Advantages and Disadvantages of Buying Online .....Saving Money, Avoiding Tax, Finding DEALS
Sep 25 '05 (Updated Oct 03 '05)
The Bottom Line In my experience the advantages of online shopping are massive. I have saved money, time, and found unique purchase options. I highly recommend shopping at websites.
Online shopping has saved me money, time, and I appreciate the convenience of shopping when I want and dressed how I want. Additionally I can locate specialty items, such as replacement parts or rare/hard-to-find merchandise. I have enjoyed the benefits of online shopping for several years now. During this phase of time I have -fortunately- encountered minimal negative situations. Generally speaking the customer service representatives of said merchants resolve issues. Such wasn't the case once, but in the end I -thankfully- wasn't out any money. I highly recommend shopping at web sites and will continue to make most of my purchases online.
The +Advantages and -Disadvantages of Buying Online
+ MONEY SAVED
I have saved money by not having to pay sales tax (as a resident of Washington State, no sales tax is charged at online sites that don't have a physical location in Washington State). Additionally I can use sources such as epinions.com, froggle (froogle.google.com)to comparison shop, with a savings from minimum to more than 50%! Prior to completing an order check at sites such as currentcodes.com, for various discounts at multitudes of sites. And the online comparison shopping takes no gas, minimal time, and the options are better than driving from store to store.
We all realize how expensive gas is now, this is a real pain when the store my daughter(s) want to shop at are miles away. Thankfully most of these merchants now have online stores. I send the girls browsing at the online site, they usually find what they want, thus saving me gas expensive and time.
- SHIPPPING COSTS
Although the majority of online stores charge shipping, which can add up at certain sites: several offer free shipping when your order exceeds a certain amount, or free shipping on certain items. Also, when signing up for email alerts - you often receive savings codes which discount or eliminate shipping costs.
+ & - SELECTION
Depending on the merchant, you might find a better assortment of the items you want to purchase online. Case in point, when shopping locally for Skechers shoes, local store fronts often carry -perhaps- two color variations in a given shoe style. Yet when I browse online, I find that the shoe is actually available in several color options. This is double satisfaction for me. As I usually pay less online for the shoes, and I purchase a color variation that is different than most of the local shoppers. My oldest daughter adores this, as she really doesn't like to wear the same shoe as multitudes of her classmates.
I also remember a shopping excursion where my oldest daughter wanted a certain jacket, yet our local fashion bug didn't have her size (silly store only stocked four total), alas the online site had it and promptly delivered it.
Last year when it was time to select a competition dance costume, I turned to the internet, and satisfactorily located the camo items we needed. Locally we were limited to traditional army greens, blue, and khaki. Thankfully we were able to locate and purchase the purple theme items on the web.
I have encountered a few instances where the online shopping site has less selection than the local store. Mostly this occurs with clothing merchants. However I have often found that the selections differ, so although we didn't find a certain pant style, we found/purchased a pair we actually liked better.
- WAITING FOR DELIVERY
Obviously when you locate items at local storefronts you leave the store with them. So while waiting for delivery might be considered a negative, sites -usually- offer multiple shipping options, varying from overnight to ten business days. On the average, with normal shipping, I receive merchandise within one-week. This can be a challenge when you have time constraints. Such as those times my youngest daughter forgets to tell me she is using her last pair of dance tights and she needs a different color tomorrow.
Another annoyance of delivery, is when you work away from home and a signature is required. I realize this is for safety purposes, so I am mostly thankful. Yet there have been a couple instances where this requirement -in my view- was unnecessary and a pain.
- RETURNING / EXCHANGING
In my view returning items to websites is annoying because often you have to pay return shipping and if you are exchanging an item, shipping charges on that shipment too. Usually if the online store has local storefronts, you can make returns or exchanges at the brick and mortar site. A few sites, such as shoebuy.com offer free shipping and free return shipping. These policies are disclosed to you.
I adore sites that offer true sizing guides and excellent graphics, as these options aid toward purchasing the proper size and that you will like the color/style.
CONCLUSION
Overall I am very thankful for online purchasing options and will continue to shop at websites. The savings of both money and time are precious. Additionally the convenience of being able to order what I want, 24 hours a day, from the comforts of my home or office, is appreciated. There also is a sense of satisfaction when, instead of tossing a product, due to a broken or missing part, I am able to replace the broken/missing item. If you have any questions about shopping online, please email.
Happy Shopping!
©2005 Lisa_J
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Epinions.com ID:
Lisa_J
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 - Top 50 |
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Location: Pacific Northwest - Washington State
Reviews written: 1010
Trusted by: 667 members
About Me:
Mom of two wonderfully spirited daughters. Childcare Director. Spectator fan of dance.
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