Brick-and-mortar stores have a physical presence, whereas e-commerce businesses run entirely online. E-commerce has been growing at an astounding rate and as many millennials prefer to shop online, it will inevitably continue to grow.
Growing access to the internet and mobile phones is making online shopping more popular all the time. Here are some of the benefits of shopping online.
1. Savings
Customers can compare products on multiple websites with ease and check out prices without having to physically walk from store to store. Brick-and-mortar stores have more overheads like rent, electricity etc. and so their prices are generally higher than those at online stores.
Saving on tax is possible, too, because online shops are only required to collect sales tax if they have a physical location in a state.
With a cashback extension from Checkout Saver, it is possible to get even more savings when shopping online. Shoppers simply shop as they normally would at any of thousands of connected retailers, and they get cashback as well as alerts at checkout on coupons or discount gift cards they can use to save even more.
2. Convenience
Customers are able to shop from the comfort of their homes and can do so in their pajamas if they so wish. They do not need to waste time or fuel driving to a physical location and have to deal with crowds and long queues at the checkout.
Finding a product online is also much easier than going from one local store to another to find the right product or size. According to Statista, 40% of consumers choose to shop online to save themselves time.
For those who work long hours and don’t have the time to visit physical stores, online shopping offers great convenience and they can have products delivered right to their doorstep.
3. Availability
While brick-and-mortar stores have business hours, it is possible to access e-commerce websites 24/7. Customers can make a purchase at any time of the day or night. Online stores often have various exclusive offers available to expand their customer base and there are always many ways shoppers can reduce what they have to pay.
Shoppers can sign up for free at Checkout Saver at any time, install the extension and get an alert at checkout if they are able to buy discount gift cards. They can buy gift cards worth more than what they pay for them and apply them at checkout.
4. Variety
Shoppers have access to a much wider range of products online, as it is only possible for physical stores to carry a limited range of products.
They are likely to find the brands, products, sizes, and colors they want with little difficulty as they have access to so many different e-commerce stores. Stock is usually plentiful and some stores even accept orders for out-of-stock items and then shop them when they are available.
Shopping online is not geographically limited either, and customers can visit international stores and have access to products they couldn’t access before online shopping became available. They can cash in on international trends without going on a plane to another country.
5. Privacy
Online shopping offers shoppers the privacy that they don’t get in-store where others can see what they are buying and shop assistants tend to hover and ask questions.
Some people would prefer to have privacy when buying certain items, such as lingerie or undergarments. Online shopping gives them the anonymity and the privacy they want to look at and purchase certain products at their leisure without feeling any embarrassment.