Shopping is one such activity which is fond of everyone. Isn’t it? From budding ones to age-old there are plenty of things such as clothes, cosmetics, accessories, Haircare, skincare products, home appliances, groceries, decorative articles, other necessities, and what not, to purchase every day. Hence, the word Shopping grabs attention and creates interest in the people. 

Shopping is usually done either online or offline. Online shopping means buying things from shopping apps & websites. After the advent of e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, etc. The shopping trend has shifted to online.

Offline shopping is about visiting a Store or a Mall to buy things. It is physical, tangible and gives a real shopping experience because people can explore new places and learn new insights. Both types have pros & cons. Yet it is people’s choice because Some purchase for usefulness, while others buy things with the fantasy for new things.

WHY DOES ONLINE SHOPPING HAS BECOME POPULAR?

There are many reasons to bring out to state the popularity achieved by online shopping. 

Firstly, the advent of Smartphones with Smart features has laid a convenient path for online businesses to enter the market. Because the world has attracted and noticed the use of Smartphones and started purchasing them. 

Secondly, Developing apps for E-commerce sites have made buying easier because it is easy to recognize & download apps. The Process of placing an order is not so difficult. Payment can be done in different modes. And the availability of a wide range of products in different brands had also influenced the shoppers. 

Thirdly, Digital marketing & social media marketing has helped a lot in advertising, targeting & positioning these sites and their products. After the rise of the Digital world, each of us is always hanging on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook. Hence, the reach to the audience is higher. 

How is online shopping different from store shopping?

There are a few criteria that describe the difference between online shopping & store shopping. They are as follows.

No Need for Physical Store:

From matchbox to machinery, everything is available for the customers to purchase online. There is no need for any physical place for shopping. The products are delivered to the doorstep of the customers. 

Process of purchase:

The process of buying products is not Rocket science. Anyone can easily place an order. After opening the shopping app or the site, select the products to buy and add them to the cart. After completing this step, it directs to the next step i.e. Payment step. Once the payment is done the user can track the details of product delivery. 

Modes of Payment:

 In online shopping, Payment can be done through net banking, debit/credit cards, UPI apps such as G Pay, Phone pay, Paytm, Cash on delivery. 

Product Delivery:

Products are delivered to the customer’s doorstep without any interruption. If a customer wants to gift any product, they can add multiple addresses to the site. And the product will be delivered to their doorstep. 

Other Facilities:

Online shopping provides return and replacement facilities if any damaged product or wrong product is delivered. Different Sales & discounts are also available with other facilities like vouchers, Coupons, Cashback & rewarding points are provided to encourage users for shopping. 

What can be the challenges for Online shoppers while purchasing? 

Even though Online shopping provides multiple facilities, yet there are some difficulties faced by the customers such as

• Delay at the time of product delivery. Sometimes the product cannot be reached within the delivery time to the customer. 
• There is Meesho a chance that a customer can receive a wrong product or a product with an improper size. 
• Customers can face difficulties while doing online payments because sometimes a server problem can arise.
• If any garments are shopped, then an alteration facility is not provided like in the Mall.

These are some online shopping challenges faced by people usually. But they can be resolved easily and make the customers feel satisfied.

WHAT IS OFFLINE SHOPPING?

Offline shopping simply means going to a store to buy something. It is amazing hanging out with loved ones to explore new places, sometimes bargaining with the merchants and wandering the entire Mall to pick the right choice. Hence, offline shopping gives true satisfaction.

Pros of Online shopping :

• In Offline shopping, shoppers can pick up the liked things on the spot and use them in the next moment of purchase.
• The colour, appearance & quality of the products can be seen and noticed.
• If the customers want to purchase garments they can trail different sizes & colours many times. Some shopping malls provide alteration facilities too. 

Cons of Online shopping :

• Offline shopping consumers a lot of time. Shoppers have to make a prior plan and adjustment in their routine to go out shopping. 
• In this pandemic situation, there is a possibility of spreading the virus from one person to person. Even after sanitizing the hands and putting on a mask, there is a risk of spreading. 
• Buyers have to visit other stores if they could not find what they needed. 

I usually do online shopping because of lack of time but also enjoy going to a store in my free time. I buy clothes from Myntra, Amazon, Meesho. NYKAA & PURPLE are the best fit for buying cosmetics. To shop electronic appliances, Flipkart & Amazon is wonderful place.

I enjoy shopping on these sites because they are the most trusted e-commerce platforms. I like the sales & discounts which are offered during festivals. The products are delivered in time without any delay.

Another interesting thing is that Meesho, an E-commerce app encourages small businesses for non-working women. That means they can resell the products by purchasing the products from this app. Is it not amazing? Yes. It is. People staying at home can earn money and create a business of their own.

FAQs

Q) How can I place an order in Myntra? 

A:It is a simple and similar process to how to purchase on Amazon. Firstly, download and open the Myntra app. Create an account by login in using mail ID. Select what you want to buy in different categories and add them to the cart. After finishing your shopping, go to the cart. It redirects you to the payment process. Complete the process by fulfilling the credentials and placing your order.

Q) How much charge can be laid on a product for delivery? 

A:Delivery charges vary from product to product. It depends on the travel distance, type of product, and the number of products you are purchasing at a time. If your purchase is more than 500 rupees you can get free product delivery without any charge. This is not the same for all E-commerce sites.  

Q)In how many days a product is delivered? 

A:Number of days depends on the type of customer you are. For example, on Amazon, the products are delivered in one day if you are a Prime customer. So, usually, it takes 5 to 7 days to get your product in your hands.  

CONCLUSION:

Every one of us loves shopping because it gives refreshment and changes the state of mood. Based on the requirement & time concerns, the preference of shopping online or offline changes. But nothing can be avoided. This article provides understanding about online and offline to the readers.