online shopping disadvantages essay

Band 9 Essay Samples | Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping

by Manjusha Nambiar · Published December 2, 2014 · Updated April 23, 2024

Nowadays online shopping becomes more popular than in-store shopping. Is it a positive or a negative development? Give your reasons and examples.

Now that we can buy just about anything with a few mouse clicks from the comfort of our home, very few people actually feel the need to venture into brick and mortar stores. There is no denying the fact that online shopping has become more popular than in-store shopping. This trend has both positive and negative aspects.

On the flip side, the ease of online shopping has made many people compulsive shoppers. Most of us spend lots of time on the internet every day. And while we are on the internet, we get bombarded with numerous advertisements. For a compulsive shopper, this is a good reason to splurge. The fact that online shopping encourages us to buy things that we do not need or use cannot be denied. This can lead to debts. Also, there are security concerns. When you buy things online, you run a small risk of getting your financial information exploited by hackers. Of course, good anti-virus and anti-malware programs can offer a great deal of protection. But almost every week, we hear about data breaches at major online retailers.

To conclude, online shopping has several advantages and disadvantages. However, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Of course, the shopper has to exercise some common sense and keep their device free of malware if they want to enjoy the benefits of online shopping.

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Essay on Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping

In a world full of technologies, nothing is left from the impact of digitalization. With the emergence of the internet, everyone is going digital. Now we have power in our hands. We can book movie tickets online, we can pay bills online, we can book vehicle tickets online and even we can order food online. When everything can be done through mobile then why not shopping? Yes, you can shop for anything from your mobile phone.

Essay on Online Shopping

Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping Essay in English

Here, I’m providing short and long essays on the Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping. This topic will be useful for students and everyone who is still confused with this mode of shopping.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping Essay 10 Lines (100 – 150 Words)

1) Online shopping is when you buy a product or service over the internet.

2) Online shopping allows you to purchase goods anytime, whether it is day or night.

3) In online shopping, your item is delivered at home without going anywhere.

4) Goods purchased online are cheaper than those available in the offline markets.

5) In online shopping, customers are loaded with a variety of options and offers.

6) Online shopping is more prone to cybercrimes.

7) It has a higher chance of receiving damaged or unwanted products.

8) Online shopping sometimes does not provide full customer satisfaction.

9) Quick delivery of products is not possible while shopping online.

10) Online shopping is not meant for people who do not have smartphones.

Short Essay on Pros and Cons of Online Shopping (200 – 250 Words)

Online shopping, sometimes also referred to as e-shopping is a modern technique of buying products by making use of the internet. A wide variety of things are available in the online market. You can easily purchase them with the help of your mobile phones, laptops, tablets, etc.

Online markets are blessings for working people who follow busy schedules. People who do not want to waste time by going to the markets; they can easily buy products online. You can sit on the sofa while making any purchase. However, online shopping does not restrict you with their timings. They are open all the time on all the days of the week. All you need to do is a few clicks on your mobile phone and the product is at your home.

But it can raise several security related issues. Doing payment online requires more attention and care. Because of this reason, many people set their foot back from online shopping. Online shopping sometimes disappoints you by delivering wrong or damaged products. In fact, the long wait for product delivery is not suitable for urgently required items. While shopping online, many sites apply delivery charges on the products; hence you need to pay an extra amount. Online shopping is not suitable for the purchase of many products as you cannot check the actual quality of the product. Seeing only pictures is sometimes not sufficient to make choices.

Long Essay on Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping (500 – 600 Words)

Introduction

Earlier people used to go to distant markets to buy necessary things. There was no other available option for shopping. But now with the changing time, we have changed our method of buying things. Nowadays, people have the option to choose whether they want to go to the market or the product will get delivered to their doorstep. Yes, this can be possible when you shop online.

Making use of the internet to buy products is called online shopping. In online shopping, we can shop anything by picking them from the virtual online stores and ordering them at our address. It is a simple and convenient mode of shopping.

Online Shopping: Brief History

After the emergence of smartphones and internet technology, online shopping came into existence. Initially, it was designed to promote and advertise the products of the companies. Later, it was made possible to exchange goods using the internet. In 1994, the first secure shopping channel was established. Flowers, wines, and chocolates were the initial products that were sold online. Later the online market flourished and wide varieties of products were made available.

In 1995, Amazon and eBay established its site for online shopping followed by Alibaba in 2003. Soon after, many other online shopping sites have made their place in the market.

Advantages/ Benefits of Online Shopping

Online shopping offers huge advantages to their customers. The dependency of people on online shopping is increasing day by day. During the days of the pandemic, online shopping was the savior of the time. Some of the major advantages of online shopping are as follows:

• Flexibility: Online shopping is a flexible way of purchasing products. There is no time bound in an online market. Whenever you are free, you can scroll down for your favorite items and order them.
• Big savings: You can save your fuel, energy, as well as the time when opting to online shopping. No need to move anywhere, just move your fingers.
• Comparison: During online shopping, you can easily compare the prices of different products from different sites. While offline shopping, going to various shops to compare prices will be a hectic job.
• Huge options: Unlike limited items in the physical shops, online stores are flooded with a wide variety of items. They offer a huge option to choose from.
• Good deals: Online shopping sites throw various good deals to their customers. During any occasion or festive season, they offer discounts and low prices.

Disadvantages/ Cons of Online Shopping

No method can fully satisfy customers, and so the online method of shopping. For some people, it is a boon while some still fear shopping online. Some of the disadvantages of online shopping are listed below:

• Security: The main fear people experience while shopping online is security. If not taken proper precautions, you can easily be the victim of online fraud. Payment and privacy are other concerns associated with the online market.
• Satisfaction: Online shopping does not provide full customer satisfaction as you are not allowed to check the product physically. There are many chances of wrong product delivery.
• Difficult to return: If you are not satisfied with the product, you can return them but the process is not that simple. Some sites do not even offer an exchange or return policy.
• Delivery: While ordering anything online, it takes time to reach your destination. Therefore, you need to wait for some days to receive the product.
• Bargaining: Offline markets are a good place for people who are experts in bargaining. In online stores, prices are fixed and you cannot deny them.

Today the number of people who shop online is comparatively high.  The growing trend of online shopping has turned many people towards purchasing things online. However, many still prefer to go to physical shops to buy things. Among online shopping and offline shopping, people can choose the way that suits them better.

I hope the above given essay on online shopping will be useful for you in knowing the advantages and disadvantages of this modern mode of shopping.

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions on Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping

Ans. Amazon.in, Snapdeal.com, AJIO.com, Myntra.com, Flipkart.com, etc are some famous sites for online shopping.

Ans. Amazon.in, founded by Jeff Bezos is the leading online shopping site in the world.

Ans. Michael Aldrich was the inventor of online shopping, who established the technique of e-commerce in 1979.

Ans. You can buy many things online like clothes, groceries, electronics, packaged food, furniture, beauty and personal care products, toys, home decor, etc.

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Give the the Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping- IELTS Writing Task 2

Updated On Dec 27, 2023

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The Essay Writing section of the IELTS Writing Module can be a difficult task for many IELTS Aspirants. Thus, it is vital that you polish your essay writing skills before attempting the IELTS.

Below is a sample IELTS Essay for the IELTS Essay topic:

Give the advantages and disadvantages of online shopping.

Advantages/Disadvantages essay

Introduction

Paraphrase the topic of the essay and mention that the essay will discuss both the advantages and disadvantages.

Paragraph 1 – Talk about the advantages of how online shopping can be beneficial for people.

Paragraph 2 – Implore the disadvantage of online shopping as the cause of concern.

Restate your opinions.

Sample Essay

Despite knowing what time it is on the clock or what the weather is outside or there is a pandemic, we can conveniently buy things that we want from online stores. Very few people feel the need to venture into the stores. There is no denying that online shopping has become more popular and less tiring than in-store shopping. This trend has positive and negative aspects, which are discussed in the following essay.

On the one hand, the online shopping brings in more benefits than in-store shopping. Firstly, it saves time for both buyers and sellers as buyers do not have to travel and sellers need not show their goods one by one to every consumer. Further, they can get a perfect knock-off on the prices and easily compare the products before hitting the purchase button, leading to significant cost benefits for shoppers. In this manner, people can make more sensible decisions after evaluating and considering the price, size, and models. Moreover, it enables them to shop easily from any part of the world.

On the other hand, shopping online does not enable to touch or see the product, in reality, making it hard to examine the quality of the product resulting in purchasing the product of poor quality and sometimes impossible to return or exchange the product, which in turn leads to squandering the money. Another concerning thing is that shopping online has made people compulsive shoppers. Furthermore, there is always a risk of getting financial information to be exploited by hackers for security reasons as there is always news of data breaches even from renowned brands and sites.

On a final note, I would say that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of online shopping. Still, one must be careful of fraud and misrepresentation while buying from different websites.

Band 9 Vocabulary

Meaning – (of a disease) prevalent over a whole country or the world. Example – An influenza pandemic may have skewed the results

Meaning – a business enterprise, typically one that involves risk. Example – There was a recent joint venture between two aircraft manufacturers.

• Significant 

Meaning – sufficiently great or important to be worthy of attention; noteworthy. Example – There was a significant increase in sales after they advertised a heavy discount.

Meaning – done or chosen in accordance with wisdom or prudence or likely to be of benefit. Example – I do not think it is sensible to spend so much on a particular project.

• Squandering 

Meaning – wasting (something, especially money or time) recklessly and foolishly. Example – She squandered her allowance without any thought.

Meaning – irresistibly interesting or exciting or compelling. Example – Anna was becoming a compulsive viewer of the play.

Meaning – selfishly take advantage of someone in order to profit from them or otherwise benefit oneself. Example – 500 companies sprang up and exploited this new technology.

Meaning – an act of breaking or failing to observe a law, agreement, or code of conduct. Example – He sued the company for breach of the agreement.

Meaning – wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain. Example – He claimed he was a licensed psychologist, but he turned out to be a fraud.

• Misrepresentation

Meaning – the action or offence of giving a false or misleading account of the nature of something. Example – She is seeking damages on allegations of misrepresentation.

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Pros and Cons of Online Shopping

6 Benefits and Drawbacks to Keep in Mind When You Shop Online

Pros of Online Shopping

Cons of online shopping, how to make the most of online shopping, money-saving tips for online shopping, frequently asked questions (faqs).

The Balance / Jiaqi Zhou

Online shopping is more popular today than ever before. U.S. businesses pulled in a record $285.2 billion from retail e-commerce sales in the fourth quarter of 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. For comparison, retail e-commerce sales were $69.2 billion in the same period one decade prior.

Due in part to new and growing technology, online shopping has become incredibly easy and convenient. It also offers a greater selection than one storefront, opening the doors to products and services that may not be available at a nearby brick-and-mortar store .

While online shopping comes with several benefits, there are drawbacks to know about, too. Let's dive deeper into the pros and cons of shopping online.

Key Takeaways

• Online shopping is convenient and offers a variety of products you may not be able to find at your local stores.
• It's easier to comparison shop online, where you can access prices, reviews, and product details with a click.
• When you shop online, you need to wait for your product to be delivered to you, and you might spend more than you would if you went to a brick-and-mortar store.
• There's also a risk of fraud when you shop online. You can combat this by choosing trusted stores and paying with a card that offers fraud protection.

Convenience

Greater selection

Easy access to information

Can be more expensive

Increases risk of fraud

Leads to longer wait times

Using your computer or another digital device for your shopping needs can be convenient, offer more options, and provide insight you might not find in person at a store.

The greatest benefit of online shopping is its convenience. Through the digital space, you can buy almost anything you want from the comfort of your own home. Since online stores are open 24/7 and accessible from anywhere with internet access, it's easy to fit online shopping into your life no matter how busy you are. You don't have to plan your purchases based on when a brick-and-mortar store is open and available to serve you.

Greater Selection

Because products online live within the digital space, online retailers are not restricted to shelves and often have more inventory on hand with a wider selection of products. Also, online shopping gives you the chance to buy anything from any retailer, no matter where you're located. If you're in the market for a new lamp, for example, you'll have more options available to you than you would if you only shopped at stores in your local area.

Easy Access to Information

When shopping online, you will often find more details about a business's products than you would get in physical stores. Instead of speaking to one or two sales associates in person, you can peruse product descriptions, recommendations of similar products, and reviews from other shoppers online that may help you make a more informed purchasing decision.

Online retailers also tend to have membership options, typically via email or newsletters, that give shoppers early access to sales, seasonal releases , and other events. This way, you can be one of the first to know of offerings from your favorite brands.

Shopping for items online can also have its pitfalls, including hidden price mark-ups, an increased risk of fraud, and the inability to use or wear the item you purchased right away.

Can Be More Expensive

Online purchases can cost you more for several reasons. Even though many major online retailers offer free shipping, they generally require you to meet a minimum to qualify for it. In addition, online retailers may use several strategies to encourage you to buy more items or more expensive items than if you were shopping in person.

Depending on the state you live in, you may be required to pay an internet sales tax , too. In Texas, for example, you may have to pay a tax on out-of-state purchases delivered into Texas or purchases made from online-only sellers.

Many online retailers take part in digital tactics to convince shoppers to make more purchases, often considered impulse buys . Some include using "limited-time" sale pop-ups that reset every time users reload the page, fake customer testimonials, or messages that promote higher-cost items.

Increases Risk of Fraud

Unfortunately, online shopping scams do exist. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), online shopping is among the most common fraud category for consumers. Some scammers pretend to be legitimate online sellers with fake websites or create fake ads on real sites.

Always pay by credit card rather than a debit card, as you can easily report fraud to your credit card company. Also, it is best to avoid online sellers that only accept payment via money transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency. Scammers may encourage you to pay through these methods so they can access your money faster.

Leads to Longer Wait Times

When you shop at a brick-and-mortar store, you can generally walk away with the product you bought and use or wear it right away. Online shopping forces you to wait days, weeks, or even longer for your order to arrive. If you're in a time crunch and need a product right away, such as a gift, going to an in-person shop may be a better option for you.

These tips can allow you to enhance your online shopping experience.

Know Which Products to Buy Online

Some items are better to buy online than others because you can find countless consumer reviews, discounts, or other deals pertaining to them. For items you regularly use (such as a laptop, phone charger, luggage, or textbook), the internet may be the best place to compare offers. For things you require to have long-lasting value (like a car) or must get right away (such as groceries), shopping in person may be best.

Additionally, if there's a brand you trust or are familiar with, it may be best to bypass third-party sellers and purchase directly from their website in order to avoid potential counterfeit products or unauthorized resellers.

Read Reviews

Before you check out, read reviews on the retailer's website as well as third-party sites like Google and Facebook. This can help you find out if the retailer is legitimate and whether there may be any potential issues with the product you're about to invest in. Reviews are beneficial for small businesses , too. Ninety-seven percent of consumers read online reviews of local businesses, according to marketing consultancy BrightLocal.

Some companies have more nuanced review options than others. Clothing rental service Nuuly, for example, lets customers add photos of themselves wearing products with written reviews, enabling future customers to make empowered, smart purchasing decisions.

Examine Product Details

If you’re interested in a product, read its description. Make sure you know what it’s made out of, whether it comes with a warranty, what sizes are available, and so on. By doing so, you can avoid unwanted surprises that cost you time, money, and headaches when the product arrives.

There are many ways to save some money while making online purchases. Consider these tips to improve your online shopping experience.

Comparison Shop

If you have a specific product in mind, it's in your best interest to comparison shop, similar to how you would when looking for life insurance. Look at various online stores that offer what you want. Then, compare prices so you can find the best deal.

As you comparison shop, read product descriptions very closely. The FTC recommends looking out for words like "refurbished" or "vintage," as this could mean a product will arrive at your door in less-than-perfect condition.

Follow Online Retailers on Social Media

Online retailers often promote their sales and discounted items on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media channels. If you follow some of your favorite companies on social media, you may be one of the first to see and purchase the latest offers.

Use Money-Saving Apps or Plug-ins

There is no shortage of apps or plug-ins that allow you to save money online without the hassle. Some examples are Honey, Swagbucks, Capital One Shopping, and Rakuten. You can also look for coupon codes online on sites like RetailMeNot.com and Coupons.com.

How do you get your money back from an online purchase?

This process varies by retailer. Some may automatically refund your money when you report a problem with your purchase; others may require you to return the product first. You may not be able to get your money back at all, especially if it's after the retailer's return window. If you're buying something that may not work for you, like clothing, check the retailer's refund policy before you buy.

How has the internet changed shopping?

The internet has completely changed the shopping experience. People have access to products from around the globe. Payments are instant, and recommendations are tailored to your shopping and browsing habits. Brick-and-mortar retailers have had to respond by launching websites and improving their in-person customer experience.

U.S. Census Bureau. " Quarterly Retail E-Commerce Sales ," Page 1.

U.S. Census Bureau. " Quarterly Retail E-Commerce Sales 4th Quarter 2013 ," Page 2.

Texas Comptroller's Office. " Taxes: Online Orders - Texas Purchasers and Sellers ."

University of Michigan. " Impulse Buying: Design Practices and Consumer Needs ," Pages 6, 9, and 11.

Federal Trade Commission. " Consumer Sentinel Network ," Page 8.

BrightLocal. " Local Consumer Review Survey ."

Nuuly. " Forget Me Not Mini Dress ."

Federal Trade Commission. " Online Shopping ," See "Comparison Shopping."

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IELTS Writing Task 2: Essay on online shopping/virtual shopping/e-shopping; with planning and model answer

This IELTS Writing Task 2 post is about ‘online shopping and its merits and demerits’ . Here, I’ve discussed the advantages and disadvantages of virtual/online/e-shopping and presented a model answer on this Task 2 question. This model answer can guide you to write an answer to any online shopping related essay.

Let’s have a look at the question we are going to discuss today.

The language of this task 2 question can be different in different exams.

Here’s another example of the same question:

An increasing number of people are buying what they need online.

What are the advantages and disadvantages for both individuals and companies to shopping online?

Nowadays, e-shopping or shopping online has an increasing trend among shoppers. It has both positive and negative sides. First, we need to make a plan for writing on this topic.

Here’s a short plan that may help you.

Planning and organisation:

Here is how I’ve planned the essay with a 4-paragraph structure:

• Introduction: topic + thesis (2 sentences can be sufficient): Introduce the topic – ‘online shopping getting more popular’. Then write a thesis on how you are going to show that there are some positives and negatives of the issue.
• Body paragraph on the reasons behind virtual shopping being so popular: You can write about straightforward ideas e.g. people get more convenience, and availability or choice of products. Give some real-life examples here.
• Body paragraph on the negative sides of online shopping: Again, present some very general ideas e.g. customers get cheated and people become more isolated. Give some real-life examples here too
• Conclusion: restate your ideas Online shopping has both advantages and disadvantages. You can give your personal opinion on how the disadvantages can be reduced.

Now let’s take a look at the model answer.

Model answer: expected band score – 7.5 to 8.0

In recent years, the rate of in-store shopping has plunged due to vast opportunities for buying different products including daily necessaries from hundreds of online stores. This essay will try to demonstrate chances such as convenience and product availability as the reasons behind the popularity of e-shopping whereas it will focus on swindling and isolation as the pitfalls of this issue.

Initially, the prime reason behind the popularity of e-shopping is convenience which can be easily understood from the thousands of virtual shops all over the world. To illustrate, people nowadays are busier than ever because of the fast pace of the world and they want to save as much time as they can for relaxation. Virtual shopping gives this magnificent prospect of time-saving and so people enjoy taking it. Besides, superstores sometimes run out of products in the precise moment when people need them which online shops rarely have this crisis. For instance, I needed a flat-screen monitor a few months ago but my local store had it out of stock. When I peeped into some online stores I found it easily on eBay.

Meanwhile, though shopping on the internet looks very promising, it is not without its setbacks. Many people, mostly the newcomers, regularly complain of getting tricked on virtual shopping and the rate of complaints is increasing at a faster rate. To explain, one of my friends has recently got swindled when he paid in advance for a smartwatch. Additionally, people often become isolated in their rooms through e-shopping which can affect their feelings and behaviour. As an example, a friend of mine started shopping online a couple of years ago even though the nearest superstore was only 500 metres away. His neighbours, nowadays, describe him as an ill-mannered and antisocial person which, needless to say, is the result of being home and becoming isolated from the outer world. 

In brief, virtual shoppers obtain greater benefits if compared to in-store shoppers. Converting such shopping to a stress-free experience, it is turning out to be progressively more convenient. However, as clients may sometimes get deceived and become cut off from the social world, concerned authorities should look into the matter cautiously. (360 words)

Here are some other Task 2 questions which can be answered taking help from the given essay example on online shopping:

• Some people support online shopping because it is convenient, while others argue that shopping on the internet poses threats. Discuss both views and give your opinions.
• Nowadays on-line shopping has become more popular than in-store shopping. Is it a positive or a negative development?
• Nowadays many people go shopping in their free time. Shopping has replaced many other activities that people used to choose as their hobby. What are the reasons for this? Is this a positive or negative development?

If you have written any answer to this question, you can post it in the comment box and we can discuss about it in details. 

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Click here for a model answer to agree-disagree topic: elderly or young people as company leaders

Click here for a model answer to advantage-disadvantage topic: online shopping

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Click here for a model answer to opinion essay: qualities of a good supervisor/boss

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Essay on Disadvantages of Online Shopping

Students are often asked to write an essay on Disadvantages of Online Shopping in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Disadvantages of Online Shopping

Kalpana Chawla was born on March 17, 1962, in Karnal, India. She was fascinated by planes and the sky from a young age, which sparked her interest in space.

She studied Aeronautical Engineering at Punjab Engineering College, India. Later, she moved to the USA and obtained her doctorate in Aerospace Engineering.

Astronaut Career

Chawla joined NASA in 1995, becoming the first Indian woman to go to space. She flew on Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997.

Sadly, Chawla died in the Columbia disaster in 2003. Her life continues to inspire many to reach for the stars.

250 Words Essay on Disadvantages of Online Shopping

Introduction, early life and education.

Chawla’s fascination with the night sky began at an early age. This interest led her to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College, India. She then moved to the United States to continue her studies, earning a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas, followed by a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado.

NASA Career

Chawla joined NASA in 1988, starting her career in the Ames Research Center. She was selected for the Astronaut Corps in 1994, and her first space mission was on the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997. Despite the initial hurdles, she proved her mettle and became a role model for many.

Her second mission in 2003 ended in tragedy when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated upon re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere. Despite this tragic end, her legacy continues to inspire. Chawla’s life is a testament to the power of dreams and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Her journey from a small town in India to the vast expanses of space is a powerful narrative of overcoming societal norms and personal limitations.

In conclusion, Kalpana Chawla’s life and achievements serve as a reminder that with determination and hard work, no frontier is too far, and no dream is too big.

500 Words Essay on Disadvantages of Online Shopping

Kalpana Chawla, an Indian-American astronaut and aeronautical engineer, has been an inspiration and a symbol of hope for millions of young women in India and around the world. Her life and career represent a story of determination, resilience, and extraordinary achievement.

Career at NASA

Chawla’s career at NASA began in 1988 as a researcher, where she worked on power-lift computational fluid dynamics. Her work was instrumental in the development of space vehicles, earning her a position in NASA’s astronaut corps in 1994. She first flew on Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997 as a mission specialist and primary robotic arm operator. This mission made her the first Indian woman to travel in space, marking a significant milestone in space exploration history.

Final Mission and Legacy

Chawla’s second and final mission was the ill-fated STS-107 on the Space Shuttle Columbia. Tragically, the shuttle disintegrated upon re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere on February 1, 2003, resulting in the loss of all seven crew members. Despite this tragic end, Chawla’s legacy continues to inspire.

In conclusion, Kalpana Chawla’s life and career offer valuable lessons about the power of dreams and the importance of perseverance. Her journey was not straightforward or easy, but she never let obstacles deter her from her path. She pursued her passion with unwavering determination and broke barriers in a field dominated by men. Her life serves as a beacon of inspiration, encouraging young people, especially girls, to dream big and work hard to achieve their goals. Even though she is no longer with us, her spirit continues to soar high, reminding us that the sky is not the limit.

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Online Shopping Essay

500+ words online shopping essay.

The trend of online shopping has increased in recent times with the increase of e-commerce and digital technology. With just a single click, you can shop for everything by sitting at your home as per your choice, convenience and budget. This essay on online shopping will help students learn about the pros and cons of online shopping. We have also compiled a list of CBSE Essays on different topics to help them improve their essay-writing skills. These essays will also help them improve their scores on the English exam.

What Does Online Shopping Mean?

Online shopping is the activity of buying products and services over the internet using a web browser or mobile app. It means buyers have to go online to reach a seller’s website and then select the product they want to purchase. The buyer can pay for the goods and services either online with a credit or debit card or upon delivery. Online shopping sites are also known by many other names such as e-shop, e-web-store, e-store, internet shop, web-store, web-shop, virtual store and online store. An online shop creates a physical analogy for buying products or services. Some of the famous online retailing corporations which facilitate the experience of online shopping are Amazon, eBay, Flipkart, Myntra, etc.

Online shopping is a growing area of the digital world and technology. Establishing a store on the Internet gives various options to consumers. With the growth of online shopping, most businesses have started selling their products online. Now, just having physical stores is not enough in this fast-paced world. Having online store interfaces for consumers has also become essential for running a business in the current scenario.

Benefits of Online Shopping

There are numerous advantages of online shopping. People feel more convenient while shopping online. They can shop from anywhere at their own convenient time through easy and safe payment methods. Online shopping has empowered consumers with various advantages such as convenience and time-saving, lower search costs, better product selection, lower prices, etc. One of the biggest benefits of online shopping is that you can buy the items you want with just a single click. Online stores are open 24 hours a day and are accessible from any location with an internet connection.

Online stores carry more variations and provide more varieties of a product as compared to traditional stores. This is because online stores don’t need to attractively display their items on shelves, and they can keep a larger amount of inventory on hand. They might also have small amounts of each item since they don’t need to display them and can order more from their supplier as needed.

Online shops tend to provide more information about items for sale than you would get in a physical store. Product descriptions most often include a description from the manufacturer, another description from the vendor, specific technical and size details, reviews from professional magazines and journals, and reviews from people who have bought the product. Having all this information available when you are considering a purchase makes you a more informed consumer without having to perform extra research by yourself.

Online stores are not burdened by the costs of running a physical store, such as the rent of the physical premises and wages of sales staff. The cost savings by online stores lead to lower pricing on the internet, passing on cost savings to shoppers. The internet encourages online vendors to compete with one another by lowering prices.

Disadvantages of Online Shopping

The benefits of shopping online also come with potential risks and dangers. When you shop online, you can’t touch or try out the product. You have to depend upon product pictures only. You can’t buy the product instantly. If you don’t get the product in hand immediately after payment, you have to wait for delivery, which can take days to weeks. There is no guarantee that you will get the product in its original shape; it might get damaged on the way. Sometimes, the product is very different from the pictures and description due to various reasons and also has poor quality. If, after receiving the package, expectations weren’t met, you need to go through a returns process which can be time-consuming. Apart from these, there is also a chance of security threats from online shopping. If the site is not secured, you have a risk of losing your card information.

Online shopping is one of the convenient ways of purchasing different products. However, there are some products which are better if they are purchased from physical stores. So, in the future, we can expect online stores to improve their technology, making way for a much easier and faster shopping experience.

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The Disadvantages of Online Shopping for Consumers, Essay Example

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Since the creation of the internet, e-commerce has become one of the largest buying networks in the world. There is so much convenience with shopping online that many do not think about the mere disadvantages of it. These consumers are more concerned with being able to shop from their own home, save time, and do things on the computer rather than go out and spend the time shopping for the things that they want or need. Customers like the ease of access that the Internet has to offer while shopping online. They also like fact that it is normally not a hassle and they do not have to shop around other people or deal with clerks inside stores. Unfortunately, these short cuts may come with some serious problems in the end. E-commerce is not as safe as many say and it can cause many more unexpected problems for the consumer. There are many disadvantages of online shopping which include identity theft, credit card information security, general costs as well as shipping costs, less inspection capability, difficulty of returns, and the consumer’s time.

Two of the major disadvantages of shopping online for consumers are that of identity theft and credit card information security. According to Jeff Fischer (2001, pp. 66-69), “many potential shoppers continue to express credit card security concerns.” (p.69). This is not surprising as too many companies do not spend the time protecting their customer’s identity and credit card information. Too many companies do not protect their buyer’s information enough. These are important factors as they deal with the security of the consumer on the internet. Unfortunately, this could go very wrong and people can begin to use this information for purposes other than what it was intended for in the first place. There are too many hackers, too many computer savvy individuals who are just phishing for information in order to steal someone else’s identity and use it for their own benefit. Online businesses need to combat this by not requiring so much information from their customers in order for them to make a purchase on their websites. These companies need to be responsible for the customer’s information and how it is used. If they do not have to accept responsibility, most companies won’t and this can not only be detrimental to their company, but to their customers as well. Credit card information security is just as important. Many customers are required to use a credit or debit card in order to pay for their purchases online and this can create a slew of problems for the customer and the company if not protected. In this particular case, it is important for the consumer and the company to be smart about credit card information. This is not just up to the customer; however, it is of utmost importance for the company to keep the customer’s credit card information safe. Plain and simple, just be honest. Combatting identity theft and unauthorized use of credit card information can be done if more companies take the time to protect the consumer from fraudulent activity. According to Communications of the ACM (1999, pp. 80-85), “unlike traditional retail environments in the physical world, where consumers feel they have only limited choices, such perceptions concerning information privacy on the Internet have a striking negative influence on consumer willingness to engage in relationship exchanges online” (p.80). This is not surprising as many customers do not trust working with online companies for fear of being scammed out of the personal information. Communications of the ACM (1999, pp. 80-85) states:

Our research reveals that this lack of trust arises from the fact that cyber consumers feel they lack control over the access that Web merchants have to their personal information during the online navigation process. These concerns over privacy span the dimensions of environmental control and secondary use of information control. Environmental control, or the consumer’s ability to control the actions of a Web vendor, directly affects consumer perception of the security of online shopping. In the physical world, a consumer may be concerned about giving out credit card information over the telephone to an unknown voice within a mail-order company. On the Web, consumers may fear typing in credit card information to any commercial Web provider. Similarly, a commercial Web provider may fear the efforts of a hacker intent on stealing credit card numbers (80).

In addition, Communications of the ACM (1999, pp. 80-85) states:

Control over secondary use of information reflects consumers’ perceived ability to control the use of their personal information for other purposes subsequent to the transaction during which the information is collected. On the Web, this lack of trust is manifested in consumers’ concern that Web providers will sell their personal information to third parties to engage in relationship exchanges online (80).

Through this evidence, it is easy to see why consumers are so leery of using their credit cards online and providing their personal information online. Online retailers need to understand that this is a very big concern for consumers and should continuously be trying to find ways in which to protect their customers from any type of fraudulent activity. This will help their business and rapport with customers around the world.

Other disadvantages of shopping online for consumers are that of general costs to the consumer as well as shipping costs. General costs to the consumer are due to the company’s expenses for advertising, marketing, and other financial matters. Small online companies have to spend extra money for advertising and other forms of marketing to keep up with larger companies. In turn, this causes the customers to have to pay more for certain things. According to Jeandrain (2001, pp. 2-9), “to have online success, retailers have to find a sustainable competitive advantage, a differential value from competitors’ sites, and a realistic virtual retail site” (p.7). In order to change this, many companies need to limit their advertising as much as possible to cut costs for the customers. It should be understood that the customers are what are loyal, not the advertising. Finally, it is important to understand that customer relations problems are a big deal for online shoppers. Online companies want satisfied customers as satisfied customers are loyal customers. These companies really need to realize that, in order for a company to survive, it must have loyal customers. If the company’s customer relation skills are not intact, it could lose customers and could possibly go bankrupt. Sometimes it is difficult to keep loyal customers as the virtual world is changing; however, it is less difficult if the company is honest and able to provide excellent customer service. In addition, shipping costs can be very high, so many companies such as Wal-Mart, are now allowing customers to shop online and pick up their merchandise in the store when they are available to do so. Stephanie Clifford of The New York Times (2012, p.1) states,

Ms. Sheffer, an information technology specialist in Bunker Hill, W. Va. Shops for items like clothes, electronics and even coffee online. But she also likes to receive her purchases as soon as possible. When buying shelving from the Container Store, she ordered it on the Web in the morning and picked it up during her 30-minute lunch break that day. And there were no expensive shipping fees.

This is exactly what companies need to do in order to overcome the problems of shipping costs and other general costs that may affect the consumers.

Finally, less inspection capability, difficulty of returns and time are major disadvantages of online shopping for consumers. Online shopping does not allow for the customer to inspect the items in which they are looking to buy. They are only able to distinguish the excellence of the product by a picture and description. In all reality, this does not help consumers make sound choices on what they are buying and from where. Anne-Cecile Jeandrain (2001, pp.2-9) cites Weitz (2000, p.221):

The critical issue determining what types of merchandise can be sold successfully by electronic retailers is the degree to which the electronic retailers can provide enough information prior to the purchase to make sure consumers will be satisfied with the merchandise once they get it (p.7).

It is important for companies to give a full description of the product in order for customers to know exactly what they are buying. A picture and brief description just do not do the product as much justice as would seeing the product in a retail store. Difficulty of returns is also a disadvantage of online shopping. Consumers like to know what they are buying so that they can alleviate the process of having to return an item. However, many do not get the chance to do this; therefore, returning the product becomes a hassle for the consumer and the company. Jeandrain (2001, pp. 2-9) states that there are two types of consumers: utilitarian and experientials. These groups are different in deciding what they want and what is important in regards to information pertaining to their buying decisions so that they can eliminate the return process. Jeandrain (2001, pp.2-9) also states:

For the “utilitarian” group, information quality and quantity about product and service are very important. They are more cognitive than affective. The experientials go into a store for distraction, novelty discovering, and then for buying. Therefore, the store must be “convivial” but also efficient… nonetheless, a compromise has to be found in the aestheticism degree of the immersive virtual world (p.7).

This is interesting information as it shows that consumers are different and they have different needs when deciding which products to buy and why they want to buy them. Companies need to realize that consumers are different and need to tailor their websites to the needs and desires of the customer. This helps in alleviating the number of returns and dissatisfaction of the customer. Time is a big disadvantage of online shopping. Customers purchase their products online and then have to wait days, sometimes weeks, to receive their products. Many people do not like to wait for something they have already paid for and they would rather be able to have it right away. According to Reuven Levary and Richard G. Mathieu (2000, pp. 6-15), “A well-designed Web site provides the customer greater ease and speed of access, shopping, and buying than physical stores do” (p.6). However, this does not help the customer when the customer wants the product that they have just bought right away. Many stores are trying to alleviate this disadvantage by encouraging their customers to buy online and then pick up in the store. According to Clifford (2012, p.2), “another advantage traditional retailers hold over their online-only counterparts is same-day delivery and returns.” This is very important to discuss as time is of the essence for many individuals today. “Sears, which has long offered store pickup for items bought on the Web, added a drive-through service a few months ago that allows customers to return or exchange purchases without leaving their cars” (Clifford, 2012, p.2). This is extremely important to the ease of returns and the value of time for a company’s customers. Companies, both online and in-store, should be willing to help customers in every way possible these days. The economy is not the greatest and consumers spend their money in different ways. If these retailers want consumer business, they must learn to coordinate with the consumer, help them even more with returns or exchanges, give them the big picture about the product they are buying online and be honest about their products. This is the easiest way to overcome obstacles in relation to online shopping.

In conclusion, there are many disadvantages of online shopping. These include shipping costs, time, less inspection capability, difficulty of returns, identity theft, credit card information security, general costs, and many other disadvantages. However, all of the obstacles that online companies deal with in relation to these disadvantages can be overcome. These companies have to be able to provide excellent customer service, learn how to reach out to their customers, gain knowledge on how to keep their personal information safe and do so, and give the customer what they want and need. “The customer is always right” has been a saying, a motto in a sort of way, for many years in the retail industry. This should not change just because the company decides to go virtual with their products and services. Protecting a customer’s personal information is of utmost importance when doing business online as many customers are skeptical about providing this information in the first place. Many of the disadvantages listed in this paper can be overcome and can be combatted by using special techniques and providing excellent customer service to the customers that the company is serving every day. One of the biggest things for virtual companies is that they have to be able to acquire loyal customers that are willing to come back time and time again and purchase products from them. With optimized security measures and excellent customer service, this can be accomplished. The company just has to be willing to take the extra time to treat their online customers as if they were in-store customers.

Clifford, S (2012) “Luring online shoppers offline”, The New York Times, 4 July, pp. 1-2. Infotrac Full Text Newspaper Database [Online]. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/05/business/retailers-lure-online-shoppers-offline.html (Accessed: 16 August 2012).

Communication of the ACM (1999) “Building consumer trust online”, Academic OneFile, 42(4), pp.80-85. Academic OneFile [Online]. Available at: http://edb.pbclibrary.org:2077/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA54851759&v=2.1&u=d0_mlpbcls&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w (Accessed: 16 August 2012).

Fischer, J. (2001) “Clicks for Bricks”, Newsweek, 137(7), pp. 66-69. Academic Search Complete [Online] Available at: http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy.ohiolink.edu:9099/ehost/delivery?sid=6a19ec61-0233-4b8 (Accessed: 16 August 2012).

Jeandrain, A.C. (2001) “Consumer reactions in a realistic virtual shop: Influence on buying style”, Journal of Interactive Advertising, 2(1), pp. 2-9. JSTOR [Online]. Available at: http://www.jstor.org (Accessed: 9 August 2012).

Levary, R, and Mathieu, R. (2000) “Hybrid retail: Integrating e-commerce and physical stores”, Industrial Management, 42(5), pp. 6-15. Academic OneFile [Online]. Available at: http://edb.pbclibrary.org:2077/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA68025759&v=2.1&u=d0_mlpbcls&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w (Accessed: 16 August 2012).

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Traditional vs. Online Shopping Essay

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Introduction

Shopping constitutes a compulsory function for humans in all walks of life. For a majority of people, shopping is an activity that has transcended from being merely a necessity to one that has become a favorite pastime that brings happiness, recreation, and ‘quality time with friends and members of the family. There are basically 3 kinds of shopping where we buy things we require, things we convince ourselves we require, and things we look at (window shopping) just for pleasure. In the modern world of today, it is possible to indulge in all 3 kinds of shopping by utilizing 2 methods: Traditional shopping and ‘Online’ shopping.

Traditional shopping involves shoppers physically entering a brick-and-mortar store or shopping mall to select items of their choice, pay for them in cash or by credit card, and either take delivery personally or have them delivered to their homes by the retailer. ‘Online shopping is a relatively new method of shopping that involves the shopper sitting in front of a Personal Computer at any location (it could be at home, in the office, in friends’ apartments or in internet cafes), browsing through different categories of products at selected websites either alone or with the assistance of family members and/or friends, choosing items, paying for the purchases by credit card or by electronically transferring money from a bank account (from personal experience, I have noticed there is usually no other payment option).

The selected goods are delivered within a period ranging from a day to a week or even longer. In almost all cases, due to the fact that while selecting an item its availability is also clearly mentioned, the entire selection is delivered; if for some unforeseen reason some items are not delivered, then the value of those items is refunded to the customer by the ‘Online’ seller.

Traditional and ‘Online’ shopping are similar in two ways. Firstly, both forms of shopping follow the general concept of commerce; in both cases, there is a buyer and a seller, both of whom share a specific understanding of how the commercial transaction is expected to unfold, run its course and reach its satisfactory conclusion. Secondly, the prominent method of payment in both forms of shopping is credit card payment; although traditional shoppers can opt for check or cash payment, and although ‘Online’ shoppers can opt for electronic transfer of funds from their bank accounts, credit card purchases are preferred in both cases.

Traditional and ‘Online’ shopping is different in several ways. In one group of differences, Traditional shopping holds ‘absolute’ superiority: Firstly, shoppers experience the physical thrill of shopping. Shopping is commonly seen as a way of unwinding after a hard day’s work, or (especially in the case of housewives), escaping from the monotonous routine of everyday life (cooking, cleaning, and looking after the kids). Then there is festival shopping, which usually involves the entire family shopping for decorations and gifts for such occasions as Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving (personally, I have several fond memories of this).

Secondly, Traditional shoppers are brought face-to-face with an item that they can touch, feel and examine at close proximity – this goes a long way towards making up their mind to buy it. Thirdly, Traditional shoppers are able to talk with the salespersons or merchants of the store or mall upfront, and freely seek clarification or additional information about products that interest them. Fourthly, Traditional shoppers are able to bargain and obtain a better price for their purchases.

Although people in the United States do not usually engage in energetic bargaining, there are people of several other international cultures (such as Italians, Greeks, and Indians), to whom bargaining forms the essence of the shopping experience, and without which they would end up with the uncomfortable feeling of being cheated. Fifthly, Traditional shoppers are able to judge the merchant’s reputation (and by association, the products being sold in that store) by interacting with other customers. Sixthly, Traditional shoppers are able to take home their purchases immediately, or at the most have them delivered to their homes on the same or the next day.

They, therefore, save time as do not have to wait for days or weeks to receive their purchases as is the usual case in ‘Online’ shopping (there is also the distinct possibility of some items not being ultimately delivered due to some reason such as shortages caused due to improper inventory management). Lastly, almost everyone is well aware that today’s world is blemished by an increasing number of cybercrimes.

These have grown at an alarming rate with increasingly ingenious methods being adopted by computer-savvy criminals. A very large number of innocent people have been, and are being fleeced of their hard-earned money over the Internet – their only crime being that they had to give their personal and bank details while shopping online. On the other hand, Traditional shoppers do not need to give their names, address, and (most importantly) bank account information which are all ‘must-do’s in the case of ‘Online’ shopping.

In the second group of differences, ‘Online’ shopping holds the ‘absolute’ superiority. The first difference involves selection. ‘Online shoppers can browse through a wide selection of products from different retailers and place a single order involving products from different retailers, rather than otherwise embark on the tedious exercise of visiting several stores or malls physically to pick up a few items here and a few items there.

Secondly, ‘Online’ shoppers are benefited by a significant reduction in prices as ‘Online’ sellers have vastly reduced overheads to contend with (especially store/mall rent/maintenance and salaries/perks for salespersons) and are able to comfortably pass on a sizeable part of this benefit to customers in the form of reduced prices for the products sold. Lastly, ‘Online’ shoppers have the luxury of doing their shopping at leisure from the comfort of their home, without having to drive to far-away shopping destinations and being traumatized by rash drivers and difficult car parking situations.

In the third group of differences, both types of shopping score nearly equal points. The first difference involves the time element. In Traditional shopping, customers save time as don’t have to wait for days or weeks to receive their purchases. ‘Online’ shoppers choose the time and place to shop, thus saving valuable time and problems associated with traveling to and from the store.

Secondly, while admitting that the ‘sight and touch’ factor is important, ‘Online’ shoppers find it is irrelevant in the case of items like computers, consumer electronic items, cosmetics, perfumes, and jewelry, where ‘Online’ specifications are clear-cut, very detailed and imminently satisfactory. Lastly, while Traditional shoppers can get clarification and further information about a product from the salesperson or merchant, ‘Online’ shoppers have access to clarifying the information in the form of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and ‘Online’ customer service for the products they intend to purchase.

From a fair and impartial judgment of both cases, it is my contention that Traditional shopping is definitely better than ‘Online’ shopping simply because the comparative number and weight of its advantages vis-à-vis ‘Online shopping is much more significant as compared to ‘Online’ shopping own unique advantages. As a result, while agreeing that ‘Online’ shopping continues to grow in the United States, it will not overtake Traditional shopping mainly because of the two greatest ‘arrows in the quiver’ of the latter – Firstly, it involves the formidably unique ‘sight and touches’ advantage that Traditional shoppers enjoy.

And secondly, it gives people an opportunity to mingle with others, interact with acquaintances, friends, and relatives and spend ‘quality time with them – in our increasingly busy and modern world of today comprising people increasingly cocooned in their own lives and problems, this pleasurable human interaction afforded by Traditional shopping is literally priceless.

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IvyPanda. (2021, October 8). Traditional vs. Online Shopping. https://ivypanda.com/essays/traditional-vs-online-shopping/

"Traditional vs. Online Shopping." IvyPanda , 8 Oct. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/traditional-vs-online-shopping/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'Traditional vs. Online Shopping'. 8 October.

IvyPanda . 2021. "Traditional vs. Online Shopping." October 8, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/traditional-vs-online-shopping/.

1. IvyPanda . "Traditional vs. Online Shopping." October 8, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/traditional-vs-online-shopping/.

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Content Curator

Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping Essay IELTS is given below. Solid English language grasping skills is required for the candidate to flourish their writing abilities in IELTS examination. The discussion of the topic is about the strengths and weaknesses of online shopping. The Model answers commences with the description of online shopping. It also discusses the pros and the cons in its regards.

IELTS  writing task 2 is a writing task to be consisted of 250 words. For IELTS general writing task 2, candidates are required to be summarise for their answers. This answers of  IELTS writing task 2 answer are required to respond by understanding the given topic of the essay and provide their views and ideas in writing in 40 minutes by the students. From IELTS writing practice papers , students can be benefitted, with help of which they can construct definitive and sturcturally maintained essays. The topic about the Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping IELTS Writing Task 2 can be helpful for their purpose of preparation for the exam.

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Topic: Give the Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Shopping

Band 8 IELTS Essay

Presently, the factor of online shopping became as one of the major aspects among the big cities. The evolution of online shopping came up with its consideration about the day to day usage and also became a leading place in the field in the market.

In my own perspective, online shopping rises the emissions of non-renewable fuels and needs a huge workforce without skills, for the purposes of delivering goods and production of the needed goods in huge scales. While we visualize the probable hindrances, I would say regarding that, this rising fashion is more advantageous. It would be invalid to say no to the payment methods through the apps of smartphones which may have an outcome in electonic heist and shortage of social communications and this can led in the economic shortage for the middle-classed people and inhibits a vast casualty in terms of small hawkers who for their better livelihood sells those goods. As an instance, some customers may have their huge sum of money get robbed during the time of providing the details of their mastercard or visa. Hackers are intended to make use of the essential data which they have robbed from the customers, while they are paying via online method. They use those data to get permissions and swipe away the cash, which have been shared accross the globe by the customers those who pays in online method. Where they could have managed time and had an space to buy groceries and can also get socially communicated with their friends and neighbors when they meet them outside and boost their bonding in the meantime. Moreover, the reality of the advantages of electronic payments should not be neglected. At a prior, the people used to carry their energy level for saving their time by online purchasing of the products. The electronic service benefitted the user with more choices and they also can save their cash by applying coupons and discounts and hence save their valuable money from being misused by going through the offline method and any offline grocery stores for the purpose buying the products. Analyzing the above content about my disapproval and approvals, I feel that both the pros and cons have its equal importance, but the pros will exceed the flaws as said above. For the purpose of reducing the concerns which are interconnected, one could download an antivirus application in their smartphones to prohibit their data and money from being robbed.

Band 7 IELTS Essay

Online shopping has been an interesting thing that was invented by humans to reduce the efforts of humans in buying some products. This led to a path where everyone can compare the quality and many other parameters from the different sellers that are present all across the world.

This will have some advantages and some disadvantages. But this can affect the small sellers in a negative way and the large production units and rich people as a positive sign for them. In order to manufacture a given electronic product, such as a television, book, or bag of muesli, there is an environmental cost from sourcing and transporting all the raw materials, powering the factory which assembles them and creating the plastic packaging. In the case of a large company like Amazon, the product will be driven or flown to various centers around the country in order to be available for next-day delivery and some fast delivery procedures. From the storage warehouse, it is then driven or flown to the consumer who ordered it, further burning more fuel to deliver through their own private vehicles through roadways. The complete impact on the environment is self-evidently massive climate change. Moreover, online shopping is really a sprawling business in which the sellers will manipulate the labor market. First of all, there are the workers directly involved and everything will go hand in hand with the workers present in the warehouses. Delivery Men must pack, unpack and ship products while the whole operation will also require a variety of managers, foremen, and office workers who can take the complete procedure in a lucid way. These workers are generally unpaid and are notoriously underpaid and exploited when they are working for the largest online retailers, where there is a chance to streamline the means of production in order to offer the lowest prices. So, in my opinion about the effect of online shopping on the lives of the unskilled laborers, instead of sourcing from some local businesses, which would be a bit more expensive, they could opt for large factories largely based in China that can cheaply and quickly produce some standardized products. This requires a huge amount of factory workers, working at low wages in unsafe conditions.

Band 6.5 IELTS Essay

These days, all age groups are interested in online shopping and they can buy anything at about with a few mouse clicks from the comfort of their home. Very few people feel the need to venture into offline stores.

The only positive aspect of being involved in online shopping is making a useful life by receiving the product immediately at the doorstep. The main advantage of this online shopping is that a person can get whatever he wants without wasting time or energy in the comfort of his own place and own time. That is to say, since people nowadays are often so caught up with work and study, shopping online is a good choice that doesn't require them to travel to the stores and choose the best amongst all the sellers for a particular product. With a click of the mouse, they can buy the things they need, and the shippers will deliver their products to customers in a free and transparent way enabling transparency for their purchase.

For instance, an article written by Herald Sun has illustrated that the internet has eased by accomplishing 70% of the human desires around the globe of owning a product in all the possible ways. Coming to the disadvantages, online purchases have increased tremendously all across the world. Many unwanted purchases are made by the people and are returned back. Those damage the entire ecosystem of trade. Amazon is a major global retailer that conducts business entirely over the internet. So, amazon has no branches, showrooms or sales staff who deal directly with the public. This can save operational costs and the prices are lower than the local retailers. There are a few drawbacks to using e-commerce along with the other sellers. For individual sellers, the lack of personal experience is on the top of the list. So many people who visit malls and buy groceries claim that they do not enjoy shopping through machines as it lacks human interaction. In conclusion, people can take the most benefit out of online shopping from the implementation of precautionary measures to avoid spamming. This could be more useful and effective if they allow the local sellers and give them away to do their work.

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Essay on Online Shopping Advantages and Disadvantages

Essay on online shopping for students and children . In this article, ‘ Online Shopping Essay ‘ students will read the meaning , advantages and disadvantages of online shopping . A Paragraph on precautions during online shopping must be understood carefully to escape online fraud.

Meaning of Online Shopping

In our childhood stories, we were told that Santa used to deliver gifts to kids to fulfil their wishes. Nobody imagined that this could happen in real life also. But modern science has made it possible in today’s world. This is known by various names like digital shopping, online shopping, e-commerce, online purchasing, internet shopping etc. It is exactly like our routine shopping except that here the buyer does not visit the shopkeeper’s place. Rather the full store is sent to the buyer on his laptop or mobile phone through a website .

History of Online Shopping

The first secure online transaction was done in the year 1994. Immediately after that in 1995 Amazon and e-bay launched their shopping sites. Amazon.com, e-bay, Flipkart, Paytm Mall, Snapdeal, Myntra, Jabong.com, Bigbasket.com, Urbanclap, and Yebhi.com are the names of famous online shopping portals. With the availability of smartphones and cheaper internet packages, online shopping has taken a place in everyone’s life.

What Can You Buy Online

A large number of people buy almost everything from groceries to gold on the internet. One needs just basic knowledge to operate a cell phone and he/she can enjoy shopping while sitting at home. Earlier people were afraid of losing their money for paying for an article that they were not viewing physically. But the option of cash on delivery has done away with that fear. An option of EMI (equated monthly instalments) that is to pay in smaller instalments is also available at most of the shopping sites. People who can’t pay the full price of the product in one go can still buy the product through an online EMI scheme. Besides buying goods we can buy online services also. For example, the services of beauticians, plumbers, electricians, and home-maids can also be arranged online through various sites. It is so easy that even kids can shop online.

Online Shopping by Mobile Apps

Nowadays all the e-commerce sites have launched their mobile apps to make it even easier. Open the app, click on the items that you wish to buy and proceed to checkout and shopping is done. The day and date of delivery will be mentioned there. The most interesting part is that change and return options are also available here like our physical shopping. With each and every passing day, more buyers are getting attracted to online purchasing because it has a long list of benefits.

Advantages Of Online Shopping | Pros of Online Shopping

• gives access to a wide variety of products, prices and features compared with similar products.
• saves time and we can devote our time towards more productive causes.
• saves fuel and becomes the reason for less pollution and traffic jam.
• We need not wait for our weekly off because online stores are 24 hours open.
• We can read the reviews of a product if there is any doubt regarding its quality.
• Goods are relatively cheaper at online stores because their maintenance expenses are almost negligible.
• Online shopping companies offer their customers ample deals to sell their products like offering cash backs, lucky draws, festive sales, huge discounts and whatnot!
• Big celebrities are often seen doing advertisements on these shopping sites to attract customers.
• The buyer can choose from the goods and services available on the website and get them delivered directly to his/her place after making the payment. Or one can choose ‘the cash-on-delivery (COD) option.
• People can buy in the wee hours, that is, even after midnight.

There are many advantages of online shopping but as every coin has two sides, online shopping is no exception. It has some disadvantages also, which are discussed below:

Disadvantages of Online Shopping | Cons of Online Shopping

A few people might experience the following disadvantages of online shopping which spoil their fun and comfort of online shopping. But, certain precautions and vigilant behaviour are a prerequisite to fully exploring the horizon of internet shopping.

• Cases of delivering damaged products are reported.
• Shipping problems delayed deliveries and high delivery charges
• fraudulent payments and hacking of personal information
• No salesperson to help while selecting
• Online buying does not let small and local shopkeepers come on upfront. Big business houses are taking away their portion of sales through online buying.

Precautions Before Online Shopping

By following certain precautionary steps one can avoid these disadvantages of online shopping. Always buy from trusted websites, read reviews and users’ comments from various sites, and read product features and return policies thoroughly. It is evident now that the positive side overshadows the negative side. Happy online shopping.

Please let us know if this  Essay on Online Shopping  helped in your studies. You can share your self-written essays with us. We encourage young writers by publishing their content for free. Can you suggest more advantages and disadvantages of online shopping ?

Online Shopping Essay (Word-Meaning)

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Advantages And Disadvantages of Online Shopping

• Post category: Essay
• Reading time: 5 mins read

The internet has transformed the way we do our shopping. Online shopping is the act of purchasing products or services over the internet. Shopping online has become very popular in recent times. It has become possible because of the availability of different shopping sites on internet. In online shopping, a customer can directly shop over the internet. Flipkart, Snapdeal, eBay and Amazon are some of the popular and trusted online shopping website. Thousands of brand new products are sold through these sites.

Today, most of the people prefer to shop online. Searching an online product is very easy than looking for it in the local store. It relatively saves time. One can search any product easily by using the search feature of an online shopping website. However, in store we have to look for it until we find it. We do not have to waste our time going to a crowded store. Many people hate to search a product and stand in a long queue for paying the price.

If we do not find a product of our choice, we can switch to a new shopping website without any delay. On the other hand, while shopping in a store, we have to go to other store if we do not find the product of our choice. This becomes more laborious and time consuming. Sometime we are forced to buy inferior quality goods. Moreover, online shopping helps us to shop 24 hours a day. We get cheaper deals and better prices. We even have the advantage of discount coupons, exchange and refunds. Customers can read reviews of previous buyers and make their purchase worthy with additional information from satisfied customers. The photographs of the product help us to choose the product confidently.

However, besides advantages, shopping online has certain disadvantages as well. Sometimes online shoppers may face fraud and security threats. Hackers manage to find a way to steal the data. The majority of online shoppers are unaware of attacks from the hacker. Moreover, some stores may be a fraud and gather credit card data and social security numbers of the customers.

One cannot feel the quality of the product or try for size we purchase. Shoppers believe in the description provided for the product. Sometimes, descriptions are cleverly mentioned by online stores to make the product interesting and attractive to the customers.

Some of the online shops do not always list the other additional charges. Hidden costs including handling fees, packaging costs, shipping costs, replacement costs, return costs, etc. can add up to quite an excessive amount. There are many other online issues like time zone differences, slow online connectivity and viruses.

To conclude we can say that to get benefits from online shopping, one has to be an intelligent and experienced internet user and online shopper.

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Online Shopping vs. In-Store Shopping: Pros and Cons

Shopping has evolved dramatically over the past several decades, providing consumers with more choice and convenience whether they shop in brick-and-mortar stores or browse online for their purchases. Even holiday shopping has adapted to the changing landscape, with  Black Friday and Cyber Monday appealing to online and in-store shoppers. It’s easy to assume there is a generational divide between those who choose more traditional or modern shopping methods, but it involves factors ranging from accessibility and variety to local support and the shopping experience itself. It’s expected that by 2026, 24% of retail shopping will be done online. [1]

Advantages of online shopping

Although online shopping has been around for consumers since the mid-1990s, mainstream use has skyrocketed over the past several years as people grow increasingly comfortable with it and get accustomed to the ease and speed of online retail. It’s hard to dispute the advantages of online shopping. After all, the availability of extensive online research and reviews promotes buyer confidence. And few would dispute the convenience of around-the-clock shopping from the living room sofa. Unfortunately, all this online activity also creates ample opportunities for scammers, so it’s important to always follow  safe online shopping practices .

1. Grocery delivery and pickup

The benefits are clear, especially for those who may struggle to find an hour or more a week to spend browsing the store shelves for groceries. Not only can you fill your cart from the comfort of your home, but you can also clip coupons online and even speed up the process by saving regular items in your app. Grocery stores have made pickup a breeze, allowing shoppers to schedule a pickup time that ensures their vehicle is packed and ready to go within minutes of parking.

2. No sales pressure

Although sales representatives can provide helpful knowledge and expertise, they can make some in-person shopping experiences nerve-racking for consumers. It’s no surprise that some shoppers prefer to remove the pressure altogether by relying on online shopping sites where they can take their time and not feel forced into a sale by somebody working on commission or just trying to help.

3. Research and product reviews

The internet is a great place to research and compare products before pulling the trigger on a purchase, especially a big one. Blogs and other online articles from trusted, unbiased sources can take a lot of the work off your plate by testing products, outlining the pros and cons of different brands and comparing prices. Customer reviews are also a great resource for finding a reliable product that fits your needs.

4. More variety

While brick-and-mortar stores must deal with the limitations of shelf space and retail agreements, online shopping presents few restrictions. There are many options to choose from, such as whether your product comes from brands or sellers — both local and international. You can even reach small independent shops that may have been far off your radar before the development of online shopping.

5. Convenience

When it comes to online shopping versus in-store shopping, the convenience of online shopping stands out. A shopping list that once might have required an entire day of shopping can now be completed in one sitting thanks to online shopping platforms — if you can wait for delivery. You can also squeeze in some shopping whenever you have the time, whether that’s during a 15-minute break at work or after the kids are in bed for the night. And with front-door delivery, that’s one less thing to fit into your schedule.

6. No crowds

Crowds have been a shopping headache for a long time. It’s almost impossible to browse the shelves of an aisle without running into other shoppers. Online shopping also saves you the time of waiting in long lines to check out.

Disadvantages of online shopping

While online shopping provides the convenience of exploring and buying items from the comfort of one’s home, it does come with certain disadvantages. These include shipping costs, delivery delays, the risk of impulse buying and difficult returns.

Shipping costs

While some online retailers offer free shipping, others may not. Some retailers require you to reach a minimum dollar amount to qualify for free shipping. Or, depending on the item you buy, the shipping cost may be the same amount as that item. [2]

Delivery delays

When you shop in person, you get the instant gratification of going home with the purchased item that day. However, when you shop online, though it’s now possible to receive some items the same day, you may have to wait days, weeks, or even longer to get your purchased item. If you’re in a time crunch to get a gift, it might be easier to just go shopping in person. [3]

Missing, broken, or stolen items

While online shopping is convenient, receiving a broken package (or not receiving the package at all) is not. Fragile items like mirrors or other glass products may arrive broken if you opt to purchase them online and have them shipped to your home. Even worse, if your package is delivered in an open area, someone may attempt to take it. [2]

Lack of product inspection

Unlike in-store shopping, you can’t physically try on a piece of clothing when shopping online. And clothing sizes can vary across different retailers. On the other hand, if you purchase a large piece of furniture, there’s a chance that the item’s listed dimensions may be incorrect. [2]

Advantages of shopping in-store

Despite the many advantages of the internet, shopping in stores still has many benefits and a prominent place in retail. Some products are unique to an in-person experience. Let’s not overlook the peace of mind that comes with knowing exactly what you’re getting when you leave the store with your merchandise in hand.

1. Try on or test products

Some items are easier to buy if you can check them out in person to ensure quality. When it comes to perfumes and cosmetics, stores offer the opportunity to test the products to make sure they’re right for you. It’s also nice to be able to try on clothing at the store so you can choose the best style and fit for your body. Bigger purchases, ranging from eyeglasses and mattresses up to a new car, are also worth the extra time and effort to test before you buy. Even in-person grocery shopping has its perks, as you can pick out your produce or compare labels more easily and choose alternatives when your first choices aren’t available.

2. In-store promotions

In-store promotions are designed to attract customers and build brand or product awareness. If you’re not physically visiting these stores, you may be missing out on discounts, free giveaways, and other promotions.

3. Instant gratification

When you shop in-store, there’s no waiting around for an item to arrive. You immediately have what you need — and there are no shipping costs. For shoppers who like to quickly eliminate items from their shopping list, it may be appealing to visit the store and leave with your purchase.

4. Personalized experience

A friendly and knowledgeable sales associate, combined with an up-close look at the products, creates a more personal shopping experience. This is especially true for local and specialized stores where you’ll probably talk to somebody who’s keenly familiar with the products. From bookstores to car dealerships, personal recommendations and expert guidance can be quite helpful.

5. Support local businesses

Another reason you may prefer to visit brick-and-mortar stores is to support a local business. Many shoppers are willing to forgo some of the online shopping conveniences in exchange for supporting their local community.

Disadvantages of shopping in-store

While shopping in stores sounds simple enough, there can be some obvious disadvantages to it. For example, in-store shopping can be time-consuming and inconvenient if the product you want is out of stock. Plus, pressure from the staff members to buy an item you don’t want can be uncomfortable enough to cause some to avoid shopping in-person altogether.

Inconvenience

Shopping in stores can be very inconvenient due to the time it takes to commute to the store, deal with traffic, navigate the crowds, locate your items, and stand in line to purchase them.

Sales pressure

Because a lot of sales associates work on commission, they could pressure you into buying something that you weren’t necessarily going to buy. It can be extremely stressful to tell the sales associate no.

Limited availability

The store may not have everything you need in stock. You may need to spend more time going to other stores finding all your items. You can always call ahead to ask if your item is in stock, but that’s an extra step, and you could be sitting on hold for a while. And unless the store is open 24/7, your shopping time is limited to the store’s hours.

Shopping safety tips

Whether you choose to shop online or in stores, remember to do so safely. If online shopping is more your speed, remember to check to see whether the website is secure by looking for a little padlock symbol in the web browser’s web address bar. When setting up accounts for online shops, use unique and strong passwords. Lastly, don’t forget to check your credit card statements frequently for any unusual activity. [4]

If you prefer shopping in-store, always be aware of your surroundings and keep an eye on your wallet, keys and phone. Be wary if you carry large amounts of cash. Instead, you may wish to use a debit or credit card because they typically offer security measures such as a card lock and fraudulent purchase protection if a card is lost or stolen. [5]

Remember to stick to your budget

Payment options have evolved right along with shopping trends so that now even the smallest retailers can accept  credit cards  and other digital payments. But as shopping online and in-person becomes increasingly convenient, it’s also easier to overspend.

You can stay on track with a monthly budget . Be realistic when planning your expenditures, both essential and nonessential, and then stick to your budget. The time and effort you put into budgeting will be worth it when you’re able to meet your expenses, pay off debt, and build up your savings.

[1] “38 E-Commerce Statistics of 2023,” Anna Baluch and Kelly Main, forbes.com/advisor/business/ecommerce-statistics (Accessed March 2024).

[2] “20 Pros and Cons of Online Shopping,” Stacy Fisher, lifewire.com/shopping-online-pros-and-cons-3482632 (Accessed April 2024).

[3] “The Pros and Cons of Online Shopping,” Anna Baluch, thebalancemoney.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-online-shopping-939775 (Accessed March 2024).

[4] “10 Tips for a Safer Online Shopping Experience,” webroot.com/us/en/resources/tips-articles/10-tips-to-safer-shopping-online (Accessed March 2024).

[5] “Shopping Safety Tips,” cityofboise.org/departments/police/crime-prevention-and-safety/shopping-safety-tips (Accessed March 2024).

Disclaimer:

The information included is designed for informational purposes only. It is not legal, tax, financial or any other sort of advice, nor is it a substitute for such advice. The information may not apply to your specific situation. We have tried to make sure the information is accurate, but it could be outdated or even inaccurate in parts. It is the reader’s responsibility to comply with any applicable local, state or federal regulations. Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, its affiliates and their employees make no warranties about the information nor guarantee of results, and they assume no liability in connection with the information provided. Nationwide and the Nationwide N and Eagle are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. © 2024 Nationwide

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Drugstore Vs High-end Makeup

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Introduction, quality and ingredients, price and accessibility, packaging and brand experience.

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