, I will probably have to load MANY pages before finding the perfect gift. However, I find that I can browse through the store more quickly for purchases like these.
If you have a slow connection or if there are many shoppers at this site, shopping will take F-O-R-E-V-E-R. I only have a 56K dial-up modem so I find that online shopping can take a considerable amount of time. Sure, I know that it does take time to get into the car, drive to the store, park, walk around the store, check out, find the car, drive home, and unpack the stuff. However, at least I am busy doing these things so I don't get as annoyed as I do when I have to sit and wait for page upon page to load.
You can't buy with cash or write a check (at most sites). If I want to pay for PENDRIVE at local store, I can pay cash, write a check, However, on-line one is typically limited to using either a credit or debit card. Update: Now there is feature like COD same like cash, where you can pay while it deliver to your home.
You can't touch the item, let alone try it on. The same difficulties one encounters while shopping from a catalog plagues online shopping also. That wonderful burgundy dress that you see on the screen may actually turn out to be more of a purple shade. Or, the material may be flimsier than what you had expected. And, it will probably look much better on the model than it does on you (unless you are a raving beauty also). In a B&M store, you see the real color, can feel the material, and can try on the item. Likewise, I have a hard time imagining how big a 9" X 3" X 8" purse is. However, when I can pick it up in the store and compare it to the purse I am already carrying, I KNOW if it is the size that I would like. I also KNOW if I like the feel of the material, whether the straps will comfortable fit over my shoulder, etc.