Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping

Technology is the fastest means of communication, and due to the rapid growth of technology, business organizations have switched to the electronic method of selling goods in as much as it is been known that there are also online shopping disadvantages and advantages

Nowadays most people prefer shopping online because many products can be found cheaply online and they can also be delivered to your doorstep at your convenience.

However, if the goods that are been shopped online are not exactly what you need, it is easy for the transaction to be canceled. Online shopping disadvantages are also criticized, if the vendor sends the wrong item or when the goods are been delayed and this actually tarnishes the image of online shopping.

To know about online shopping’s disadvantages and advantages, I will encourage you to keep on reading this interesting article.

What Is Online Shopping?

Online Shopping is the process of purchasing goods online. it is also a type of e-commerce which develops every day and the number of individuals using it is increasing in number on a daily base.

It is easy for the buyer to shop online because all they have to do was to go to the website that has the product they want and they can purchase it in the comfort of their home.

Also, it is possible for one to make payment on delivery and you can also pay online after purchasing the items on the website.

Advantages of Online Shopping

The advantages of online shopping are many, they will be listed below:

1. Convenience

Convenience is the greatest benefit of online shopping because customers like to shop from their comfort zone, and shopping is been made easy and flexible for them through the internet. shoppers are been given enough time to shop without being in a queue behind or before anyone.

Shopping from the convenience of your home gives the customers a good discount on the product, details about the product, range, and availability of the product and you can also cancel the transaction easily, all this can be done from the comfort of your home.

2. Better Price

Online shopping gives a better price for the product that is on sale because the product is purchased directly from the manufacturer or the seller. A lot of vendors post their goods online and because they know they have competitors they tend to do flash sales during festive periods.

Most vendors always do discount sales in order to attract more customers and to beat other competitors. this gives the shoppers to purchase goods at a cheap and affordable rate.

3. Multiple Variety

Online shopping gives you the advantage of having multiple varieties. Online stores are not limitless in size, colors, and designs of products, they give you the benefit to buy everything you have been searching for online.

Shoppers from every part of the world can access or shop for any goods they love and want without any limitations to the goods.

4. Saves Time

Customers don’t have to go to the store and wait in a queue in order to be attended to before they can be able to purchase the items they want.

Online shoppers don’t need any transportation before they can be able to buy the items they want, all they have to do is to log into the website and purchase the items from the comfort of their home and office.

Therefore online shoppers get a free stress day, and they get to conserve their energy.

5. Online Tracking

Online shoppers can track the goods purchased and delivered to them, with the tracking number until the goods get to them safely. Shoppers use the tracking details given to them by the vendor to also verify if the vendor is a legit and reliable retailer, whenever their products get to them.

6. Privacy

Online vendors give customers the privacy to purchase the goods they want without being interrupted, unlike stores. The shopper gets to calm down and decide what they want, they are not been pressured by other customers.

Moreover, privacy online helps customers to purchase their goods without knowing who they are and being ashamed of what they are buying. and you are not been pressured by the seller.

Online shopping helps everyone to enjoy their privacy while shopping, you can buy luxury things and a huge amount of money can be spent without being scared of being exposed to criminals.

7. Sending Gifts Easily

Things are getting easy by the day you can now send gifts to your loved ones on special occasions. The gift will be packed and shipped by online vendors to the address we have entered. They will even pack the gift. So, no need to make an excuse for long-distance for not sending a gift on occasions like birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, father’s day, mother’s day, and others.

What Are The Disadvantages of Online Shopping?

There are several benefits of online shopping, but online shopping’s disadvantages are equal to the advantage, because for everything that has an advantage there is also a disadvantage, therefore here are the disadvantages of online shopping:

1. Delay in Delivery

Products bought online are not delivered instantly to the buyer, therefore it’s absolutely impossible to guarantee that you can get your products immediately after you have purchased them. This is a result of distance or delay on the part of the shipping or logistics company.

2. Risk of Fraud

There is a high risk of fraud in online shopping, such as hacking, identity theft, credit card scams, counterfeit products, and others. Therefore customers have to be careful in revealing their personal information. Some of the e-tailers are unreliable and because of this people are scared of buying things online.

3. Damaged Products

Another bad thing about shopping online is, that there is a possibility of the product being damaged before it gets to you.  This may be due to a delay in the delivery, accident, or negligence of the shipping or logistics company.

Most times, the products bought in online stores may be lost in transit or delivered to the wrong address, and this makes most customers complain or leave a bad review.

4. Lack of touch with Items

In online stores it is impossible to touch or feel the item you are purchasing, the sizes, texture, quality, and durability of the product cant be known, you only predict just by looking at a photo. Products that looked great might feel chintzy, awkward, or cheap when they are delivered to you.

5. Lack of Opportunity to Negotiate

Online stores do not give shoppers the opportunity to bargain with vendors concerning the prices of the products. Unlike physical stores or markets where shoppers can negotiate for the prices to be reduced.

6. Lack of Shopping Experience

Traditional shopping provides a lot of fun in the form of a showroom atmosphere, smart sales attendants, scents, and sounds that cannot be experienced through online shopping, because of this most customers prefer going to the store to purchase the products they need.

7. Returns are Complicated

The purchase process online can be smooth and easy online, but the return process can be complicated and difficult for you to return their products or get a refund. Many times, you can’t get reimbursed for any shipping costs.

Also, labeling, packaging, tracking, and filling out all the proper forms are stressful, these are things you can avoid if you purchase the products from a physical store.

Tips to Stay Safe When Shopping Online

Scammers mostly operate online, in order to stay on the safer side when shopping online, here are the tips to guide you:

1. Beware of goods that are too good to be true: Before buying anything online compare the prices of the product with the product you want to purchase, and if the deal is ridiculously low, you should be wary. Sometimes fake sites are set up to steal your money or access your personal information.
2. Trade with a familiar or reputable trader: There is a high chance of losing your money if you trade with a scammer online. Therefore is advisable to shop with familiar or reputable traders, because if this goes wrong they can assist you.
3. Protect your personal information: Reputable retailers will never ask you for your personal information in other to complete your purchase. If they ask you for your personal information such as your social security number, it’s a total red flag, it’s advisable not to trade with the vendor.
4. Choose a strong password: It is advisable for an online trader to have a strong password because the mistake that people make is to use passwords that criminals can easily guess. Ideally, your password should be composed of a complicated mixture of upper and lowercase letters, along with numbers and symbols.
5. Track your purchase: Tracking your purchase is a good way to know if you have been scammed by an online vendor. If the vendor refuses to give you the relevant details of things like the shipping information or delivery status of your order, it’s a potential red flag, and you can take appropriate action to stop the transaction. In most cases, the vendors also give fake shipping information.
6. Keep records and receipts of transactions: Always endeavor to keep records and receipts of your transaction because you will need the details of your purchase to get your money back or report a crime if something goes wrong.
7. Check your statement of account, bills, and receipts: It’s always necessary for you to check your statement of account, credit card, bills, and receipt so as to know when there is an illegal transaction, that way you can identify when a fraudulent act is been carried out.

Conclusion

It is been known that people prefer online shopping because it is easy for them to purchase goods and services from the comfort of their homes and offices. It is efficient, and accessible to everyone across the world. The benefits are being taken advantage of by millions of people who rely on online stores.

However, there are also disadvantages to online shopping. These include fraud, delayed delivery of goods, and damage of goods during shipping.

Moreover, It’s not good for you to purchase every product online, do not get addicted to it. Also try to give a chance to local stores, in order to be on a safer side.

Online Shopping FAQ

Reference:

• toughnickel
• tutorialspoint
• thebalance
• sis.binus.ac.id

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