The Future of Online Shopping
The internet technology was initially implemented to facilitate quick access to information and user connectivity. However, it hasn't taken us long to harness the technology and now it serves as the largest medium for sales! The dot-com has redefined sales. Goods and services from all over the globe can be accessed and delivered from your very own comfort zone. The web is no more just a medium for information sharing; today dedicated users create web pages and extend connectivity world-wide. Users of the technology now read, write, school, shop and even conduct business via the internet. It is also referred to as online shopping or web shopping. Like the regular real-life shopping experience, online shopping or web shopping is the process of buying and selling over the web!
Scope of Internet Shopping
The internet enables you to log on and shop from the comfort of your home. You get to identify the products off the racks, compare the prices and quality and even view the products from different angles. It enables you to read reviews on the product or services and take a purchase decision in a lesser time frame than you would otherwise need. In the case of those who do not like the idea of trying out apparel a dozen times before buying some, the dot-com gives them the opportunity to order from special catalogs, where the apparel is displayed and the size simply has to be picked and entered! The most exciting aspect is that it is a 24x7 affair! The 24-hour accessibility makes shopping, especially during the festive season, so easy.
The Method
You can shop for just about anything on the net; books, apparel, CDs and electronics. The online experience provides the best revenue stream for a number of online and offline order companies. The sales of clothing, textiles and shoes comprise the largest segment of the online business and this makes it by far the most frequently used method for buying. The accessibility and volume of sales have ensured that no outlet or brand can afford not to offer customers of every segment in society a chance to indulge in ordering online. Ideally, you log on to the preferred or researched site and click on the product or service you wish to view in detail. The screen displays pictures of the item from different angles and color possibilities and the details such as dimensions and price.
You then simply click on the item and place it via a 'drag and drop' or a simple click into the shopping cart. Once you are through, the billing is done and the products chosen are shipped home, in the case of an overseas indulgence, or dropped at your doorstep, if local. The payments are done via credit card and the security of your personal details is safe-guarded and guaranteed. There are retailers present on the internet in some form or the other and they offer you real value for the investment and time spent online.
Advantages
The distinct advantages of online shopping include the 'return' facility, so that customers who are not satisfied with the product can send it back. The indulgence is 24x7 and via colorful catalogs. The best advantage is the fact that you don't have to worry about the lack of time on hands to take care of gift or grocery shopping! You can take care of the requirements from the office computer or from the one at home, after a hot shower and meal! It also gives users a chance to shop at mono-label stores, where they can find entire current collections of a label and in all sizes, without having to run from store to store.
Disadvantages
Well, it does take away the fun of virtual window shopping, feeling fabric before a purchase and tasting confectionery. The thrill of the great outdoors, the dining out after extensive festive shopping and lapping ice cream as you check out options are sadly all ruled out. It is an individual preference, whether the convenience and accessibility outweigh the family outings or vice versa.
