Online shopping

Author — Elena Berdnik

   In the modern world, no one goes shopping and pulls heavy bags home. Everyone more and more likes online shopping, without intrusive consultants, goods which cost us a fortune, queues and other things which make us irritated.

   Despite the record growth rate of Ukrainian online shopping before the pandemic, the self-isolation regime attracted at least 8 million buyers to Ukrainian online commerce according to Data Insight analytics. The Ukrainian Association of Companies reported that the Internet market has grown by 44% since the beginning of the pandemic.

    In this article, you will not get copywriter advice, but experience from a real founder of an online store in the past. I hope it will be useful and give a positive result for reflection. And of course, you will improve your English reading skills.

     What are the benefits of online shopping and store?

• Less price;
• additional information and product description;
• no geographic boundaries;
• large selection of goods;
• reducing rental and staff costs;
• always available.

Less price

     First and the most important is less price due to low store maintenance costs. Not only that one, but also a domain and hosting, which is required for the stable operation of an Internet resource, costs less compared to the cost of an offline store. One huge drawback of renting is that it costs them a pretty penny. Another drawback which leads to additional prices are staff work, stands, and signs and as a result, we have goods that are more expensive in off-line shops.

Additional information and product description

  The ability to receive all the important information immediately, have a full description of the goods, like the structure, the size, available colors for the purchase, estimated delivery time, e.c.t. is also important.

No geographic boundaries

   Internet without borders. You can get your products not only anywhere in the world where you have access to the Internet, but also get your order directly to your home. 

Large selection of goods

   The range of goods can be as wide as possible. Even though the online store can be large, it can offer the buyer to find the right product quickly due to the products sorting into categories and subcategories. For example, the «Women’s Clothing» section might include «Dresses», «Pants», «Shirts» and so on.

Reducing rental and staff costs

   Another point in favor is that many products online are cheaper than in offline stores. This is easy to explain: the owners of online stores do not need to spend money on renting trading floors, on the protection, and sellers’ salaries, and the services of intermediaries. This can lead to a reduction in the product price.

 Always available

  The Internet shops are always connected and always at hand. On balance, access to your online store is possible around the clock and seven days a week. On the whole, this means that goods in your store can be purchased at any convenient time. 

There are also some disadvantages of online shopping:

• the likelihood of cheating;
• the thing cannot be touched;
• delivery difficulties.  

The likelihood of cheating

   The most serious problems in online stores are fraud and the likelihood of cheating. Any request to transfer money for receiving the order should alert you. If you want to buy goods, remember that serious online stores will not ask you to transfer money to a virtual wallet or mobile phone account. Look at the average cost of similar products. Too low price should make you suspicious.

The thing cannot be touched

   Of course, no photos can compare with the ability to touch the goods with your hands. Therefore, it is better to buy on the Internet only what you can imagine well. This is especially true for clothing — buy things that belong to your brands, and if possible, it is desirable to get several sizes at once to choose the right one.

Delivery difficulties

   No one can be insured against some accident situations, as a result of which the order may arrive to the recipient later than the stated deadline. Many of us, as recipients, have at least once experienced unpleasant problems when we receive damaged packaging or damaged goods. Also, note the fact that not all stores offer free shipping. In many places, you will have to pay extra for it. 

  On the one hand, shopping takes a lot of time to visit regular stores: to go there, to choose, then you have to wait for a free consultant, stand in line at the checkout, etc. As a result, customers receive orders directly to their homes. In order to buy the necessary things, sometimes you have to spend half a day off that you wanted to hold on your own. The online store does not deliver such inconvenience. You can place an order at any time, carefully select the model and get it delivered.

   On the other hand, with the advent of new technologies designed to make life more comfortable, scammers also get new tools. If the seller requires a full or partial prepayment for the purchased goods to be transferred to an electronic account, think about how ready you are to trust a stranger. 

   In addition, today, online shopping is as natural as using a cell phone or email. In the online store, you can buy almost any product from a book to an expensive TV. Choose official online stores with high ratings: this will help you be protected from the possibility of running into scammers.

   In conclusion, I hope you will have successful shopping and great purchases, fun shopping and a great mood, great ideas, impeccable taste, high income, and a wide choice. I wish you huge discounts, «ridiculous» prices and only high-quality goods in your shopping!

Photo be Andrea Piacquadio: Pexels