Online Shopping vs. In-Person Shopping — Which One Is Best for You?

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced almost all of humanity to stay in their homes to avoid getting infected. Despite the difficulties the lockdowns, quarantines, and social distancing measures presented, many online selling platforms found this their best chance to flourish.

As a result, online shopping became one of the most popular ways of purchasing various things, from groceries and electronics to even items only found in other countries.

However, not everyone is happy with this paradigm shift, especially the people who prefer old-fashioned in-store shopping.

So which method is better?

Online Shopping - Pros And Cons

Online shopping is quite the new player when it comes to people's shopping experience. However, it is popular due to the many advantages it offers.

According to Ramsey Solutions, Online Shopping is a great way to save money due to the many promos and coupons available while doing so, even if the shipping fee cancels it out.

It also provides the convenience of not leaving home or work to go grocery shopping, or buying electronics and even clothes - a lifesaver during the early stages of the pandemic, when people are required to stay in their homes to "flatten the curve."

Payment Cloud also mentioned that online shopping gives competitive prices than when shopping in person.

However, online shopping has its weak points. For starters, customers can't touch the merchandise until after purchase. This fact is a deal breaker for people looking for a more hands-on approach.

For example, trying out clothes, despite technological advancements giving people the ability to try them out virtually, is impossible to do, preventing people from seeing if the size they selected fits them or not.

Another detriment of online shopping is the inability to ensure the quality of a certain product for themselves since it can only be touched after the purchase is made. Making returns or item swaps are difficult, but not impossible.

In-Person Shopping - Pros And Cons

Traditional shopping, or in-person shopping, allows you to do what you can't with online shopping. You can use all five senses while shopping, and talk to salespeople immediately to know more about an item you fancy.

This ability to ensure the quality from the get-go is especially useful when it comes to electronics, jewelry, and clothes unless you are familiar with how materials work and the right measurements and sizes. A picture of an item on an e-commerce platform can only give you so much information before you want to see the item for yourself.

You can also get your items immediately rather than waiting for them to be delivered to your doorstep. Although same-day delivery services blur the line somewhat, not all items are guaranteed to arrive on the same day, especially when they come from overseas.

However, in-person shopping has its disadvantages. You can get your items immediately, but you'll need to either have a car or transportation large enough to get them home - a luxury many people don't have.

You'll also have to wait in line to get your items checked out and billed before taking them home, which takes up time and a lot of energy.

Speaking of energy, you'll be physically exerting yourself to go from one store to another, meaning that you could spend more than intended to keep yourself fed and hydrated.

Verdict

Ultimately, it all comes down to people's preferences. Some items are good to purchase by online shopping, while some are better bought in person. The trick is identifying which items you're willing to buy online and which to purchase in-person.