Happiness is not in money but shopping!
We all love shopping as it is the best therapy. Shopping can instantly lift your mood and make you happy. Endorphins are released in the body, and that helps relieve stress.
There are many ways to shop for the things you need. The two most basic forms are online shopping and physical or in-store shopping. You sometimes might get confused about which one to go for, either online shopping or physical shopping.
So here is the detailed analysis of both to help you choose the best one for you.
What Is Online Shopping?
Online shopping or e-shopping means purchasing the required items digitally using the internet. Almost every brand now offers online shopping services, and there are also many specialized websites for online shopping. Online shopping seems more convenient and happy go lucky than in-store shopping, but everything comes up with pros and cons.
So, some pros and cons of online shopping are listed below to clear the picture for you.
Pros of Online Shopping
Online shopping is easy, comfortable, and much more. Some of its benefits include
1. 24/7 Availability
You can shop online at any time of the day or even at night without worrying about stores’ timing. Just grab your phone, and yes, you are ready for shopping. Anything you want is a click away. That’s pretty cool!
2. Saves Your Time
You know what they say, time is money. So you don’t need to waste your time visiting one store after another in search of your favorite thing when you can get it at your doorstep without any effort. Shopping online saves a lot of your time and effort.
Moreover, it saves you from being dragged in crowds, especially around festive occasions when stores are fully crowded with people. At home, you can shop comfortably.
3. Convenience
The most amazing thing about online shopping is that you can do it in your PJs. That’s pretty cool. Without worrying about getting dressed and moving out of your house, you can conveniently buy things you want to. Convenience is one of the significant benefits of online shopping and justifies why online shopping is better.
Besides that, you don’t have to properly plan a shopping trip if you lack the time or have a busy working schedule. Why waste time when you can shop easily lying on your couch or from your office chair.
4. Variety
There is a wide range of variety available online. You can check many websites within a little time easily, while the same thing can tire one out when shopping from stores. So this makes it a better choice to shop online.
Other than that, it makes it easy to select the best and cheapest products for you as you can easily compare different products. This comparison gives you a clear idea of the features of the items you will buy.
5. Saves Money
With special discounts and coupons for online customers, you can save a reasonable amount of money while shopping online. Moreover, you can compare different things quickly and choose budget-friendly items for you.
Cons of Online Shopping
Online shopping is a popular choice because of the ease it offers. Yet, it has some disadvantages.
1. Chances of Scam
There are chances of scams and frauds if you are shopping online. Fraudulent companies and pages ask for online payment and then disappear or send the wrong, low-quality items. So be aware of such scams.
2. Delays in Delivery
Waiting for your order to arrive is a frustrating process itself, and if it gets late, it might cause trouble for you. If the delivery is delayed, waiting can get tiresome.
3. Lack of Interaction
You have assistance while shopping in stores, but that does not happen while shopping online. You cannot try the products on or touch them to guess their quality, so you have to decide by only looking at pictures and taking the brand at their word.
4. Inability to Bargain
Some people love to bargain when they go shopping. Sadly, you can’t do that in online shopping and have to buy the things at mentioned prices.
5. Difficulty Exchange Policies
If you don’t like the product you ordered online and want to return or exchange it, you might have to undergo a long process. You might be asked to pay the delivery charges for returning the product. Exchange policy also varies from company to company.
What Is Physical Shopping?
Physical shopping or in-store shopping is a form of traditional shopping where the buyers go to a particular shop, store, or mall to purchase the desired items. In this way of shopping, you can personally try on and then buy things.
Pros of Physical Shopping
Physical shopping has some advantages over online shopping. They are:
1. The Visual Experience
Physical stores or malls provide a good visual experience for customers to see, touch, and feel the things they want to buy. This gives a feeling of satisfaction and helps you in choosing your desired items.
Moreover, you can try on clothes and accessories before buying them. This makes you feel satisfied and helps boost trust.
2. One-on-one Assistance
Traditional shopping gives you personalized assistance as there are salesmen and the other staff who can guide and assist you, helping you make better choices. Sometimes there is just so much variety in shops that one really needs this assistance.
3. No Shipping Cost
Although most online stores offer free shipping, physical shopping is always free from delivery charges. You can simply buy what you want and take it home right away without waiting for days or paying extra delivery charges.
4. Easy Return
You purchase something from a store only to come home and find that you don’t really like it or it doesn’t fit well. Don’t worry; you can easily return it or exchange it for something else. You don’t have to wait for a long time to get a response from the company. You just have to take it to the store and you are done.
Cons of Physical Shopping
But physical shopping has its cons, too! Let us look at some of them.
1. Consumes a Lot of Time
Traditional shopping is very time-consuming. You have to make a proper shopping plan and spend a good amount of time visiting shops and searching for your desired items. It takes hours and hours to shop from the mall.
Besides wasting time, you also got tired after in-store shopping. So, it’s better to shop online if you have a busy routine or tight work schedule.
2. Difficult to Compare Products
You cannot visit all the shops in the market to compare products or have an idea of price and features. You will usually shop from two to three shops, making it difficult to compare things.
3. Limited Timing of Physical Stores
The timings of the stores and malls are fixed. You cannot go shopping after a certain time or very late at night. Having a rigid routine means you cannot make shopping plans due to the lack of flexible timings.
4. Short-term Sales and Discounts
The sales and discounts offered in physical stores are often limited. You may miss the sale at your favorite store, and then you have to wait a long time for another sale — this a drawback of traditional shopping.
Online Shopping or Physical Shopping – Which One Is Better?
We have discussed both methods in detail. Both have their pros and cons, and it ultimately comes down to your preference. Everyone has different tastes, so their decision can vary. But if you talk about the present circumstances due to the pandemic, online shopping is better.
You can shop comfortably from your home, which is safe for you and others as well. Your desired things will be delivered on your doorstep, and you won’t have to step out of the house.
But again, the choice is entirely yours. So go with whatever feels best to you and enjoy.
Happy shopping!!