This is Not What I Ordered!

Online purchases can have more issues than going to the store and buying face to face.

Mediabuzz, a website that discusses media in modern society, tells us why in the article, What Makes e-Shopping so Compelling? See excerpts and my analysis below.

SOURCE: http://www.exacttarget.com

"The ability to compare prices between different stores quickly and easily is a big advantage for online shoppers, and they often have access to a wider selection of goods, made possible by avoiding the need to physically display them. The availability of unique goods, which may be hard or impossible to find offline, is for sure also quite attractive to some consumers. Shoppers find a greater selection online in certain market segments (for example, computers and consumer electronics) due to a relaxation of certain constraints, such as the size of a "brick-and-mortar" store, lower stocking costs (or none, if drop shipping is used), and lower staffing overhead."

The above article contains all the positive effects of online shopping. What I would call the best detail for online shopping would be the availability of the items being sold. It is very easy to go online, find the best prices, and then eventually have the product shipped to my house. 

For example if I wanted to buy a pair of shoes, I would go online and look for styles, then prises. When online shopping was not accessible, I would look at prices then styles. Otherwise I would have to travel from store to store to find the one pair that I want at the best price. I would agree with this passage in the fact that online shopping makes buying and even selling goods much easier. All it takes is a quick search on the internet and you have thousands if not millions of choices. I already know many people who do almost all their shopping online. They know how to find the best of the best will very little effort.

"Online shopping provides more freedom and control than shopping in a store and consumers are particularly satisfied when it comes to comparing prices, the wider range of offers, the affordability of products and the choice of suppliers. However, they are less enthusiastic about unclear product information, advertising, the protection of privacy, issues of trust and the possibility of returning goods."

The above article bring forth the many negative issues that occur when making purchases online. Trust is one of the biggest issues. When buying a used item from someone in a different state, it can be as risky as flipping a coin to get what you want. The internet is not always the most honest, with Photoshop and image alterers alike, what you see is not always what you buy.

Next question to be answered: What is it about retail stores that makes spending money so appealing? How do stores market to their customers in person and online?