The Internet is profoundly affecting almost all businesses and commerce paradigms. It not only provides the opportunity for companies switching from “brick-and-mortar” traditional behaviour to “brick-and-clicks” businesses style, but also opens up new opportunities to provide quality products and improved customers services in the most efficient way as traditional businesses provide. In addition, Internet marketing also offers several benefits such as timing, immediacy, less expensive, targeting and scalability. Some studies have showed that people worldwide are making greater and more diverse use of the Internet meanwhile Internet sales continue to grow up. According to Statistics Canada report, that more Canadian used the Internet to purchase goods and services year over year. Internet has become a supplement to traditional retail shopping more than a substitute. In fact, Internet marketing has become an essential part of today’s electronic business since its core value is its ability to promote productivity and efficiency.
However, online shopping does not provide hundred percent satisfaction, it has shown several cons once you step into this practice.
Below is a brief list of advantages and disadvantages of online shopping.
Advantages:
1) Convenience
2) Save you plenty of time
3) Often cheaper with discounts and coupons (not always)
4) High levels of flexibility and comparisons
5) Wider variety of products and selection
6) Sending gifts to friends or others may be cheaper
Disadvantages
1) Shipping problems and delay in delivery
2) Products can’t be tried or close examined, what you see is what you get; therefore returns can be complicated.
Usually, sizing issue is a top reason shoppers return online orders. Also, you can't determine texture, fabric, fit, cut, quality, heft, or durability just by looking at a picture from your computer screen or smart phone; products that looked great might feel chintzy, awkward, or cheap when you hold them in your hands.
3) Online shopping is not always cheaper than real market shopping
4) Spending too much time online may decrease productivity
5) No prompt sales assistance, response time may be very slow
6) Risk of fraud, scammy, phising or complicated websites in online shopping
Online shopping is a complicated process, at some point, you may have to trade off functionality for convenience and price.