Benefits of Online Shopping

The advent of the internet has revolutionised the way in which we shop. As each year passes, the gap between offline spend and online spend narrows.

In 2011, 1 in 5 Christmas presents were purchased online with analysts predicting that figure to rise to 1 in 4 by next Christmas.

Here are the main benefits to shopping online

Convenience

With the busy lives we all lead, time is becoming our most valuable asset. Shopping online gives us time. Not only do you save the time you would have taken travelling to shops, walking between shops and queuing at the tills,  you are also not restricted by store opening times. Being able to shop 24 hours a day 7 days a week makes shopping inline far more convenient than offline.

It’s Cheaper

By shopping online you are only a click away for comparing the best prices from 100’s of online shops. With online retailers running their operations from a few warehouses, they don’t have to pass on the costs associated with running hundreds of high street shops. Those savings can mount up as the warehouse won’t have to pay for window dressing, store security, heating, rates, signage and staff. Whilst store prices can sometimes match online prices, it’s very rare that they better them.

When you add the cost of travelling to and from the shops when you shop offline, the savings can become quite substantial.

Choice

The variety of choice you get online far exceeds that when you shop offline. There are no boundaries when shopping online. You can shop at stores at the other end of the country without paying any extra. You can buy the latest fashions and technology from across the world. You have a far greater selection of colours, sizes, and brands to choose from. If an item is out of stock, very often you can request an email to let you know when it is available should you still want to buy it.

 Buying gifts

If you buy a friend or relative a gift offline, you will need to take it home, package it and then post it. Buying the gift online and you can have it sent directly to them with a personal message. Again, saving you time and money.

 Additional Savings

When conventional shopping you often spend more than you need to or even want to. Shopping offline is not only tiring but it also uses up a lot of energy.  Which is why shopping trips are often punctuated with stops for a break, taking in a cup of coffee and a snack, then maybe stopping off for lunch at a restaurant.

Then there is the temptation of the impulse buy. How often do we come home after a shopping trip with something we hadn’t planned on buying and very often don’t need. What is more frustrating are the occasions that you take a shopping trip, pay the cost of travel and parking, stop off for lunch, then spend hours looking but not finding what it was you went out for in the first place.

 Second Hand Shopping

Although most high streets nowadays have charity shops, the selection of goods available isn’t great. With shops like eBay and Amazon, there isn’t anything you can’t buy second hand if you want to. With many second hand products being impulse buys from offline shoppers and hardly used if at all, you can save yourself a lot of money buying second hand and still end up with a new product.

 Discreet Buying

Some shopping is better done in the privacy of your own home. If buying sexy lingerie embarrasses you, shopping online should be your choice. Sex toys and adult reading is also something you may prefer to shop for online for.

 Guarantees

One benefit of shopping online that is often overlooked, is the benefit of proof of delivery. Most products you buy nowadays come with some form of guarantee. Electrical items will normally have a one year guarantee. The guarantees are the same if you buy offline, but if you haven’t kept your receipt, you won’t be able to prove when you made your purchase. By buying online, you will always have proof of when you made your purchase.

Taking all these benefits into account, you can see why the number of people shopping online is on the up.

As long as you take sensible precautions regarding who you shop with, you can see how shopping online can be a rewarding experience.

If you already shop online or are thinking of doing so, then you could be getting free lottery tickets when you do, simply by joining Free National Lottery Tickets. If you carry out your online shopping through their links, you will get all the benefits we’ve covered, plus free Lotto and EuroMillions tickets. Sign up today!

Read our article on what to look out for when shopping online to make your shopping experience a good one.