Each year shopping online is growing from strength to strength and becoming ever more popular. Love it or hate it, more and more of us are doing it, now more than ever. These days pretty much everything is available online and since its introduction to the public in the late 1980’s the internet has changed the way we do things dramatically.
From shopping for the latest gadgets to buying the mundane everyday needs like groceries and even printer cartridges,…. from paying the utility bills to booking a once in a life time holiday even the most sceptical computer-phobic must admit that the internet has its uses and can make life so much easier.
One of the benefits of shopping online is that small companies can often compete with larger companies on a fairly even footing so it’s possible that by doing a bit of shopping around to not just find things that are not readily available on the high street but are also at bargain prices online.
Another benefit of shopping online is convenience, shopping online is usually quick and easy and you can visit many stores in a short time and compare prices instantly all from the comfort of your home or office. Some argue that buying online is more environmentally friendly than getting a bus or using a car to go shopping, from this point of view it’s not really, if you buy goods online they still have to be delivered so whether you’re using a bus, a car or a delivery van the environmental impact is minimum.
For some people shopping is not about looking online at all, some people enjoy the whole high street shopping experience, the hustle and bustle of the shops, being able to touch and feel before you buy and to be able to buy, pay for and take home the goods there and then. No waiting around for deliveries to arrive, all makes high street shopping beneficial.
There is also the social experience of shopping on the high street that you don’t get online, the meeting up with friends or family to go shopping, often stopping for lunch or a coffee, for many people high street shopping is more than just shopping.
Another deciding factor for many people when deciding whether to buy online or on the high street is trust. Most shops you see in the high street or shopping centres are recognised trusted brands, most of these also trade online too but sometimes when shopping online you don’t always know who you are buying from and if they are a reputable company or trader.
Even when buying from major retail websites like Amazon it is not always clear if you are buying from Amazon themselves or a trader who is using the Amazon platform to sell their products. It can be confusing as anyone can trade on websites like Amazon and Play.com but the rule of thumb here is to take a little time to read and look at who is actually selling the products. Usually the major retail sites like the two mentioned above are quite strict on monitoring the traders, after all they want you have a good online experience and hopefully a return visit to their website.
The practical advise when shopping online is to look around and read reviews and feedback, often if customers have had a bad experience with a certain company or trader they will write a review, there are many independent review websites around online. Make sure that the website you are ordering from has a telephone number you can call if things go wrong and don’t be afraid to call them before you buy. Try and avoid websites that just have email contact, it could be difficult to get answers if there is a problem.
There is an exception to the rule when it comes to trawling the internet looking for a better deal, for instance when buying things like ink cartridges, there are many websites selling cartridges online, often from other countries, some good and some not. Find a company that you can trust to supply you with good quality cartridges and a good customer service to match and if you are happy with them then stick with them. Don’t allows go for the larger brand companies; give the smaller companies a chance too.
The final thing to consider is security, you wouldn’t wonder around the high street waving a wad of cash around, if you did you would stand a chance of being robbed, and the same goes with shopping online. Make sure that the website you order from is displaying either the green bar in the browser or is showing the padlock at the bottom of the page. You can click on these and the website should display its security SSL certificate. These symbols are there to show that the website you are using is secure and all the information you input is protected, safe and secure. Using your initiative obviously helps, if you see something you are not happy with contact the company and discuss it with them. Most good online companies will allow you to place an order over the telephone, this way you have the benefits of speaking to someone to give you piece of mind.
