The pros and cons of online shopping (From the perspective of a consumer)

I remember the very first time I shopped for something online.

My high school best friend’s birthday was weeks away, and I had to get her the perfect gift. So, while my AP history teacher discussed foreign politics, I surfed the web.

I’ve since considered myself something of an e-commerce connoisseur. I can easily navigate almost any online retailer’s site and leave satisfied — possibly even snagging a discount or two. 

As such, I’ve decided to detail my thoughts on e-commerce shopping through the lens of its pros and cons when compared to the physical shopping experience. 

Here’s what I’ve experienced throughout the years:

Online shopping feels easy

Now, I’m not saying online shopping should ever take precedence over academia, but there is something particularly attractive about crossing a task off my to-do list whenever I want to. 

I’ve never been much of an avid in-person shopper. It simply feels like too much work to sort through stacks of clothing just to discover that my size isn’t there. Not to mention the trouble it takes getting to a physical store.

Online shopping has always been easy for me. It provides a level of convenience that traditional shopping experiences just don’t. What would take me hours to do with a physical store (commute to store, look for clothing, stand in line), would take half the time if I was doing it online. All I have to do is type in a few words, click a few buttons, put in my card information, and I’m done and on my way to complete the next task for the day. 

...but it's not perfect

Of course, where there are pros, there are also cons. When you’re shopping from the comfort of your home, you aren’t in the store — and while I’ve highlighted some bright spots from this sort of scenario, being in the store does come with its advantages.

In addition to sorting through clothes, I also don’t like trying them on, but I can admit that doing so is often necessary. Trying on clothes allows me to get a true sense of what the apparel will look and feel like. If I like what I see, I’m guaranteed to leave the store satisfied and if not, I can immediately return the item to its rack and never worry about it again. 

The e-commerce experience isn’t quite like that. Once you order your clothes you have to wait for them to be shipped out. This could take days or even weeks, and while a size guide might help, there’s no guarantee that I will love the clothes once they get them. This then opens another can of worms, as I’ll have to travel to their nearest mailing office and return the items.

I’ve encountered this scenario plenty of times and in most cases, the thought of returning an item was too complicated to deal with. So, instead of getting my money back, I placed the unworn clothes in my closet.

Online retailers have been the recipients of my hard-earned dollars much more often than brick-and-mortar stores. On one hand, this is because of convenience, and on the other, it’s a result of digital shopping carts. When you aren’t physically pushing a shopping cart or carrying items in your arms, it can be easy to forget just how much you’ve “picked up” while shopping. 

E-commerce stores have their fair share of perks and drawbacks, but they still have my heart. Take this post as a reference for how some consumers feel about online shopping. It’s sure to be helpful in this digital age.