Over the years we have celebrated hundreds of technological advancements, from the rotary dial telephones to 5G smartphones, black and white television sets to LCD smart TVs and then came online shopping. Online shopping is slowly taking over our traditional walk-in and purchase. It’s convenient and at times even cheaper. But nothing ever has pros without cons, although one can significantly outweigh the other. Beetroot discusses the pros and cons of online shopping. Weigh out all your options before you click check out.
Advantages
• Save time and money: There is no need to travel physically to the store and stand in a check out queue, which at times tend to be long. Online deals tend to be cheaper as stores offer discounts to promote online shopping and because you buy directly from the manufacturer, there is no middleman hence the cost is lower. However another way you save money is cutting of transport costs, be it car fuel or public transport fares.
• Compare prices and products: Price comparison can be within the same store or between different stores. You simply just have to open a couple of tabs on one device and make your selection. Your selection is broad, you have the privilege to shop locally and internationally with access to a variety of products.
• Discreet and Private: Shopping online allows for you to shop in the privacy of your own home, without worrying who is looking at you and judging you with regards to your purchases.
• Convenient: Online shops are open 24/7, which means you need not to worry about store doors opening or closing. You can shop in your morning gown or PJs, sitting in your bed or while watching TV. A time that best suits is all you need.
Disadvantages
• Shipping costs and delivery delays: Despite some websites offering free shipping, some shipping costs tend to be actually higher than the price of the product purchased. Products purchased internationally require a significant amount of time before they are delivered to you, some can even go over a month.
• Product malfunction: What you see is not always what you get. Product descriptions are not always accurate .You cannot try on clothes or shoes first as you would physically and electronic gadgets cannot be verified first either.
• Security risk: Online purchases require your personal and banking details. Some sites are bogus and others are not highly secure. Making a customer a victim of fraud, credit card scams, identity theft and many other scams.
• Addiction: Online shopping can easily turn into a bad habit, that often leads you to wasting your money and time. Online shops are filled with millions of items you might think you need, before you know it you are hoarding things you will use once or never. When you are sitting at your desk at work, you might fail to realise the amount of time spent scrolling through and before you realise a day is gone and you did not get a lot of work done.
Technology made its way into our world, our homes and lives. The best we can do is embrace it but always stay cautious.
About the Author
Ruth Sameke is an International Relations and Politics graduate with monumental love for simple words turned into a read. She writes her own blog, https://virtuousruth.wordpress.com and she loves spoken word poetry. She has dreams of becoming a seasoned and accomplished writer.