Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping

Online shopping

Nowadays, online shopping is increasing; most people prefer; online shopping instead of; traditional shopping. There are different brands of products; on a single platform and offers with discounts. However; there are some advantages, and disadvantages of online shopping.

With the growth of technology, different business organizations accepted the electronic method of purchasing and selling goods. Buyers and sellers use the internet as the prime medium to conduct commercial transactions.

Online stores do not have space constraints, and there are a variety of products displayed on websites. Following are the advantages of online shopping.

Advantages of online shopping

1. Convenience

Shopping is made easy and convenient for the customer through the internet. It is also easy not only to purchase the product but also to cancel the transactions. Customers can buy any product from their home, workplace, or from anywhere.

2. Save time (Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping)

You don’t have to go anywhere and waste your time purchasing the products. The product is delivered to your doorstep within a couple of days. So, customers can save their most valuable time.

3. Price selection

Cheap deals and better prices are available online; because products come to you direct from the manufacturer or seller, without involving other agents. So, it’s easier to compare prices and find a better deal. You can find offers, discounts, and rebates on many online sites.

4. Saves money

Most of the shopping sites offer discounts to the customers on the occasion of festivals. Because of the direct sell, elimination of maintenance, real cost, the retailers sell the products with attractive discounts. Sometimes, large online shopping sites give a comparison with products and their price. It also helps customers to purchase the right product at wholesale prices.

5. Free shipping

Shipping from another country is much more expensive than making the larger shipments bricks-and-mortar retailers order. Some retailers offer free shipping on large orders. Another advantage of retailers is the ability to switch suppliers and vendors without disrupting users’ shopping experience.

6. Check the status

There is a facility for customers to check the purchase status of the product. Everyone can check and track the status of orders. Tracking of shipping is also available.

7. Home Delivery

Once the customer paid online, the goods or services can deliver package delivery, the postal system, and courier at home. Delivery was always a problem that affected the convenience of online shopping. However, to overcome the delivery problem, the retailers brought in a store pick-up service. In this service, customers could purchase goods online and pick them up at a nearby convenience store; making online shopping more advantageous to customers.

8. Ease of Return (Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping)

Online shopping is a form of electronic commerce, which allows consumers to buy the product directly. Consumers are concerned with the ease of returning an item in exchange for the correct products or refund.

9. Online payment (Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping)

Most people use their credit cards to make payments. However, some systems enable users to pay by using alternative means, such as; cash on delivery, check credit card, debit card, e-money, gift cards, etc.

Disadvantages of online shopping

Ease of use is the prime reason which drives the success of e-commerce. Some people fear becoming the victim of addiction to online shopping. Following are the disadvantages of online shopping.

1. Hidden cost and other charges

Traditional shopping gives a chance to customers to touch and check the object. But in online shopping, customers cannot feel the thing. You can see the image and read the description. Brick-and-mortar stores also collect consumer information. (Advantages and disadvantages of online shopping)

2. Lack of bargaining experience

Indians love bargaining. The traditional shopping exercise provides a lot of fun in the form of a show-room atmosphere; elegant sales attendants, and sounds. But the customer cannot experience it through a website. While shopping online, you can get cashback, discounts, and coupons, but this is not the same as bargaining.

3. Delay in the delivery

In traditional shopping, you can receive the product instant after the payment. It doesn’t happen in online shopping customers should have to wait for some time or days.

You can purchase any product within ten to fifteen minutes. But the delivery of the product to the customer’s doorstep takes about 1 to 30 days. During big sales, it takes too long to deliver the product.

4. Lack of interaction

Online shopping mart offers a service to talk to a sales representative. If purchasers have any queries, they can ask right there. But, this does not happen in online shopping. (Advantages and disadvantages of online shopping)

5. You can’t touch the product

In online shopping, you can see the image and read the description. Brick-and-mortar stores also collect consumer information. (Advantages and disadvantages of online shopping)

6. You can’t examine the product

The customer has to buy a product without inspecting how it looks by checking all the sides. Customers may click and buy some products without checking and touching the products. The color, appearance, in reality, may not match with the electronic images.

7. Privacy (Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping)

Many consumers wish to avoid spam and telemarketing or from supplying contact information to an online merchant. Online payment methods are not much secured. The rate of cybercrimes has been increasing; and customers’ credit card details and bank details are misused, which raises privacy issues. Brick-and-mortar stores also collect consumer information. (Advantages and disadvantages of online shopping)

8. Fraud and security concerns

Fake online shopping portals attract customers by showing great offers. These types of websites accept only online payment, and they don’t receive cash on delivery. In this case, customers will either receive a replica of the products or no product at all. With the lack of ability to inspect the product before purchase; consumers are at higher risk of fraud than face-to-face transactions. When ordering a product online, the item may not work appropriately; or it may have defects, or it might not be the same item pictured in the online image.

Bottom-line (Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping)

Shopping is a need of everyone. Online shopping and traditional shopping both types of shopping has some drawback. Make sure there is no time for remorse after purchasing the item. Though shopping is the best remedy for all ailments, beware of the cheater.

Read: Traditional Shopping Versus Online Shopping

How To Spot Fake Shopping Sites | बनावट शॉपिंग साइट विषयी