Online shopping is the process whereby consumers
directly buy goods or services from a seller in real-time, without an
intermediary service, over the Internet. It is a form of electronic commerce. An
online shop, e-shop, e-store, internet shop, webshop, web store, online store,
or virtual store evokes the physical analogy of buying products or services at
a bricks-and-mortar retailer or in a shopping centre. The process is called Business-to-Consumer
(B2C) online shopping. When a business buys from another business it is called
Business-to-Business (B2B) online shopping. In recent years, online shopping has become popular;
however, it still caters to the middle and upper class. In order to shop
online, one must be able to have access to a
computer as well as a credit card
or debit card. More people than ever before in history are using the Web to
shop for a wide variety of items, from houses to shoes to airplane tickets.
ADVANTAGE OF ONLINE SHOPPING
·
Incredible
convenience: In
comparison to a brick and mortar store with fixed hours, online shoppers can
choose any time of the day or night to get on the Web and shop. This is
especially useful for moms with small children, people that are home-bound, or
simply in times of inclement weather.
·
Price
comparisons: When
you visit a store, you most likely have to settle for whatever price the vendor
has placed on a particular item. Not so with online shopping - you have the
ability to compare prices from hundreds of different vendors.
·
Infinite
choice: Shelf
space in a brick and mortar store is limited, which means that your variety of
goods is limited. Not so with an online store. Plus, if you don't see what you
want in one store online, you can simply move on to the next one.
·
Easy access to
consumer reviews: It's
easy to access consumer reviews for pretty much any product you can think of
online, which makes for more informed purchases.
·
No pressure
sales: We've
all been awkwardly propositioned by eager salespeople. You don't have to put up
with that online.