Wazzup Philipinas!
You’re all dressed and ready to head to the mall for your sports shoes shopping. Along comes your best buddy who tells you that you could get the same pair of shoes online at a cheaper price, plus free delivery to your home! Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? What do you do then? Do you still head to the mall or do you get online and search for your favourite pair of shoes? If you have experienced this dilemma before, then the following arguments are undeniably titillating.
The question that keeps popping up in recent years is whether or not online shopping is the better way to shop as compared to the conventional way of shopping – heading to the retail outlets. Online versus offline, which is better? Before we start a fist fight between two parties, here are some reasons why offline and online shopping work well respectively.
OFFLINE / CONVENTIONAL SHOPPING
The traditional way to shop
As human beings caught in a routine, we have the tendency to gravitate towards the familiar – that which we are used to. Moving out of our comfort zone is too much hard work. Hence, the conventional way of heading to the mall or popping by our favourite outlet is what we would do when buying products and getting services.
Seeing is believing
Nothing can replace the experience of seeing, touching and feeling the product you are about to purchase. When the product you are surveying is physically in front of your eyes, you become the quality control agent, dispensing your wise judgement on whether or not the product is worth the money. This works especially well with clothing, premium jewellery, food and possibly large appliances.
Overall shopping experience
The thrill of going to the shopping mall or simply leaving the house to window shop is something we all have felt since we were kids. Hearing and seeing the intriguing sights and sounds of the shopping mall keeps our minds alert and curious. Especially during the festive seasons, this excitement is amplified thanks to colourful decorations and catchy festive music.
Interaction with other people
Sitting at home in your jammies is all good when you’re an introvert. But what if you’re a socialite who loves meeting people and making new friends? Conventional shopping can be such a therapy as you get to interact with people everywhere. Bring your friends along to share in your shopping experience!
ONLINE SHOPPING
Change is the key to progress
Moving into a world where everything is put online for easy access, the right thing to do would be to subscribe to online shopping. A progression from yesterday to tomorrow is how online shopping has benefited society at large. Look at it this way; we’ve already started performing many other transactions online such as online banking, online billing, online booking and even online food delivery. So why not online shopping?
Convenience
Simple convenience has become the push factor for most people to try online shopping. Firstly, you can find almost everything online. From food to toys to electrical appliances and furniture. In some countries, you can even buy cars online. Secondly, you can literally shop from anywhere (granted there is internet access). Shop from the office, from home or when you’re on holiday. You also have a wider range of products to choose from as compared to conventional shopping. Make purchases from half way around the world by accessing the online stores. To avoid the confusion of searching through the many websites, iPrice has consolidated a wide variety items provided by hundreds of e-tailers across Southeast Asia, where one can search, compare prices and save with great deals all on one site.
Fast
Of course it isn’t as fast as conventional shopping, but delivery times these days have been reduced to a minimum. Shopping online means waiting a day or two for deliveries within the country, while deliveries from overseas are cut to about a week in waiting period. Imagine buying products from overseas at discounted prices, delivered to your home in such little time. How amazing is that?
Competition benefits consumers
Don’t we love low prices and great discounts on all our purchases? With retailers going online, competition between online stores becomes fierce. Consequently, the consumer has the ultimate benefits. Online retailers compete for attention and get it by reducing the prices on their merchandise or giving the customers amazing perks such as Buy 1, Free 1 privileges. That’s not even the amazing part. The best aspect to online shopping is the ability to have your options laid out. You have the chance to compare stores, compare prices and compare products from all over the globe. Using price comparison websites such as iprice, gives you a look into other retailers’ prices and product features. Price comparison is particularly useful for electronics such as smartphones and tablets.
Coupons help you save money!
Who would have thought that saving money while shopping online is so easy? Online coupons are awesome! Coupons give you the flexibility to shop without worry about cost. Some examples of coupons you can take advantage of are:
· 20% off products with every new sign up
· Buy 1, free 1 within the period of a month
· Refer a friend and get 50% off next purchase
With irresistible offers like this, you can save loads just by a few clicks of a button. How cool is that?
Maximum privacy
In this day and age, we can find almost anything on the internet. It is no surprise then that most of us would be hesitant to use online shopping services. Most of us are comfortable doing online banking thanks to security systems in place. The same goes for online retailers. Security is top priority as customers’ personal details and privacy are valued. On the topic of privacy, online shopping creates a safe zone for you to shop for products that you may not want others to know about. Think about it, shopping for underwear and intimate pleasure products would be a whole lot better now that no one knows you’re purchasing them. No more prying eyes judging your purchasing decisions.
Transporting products is a breeze
Buying products the conventional way creates the problem of having too much to carry around. You can’t fully enjoy your shopping experience when you have to carry your larger products around or push them in a trolley. With online shopping, you get your purchases (no matter the size) delivered to the address of your choice.
Conclusion
So, is online shopping really better than conventional shopping? The answer is not in black and white. We would say it depends on personal preference and the type of products you are shopping for. The best option would be to combine conventional shopping and online shopping for a holistic shopping experience. Coming back to the scenario of buying sports shoes, if you are already in the mall, you can try on the perfect fit, take note of size, come home and shop online for that pair at a cheaper price. All in all, we have to be wise in our purchasing methods to save money, time and effort.
The question that keeps popping up in recent years is whether or not online shopping is the better way to shop as compared to the conventional way of shopping – heading to the retail outlets. Online versus offline, which is better? Before we start a fist fight between two parties, here are some reasons why offline and online shopping work well respectively.
OFFLINE / CONVENTIONAL SHOPPING
The traditional way to shop
As human beings caught in a routine, we have the tendency to gravitate towards the familiar – that which we are used to. Moving out of our comfort zone is too much hard work. Hence, the conventional way of heading to the mall or popping by our favourite outlet is what we would do when buying products and getting services.
Seeing is believing
Nothing can replace the experience of seeing, touching and feeling the product you are about to purchase. When the product you are surveying is physically in front of your eyes, you become the quality control agent, dispensing your wise judgement on whether or not the product is worth the money. This works especially well with clothing, premium jewellery, food and possibly large appliances.
Overall shopping experience
The thrill of going to the shopping mall or simply leaving the house to window shop is something we all have felt since we were kids. Hearing and seeing the intriguing sights and sounds of the shopping mall keeps our minds alert and curious. Especially during the festive seasons, this excitement is amplified thanks to colourful decorations and catchy festive music.
Interaction with other people
Sitting at home in your jammies is all good when you’re an introvert. But what if you’re a socialite who loves meeting people and making new friends? Conventional shopping can be such a therapy as you get to interact with people everywhere. Bring your friends along to share in your shopping experience!
ONLINE SHOPPING
Change is the key to progress
Moving into a world where everything is put online for easy access, the right thing to do would be to subscribe to online shopping. A progression from yesterday to tomorrow is how online shopping has benefited society at large. Look at it this way; we’ve already started performing many other transactions online such as online banking, online billing, online booking and even online food delivery. So why not online shopping?
Convenience
Simple convenience has become the push factor for most people to try online shopping. Firstly, you can find almost everything online. From food to toys to electrical appliances and furniture. In some countries, you can even buy cars online. Secondly, you can literally shop from anywhere (granted there is internet access). Shop from the office, from home or when you’re on holiday. You also have a wider range of products to choose from as compared to conventional shopping. Make purchases from half way around the world by accessing the online stores. To avoid the confusion of searching through the many websites, iPrice has consolidated a wide variety items provided by hundreds of e-tailers across Southeast Asia, where one can search, compare prices and save with great deals all on one site.
Fast
Of course it isn’t as fast as conventional shopping, but delivery times these days have been reduced to a minimum. Shopping online means waiting a day or two for deliveries within the country, while deliveries from overseas are cut to about a week in waiting period. Imagine buying products from overseas at discounted prices, delivered to your home in such little time. How amazing is that?
Competition benefits consumers
Don’t we love low prices and great discounts on all our purchases? With retailers going online, competition between online stores becomes fierce. Consequently, the consumer has the ultimate benefits. Online retailers compete for attention and get it by reducing the prices on their merchandise or giving the customers amazing perks such as Buy 1, Free 1 privileges. That’s not even the amazing part. The best aspect to online shopping is the ability to have your options laid out. You have the chance to compare stores, compare prices and compare products from all over the globe. Using price comparison websites such as iprice, gives you a look into other retailers’ prices and product features. Price comparison is particularly useful for electronics such as smartphones and tablets.
Coupons help you save money!
Who would have thought that saving money while shopping online is so easy? Online coupons are awesome! Coupons give you the flexibility to shop without worry about cost. Some examples of coupons you can take advantage of are:
· 20% off products with every new sign up
· Buy 1, free 1 within the period of a month
· Refer a friend and get 50% off next purchase
With irresistible offers like this, you can save loads just by a few clicks of a button. How cool is that?
Maximum privacy
In this day and age, we can find almost anything on the internet. It is no surprise then that most of us would be hesitant to use online shopping services. Most of us are comfortable doing online banking thanks to security systems in place. The same goes for online retailers. Security is top priority as customers’ personal details and privacy are valued. On the topic of privacy, online shopping creates a safe zone for you to shop for products that you may not want others to know about. Think about it, shopping for underwear and intimate pleasure products would be a whole lot better now that no one knows you’re purchasing them. No more prying eyes judging your purchasing decisions.
Transporting products is a breeze
Buying products the conventional way creates the problem of having too much to carry around. You can’t fully enjoy your shopping experience when you have to carry your larger products around or push them in a trolley. With online shopping, you get your purchases (no matter the size) delivered to the address of your choice.
Conclusion
So, is online shopping really better than conventional shopping? The answer is not in black and white. We would say it depends on personal preference and the type of products you are shopping for. The best option would be to combine conventional shopping and online shopping for a holistic shopping experience. Coming back to the scenario of buying sports shoes, if you are already in the mall, you can try on the perfect fit, take note of size, come home and shop online for that pair at a cheaper price. All in all, we have to be wise in our purchasing methods to save money, time and effort.
A content writer with a flare for the dramatic and a hint of narcissism, Joel takes pride in everyday situations to make the most of life’s experiences. A passion for movies and creative arts along with a desire to change the world is what drives Joel to write. A hero in his own world, Joel aims to see the positive side of life by embracing life’s challenges one step at a time.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
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