Brick and Mortat vs. Online Shopping Essay

Everyone has to shop one day for something. Individuals have the option to shop in the store or online, but it will depend on the person’s to how he/ she would like to purchase products. Article One from CNN I Report by More Life March 2009 Bricks and Mortar vs. Online Shopping Article Two from Ezine Article by Gary Palmer 2012 Comparing Online to Brick and Mortar Shopping There are times that a person is unable to physically go to a store to buy items. The convenience of shopping at home benefits both the consumer and the company. The company would not suffer in profit, if a customer is unable to leave home or is stuck at work. Providing customers with the option online keeps the customer shopping and the stores profiting. Provide customers with easy payment options online and at a brick-and-mortar, shop offers shoppers the flexibility to shop. No matter if you shop from home or in the store, you have the option of a using credit, debit cards, or a check for payment. There are not many people who carry cash, so having this option is a great convenience. Convenience and flexibility in shopping is the key to a happy customer. Now days, individuals can purchase medicine and food online. There are many mail-order pharmacies that will fill and re-fill prescriptions and mail to the patient’s home. Surprisingly, there are online grocery stores, such as Peapod and Swans, where shoppers can choose their items online and have their groceries shipped to the house. Most grocers will charge a fee to delivery, but this is another convenience. The problem with this is that the company may lose out on the extra profit made, because an actual shopper in the store will browse the store and pick up extra items. Brick-and-Mortar shopping allows consumers to feel, touch, and try on items before purchasing. According to the article by CNN â€Å"I Report†, mentions how the shopping has shifted from shopping for cars online. The bad part of the situation is that you cannot feel or touch the item before buying. The article also talks about return policies. If a shopper buys an item and it does not fit or is not the right color, the individual ends up being put out because h e/she needs to ship something back, may have to spend more to ship and items back, and loses valuable time  returning items that were not quite, what he/she expected. Return policies have flaws depending on if it is mail-order or in the store purchase. Purchasing something in the store allows for on-demand return, money back or store credit. You can even exchange for another item or a different size. Returning in the mail, could lead to some headaches with the return. Repacking, sometimes paying a return fee and getting to a shipper, then waiting on the reimbursement can be a little time consuming. In both ways of shopping, items can be returned, but for a price, whether it money or time. Overall the internet is there for the convenience of people. According to the article, â€Å"Palmer 20120†mentions talks about low overhead and there no need to use display space or storage cost. The bricks to Mortar stores, there are all type expenses from lighting, heating and air conditioning and gas usage. Also, there are maintenance and warehousing cost, to cut out shrinkage, where the bricks to mortar do not have that worry. The online tend to specialize in hard to find items not just only regular items. The retailers for brick to mortar can only house local on-demand items. Online stores can go from national markets to international markets for hard to find items. The convenience shopping online it is in the comfort of your home or wherever you can get the internet service. Once you complete your shopping, your shipping order can go to your home, office or wherever your requested it to be delivered. There are times that you might have to pay for shipping and other times the shipping is free, depending on the special discount that might be going on that companies use to lore people to their website. I personally love online shopping for myself because there are times that I cannot find what I want in the store. Shopping online gives me the opportunity to look and compare different items all at once. Also there are stores that only carry certain sizes online. Recently, coupons have become more popular online. According to the Consumer Report survey, Warehouses store online shopping for example BJ Sam’s and Costco Clubs. Membership they are not free rewards member who spend a $100 capped purchases, there are over 1000 locations. Check their return policies; BJ has 30 days where Costco return policies 90 days where Sam Clubs, 100 % guarantee in merchandise. Sam Clubs and Costco has the same return, polices, where BJ is for less liberal. Coupon BJ accept only where manufacturers coupon BJ has 24 hours feature sale online promotion deals.  Sam Clubs discount are deeper with online auctions for members only y bids starting at 1.00. The bottom line shopping at warehouse it down to the individual preference. According to the survey, the big box stores are top ranking is Costco by a narrow margin. In conclusion, when times are challenging with schedules, there still a distinct advantage held by the brick and mortar store, but the gap closing. Many people have lost their jobs due to the internet and advance technology. Household budgets are lower due to the economy, so buyers look for deals with online shopping and it is always open. Some people prefer not to shop online due to the security of their information.