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May 25, 2006
Online shopping — the new rage
Sarah Alam writes about the increased use of the Internet by Americans and the emerging trend of online shopping
Internet technology around the globe has increased massively during the last decade. Most business houses and individuals rely on this technology to complete their daily tasks and routine necessities. Americans spend more hours sitting on the Internet than any other developed nation. The reason behind all this may be the fact that they were the first ones to invent this global communicating network.
Studies show that it came into existence in 1969 when two computers at the University of California, Los Angeles, were connected by a 15-feet cable, with bits of meaningless data flowing from one machine to another. With progress the Internet has become one of the leading technological achievements of the 21st century.
For many Americans, Internet has become an integral part of their daily lives. They can check emails several times a day and browse sites such as google.com or yahoo.com for their ultimate needs. Thanks to the broadband connection and cable networks, most of the computers are hooked to the addictive world of glamour 24 hours a day. Hence, now just by a single click of a mouse, they can entertain themselves by downloading music, communicate across the globe through global networks and browse interesting websites.
Along with entertainment, the Americans use the Internet to educate themselves and get a degree online as well. However, the most captivating part of the Internet is that shopping has been made easy and simple without the hassle of leaving home. Items such as clothing, computers, electronics, flowers and gifts can be purchased online through a credit card.
If one needs school supplies or a diamond ring, it can be bought from the comfort of one’s home. Many people can easily find the stores located in their neighbourhoods on the Internet. Traditional stores even allow their customers to buy through online sales and then pick up the purchases from their local stores.
Similarly, departmental stores offer online shopping at very competitive prices. By doing this, they promote their online sales so more people are willing to buy through the Internet. Even children stores offer free shopping during the busy holiday seasons. The grand advantage of online shopping at these well-known stores is to get a good quality product at a lower price.
The benefit of online shopping is not just limited to clothing. Renowned book sellers located on the Internet are in high demand. Whether one needs a college textbook or a novel — fiction or non fiction —– everything can be purchased through their websites. Some online bookstores even provide used textbooks which many students prefer to buy. They are inexpensive and mostly in good condition. This way students can save both time and money.
The Internet has such a vast impact on our everyday life that many people prefer to buy dinner or groceries online. Websites offer online grocery services along with special delivery. Even for their daily lunch or dinner, the Americans prefer ordering through the Internet as it saves them from the hassle of standing in queues. Most famous American dine-out places take online orders.
The reasons why Americans prefer to shop online are numerous. The most important one is the fact that they consider the Internet a handy robotic machine. Most of them work full-time and cannot afford to indulge in time consuming activities. Some people just prefer to sit home and shop without any hassles. They do not mind paying the shipping and handling charges, for it saves them from dealing with cashiers upfront. In addition to this, some people think online items are economical than those found at regular stores. Moreover, what can be a better deal when one does not have to pay taxes while shopping online?
There are many downsides to online shopping as well. For instance, most of the stores charge a flat-rate shipping fee on online shopping. No wonder low prices are given on the items on display. Many consumers do not notice the catch and become victims of clever business tactics.
Another disadvantage of purchasing through the Internet is that one cannot really see the quality of the product. So, is it worth paying so much on the items online when we cannot really determine their worth?
At times there are delays in shipping. While we can get our stuff right away from the local retailers, online it is a different story. It usually takes three to five business days to get items shipped to the desired location. The other major drawback of online shopping is the insecurity factor involved in transactions. There are many fraudulent websites, which look authentic. Therefore, it is a gamble to give up your credit card information online. Hackers are always eager to trap and attack.
Besides these minor problems, the advantages of online shopping are innumerable. Internet has become such an integral part of our lives that we cannot function without this virtual entity. Whether, it is the post Thanksgiving sale or a gift for your beloved on Valentine’s Day, everything is just a click away. Such fun is online shopping that many just sit on the Internet looking at sales, browsing through the websites of designer handbags and at last, buying the one they have been deliberating about for a long time!
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