Internet Shopping Versus Brick And Mortar Shopping

Time has a way changing the regular patterns of our life. We always expected to do things they way they had always been done. People just could fathom being without a land line. Carrying a atlas or map in glove compartment was second nature. Movies were seen in movie theaters not at home. Pay phones were on most corners and change was kept handy in case you had to make a call. We have come a long way from the statement ‘we will never need a computer in our home” and “no one shops online”. The way we think and do things has evolved with time. A good example is online shopping versus the more traditional in store method. If brick and mortar stores still hold an advantage over online shopping it is not much. The gap may well be closing.

When weighing the difference between traditional brick and mortar stores and online shopping there are a few things to consider. Certain factors have been given by consumers as an important influence on their shopping choices. Some of things considered most important are pricing, selection, convenience, delivery, returns, and security.

With today’s economic situation price is still a very important factor as it has been in the past. The effects of reduction in work hours, layoffs and the rise in overall unemployment has had a big impact on retail sales. Household budgets are greatly reduced compared to the past few years. Deals are what people are looking for. Lower prices are offered by online stores because their overhead is lower. When you have to pay for sales people, rent for retail space and display place like most traditional retail outlets this takes a chunk out of operating capital. Resources are further sapped by things like utilities. They have to take in and make the most of busy times to carry them through the eventual slow ones. There is a cost associated to everything. This takes into account transporting products from the manufacturer to the regional warehouse and then to the store location at the end of the line. Theft is another drain on the profits. These issues are mostly avoided or greatly reduced as far as impact with the online retailers. The bargain is usually found with the online store.

In some instances selection may be an issue. In the past because online outlets tend to specialize, selection has been a weak point. What this meant for customers is that unlike the big box stores the options to choose from were limited. They typically specialized in hard to find items. The opportunity to move these slow sellers was greater since they were addressing a national market. We are seeing a change in this trend however. The big box stores have migrated online and have million of items to choose from. The new generation of online stores can now compete in hard to find markets as well as the wide variety arena. This is a huge advantage for the online guys.

In the past convenience has been the biggest edge the brick and mortar stores have held over the online stores. The brick and mortar places have what you want right now. You can put your hands on it today. For those of us who tend to procrastinate we will use the brick mortar store. Brick and mortar stores often offer helpful knowledgeable salespeople on site. A negative is the store is only open at certain times of the day in most cases. On the other hand, if you plan ahead you can make your purchases in the comfort of your own home and never get out of your pajamas. By doing this you can eliminate the cost of gas and save time. When you shop from home, sales tax usually isn’t an issue. Online stores offer detailed description and picture of the products and are available when you feel like shopping. The online store is always open, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year.

Delivery from a brick and mortar store is usually available for a cost. Most online stores offer discounted rates or even free shipping. The only way to determine this is research. You have to go online and do your homework. This is a contributing factor to cost and really is on a case by case basis.

Both brick and mortar and online shops are much the same when it comes to warranties. Some do not offer any while others offer extended warranties and additional warranties. Once the sale is complete service is the same with both types of shops. Check out the store policy at the time of purchase just to be clear.

Returns are usually allowed by both types of stores. Policies vary from retailer to retailer. Online stores are going to require you repackage the item and ship it. Shipping and restocking fees should be determined. These usually are not the case if the item was defective. The best policy is to notify the seller as soon as you are aware of a problem. The same is the case for a brick and mortar store. Make sure you did not buy an item marked “all sales or final” or “as is”. These types of items will not allow returns.

For some time people have been wary of security risks when dealing with online stores. Stolen information was a huge concern for most people. This issue has been resolved for the most part. While security breaches can occur, dealing with reputable online and traditional retailers can minimize this risk. Stay away from operations that are low budget or suspect.

The time of brick and mortar stores being in the driver’s seat are fading quickly. It looks to be that today the online retailer is pulling slightly ahead over the more traditional venues. The conclusion is that online retail stores are a practical solution for the people of today. es than not where the online retailer holds the advantage over the traditional retailer.

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