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Task 5. Make a presentation on the topic
Advantages and disadvantages of online shopping
Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, online shopping has increased worldwide. Even local businesses have started to offer consumers the choice of buying goods such as groceries and take-away meals online.
Apart from the fact that online purchases are healthier for safety reasons, they also offer other advantages.
Advantages
It’s convenient because online shops are open 365 x 24 x 7, so that you can shop at your leisure any time, day or night, wherever you might find yourself. In this way you avoid crowds, looking for parking and the accompanying parking fees.
Avoidance of criminality such as pickpockets, car theft and obtrusive, undesirable persons.
It’s easy to find what you are looking for by searching online rather than moving from shelf to shelf in shops.
Saves you time, fuel and effort because you don’t have to drive from one shop to another and also don’t have to wait in long queues at paypoints.
A bigger variety of products is available as online shops aren’t restricted by space. This offers you a wider choice of sizes, colours, styles, brands and scarce products. Often the latest products are available online long before being available locally.
Often it’s cheaper, as special offers are sometime available exclusively for online shoppers. It’s also easier to compare online prices at different suppliers online.
Facilitates the comparison of brands and models, finishing, features, as well as the prices of a specific item. Sometimes evaluations and gradings by other shoppers regarding a specific item are available to assist you with your choice.
Privacy and anonymity are protected when you buy products you don’t wish strangers to see, for example lingerie and personal items or gifts.
A larger measure of control over what you buy. If you don’t find what you are looking for immediately, you can do another search later until you find precisely what you are looking for. In a shop, however, you are confronted with alternatives (which aren’t really your choice), which you decide to buy just because you don’t feel like or have the time to drive to another merchant.
No pressure from sales staff who try to convince you to buy products that you don’t really want or need.
It’s the ideal way to buy and send gifts, especially for family and friends who live far away.
Electronic record. You receive an electronic proof of payment for your purchases, which facilitates keeping record of transactions.
Online tracking of purchases. You can track the order and delivery status of your purchases until they reach their destination.
Disadvantages
Unfortunately, there are also disadvantages connected to online shopping.
Despatching problems and delays. Sometimes it’s not a given that you will receive your purchases on time. Due to unforeseen circumstance items get lost, are sent via a detour, get damaged, or are delivered to the wrong address. Sometimes delivery is delayed due to the product having to be ordered from a third party. This can cause frustration, especially if you need something urgently or wanted it delivered in time for an occasion such as a birthday.
Risk of fraud. This includes credit card and other forms of fraud, such as the misuse of your banking details, cracking your computer system, identity theft, pirated products and fake websites. It can also happen that after payment your purchases or even the website where you ordered and paid, disappear.
Spending too much time online. You can be tempted to spend too much time on the Internet with unnecessary searches for products or items you don’t even need.
You don’t necessarily know precisely what you will receive. It’s difficult to make a decision about the quality, size, texture, weight or precise colour of an item based on a photo. You also won’t know if a clothing item or shoes will fit well because you won’t be able to fit them for size.
It may be difficult to exchange products or get your money back. Often the procedure is complicated and packaging and dispatching are at your cost. Some companies don’t have a money-back or exchange policy.
Websites that aren’t user-friendly, are complicated or deceiving. Some websites require that buyers register on their email list and make it extremely difficult to sign out again. Others sell your email address to third parties, which results in you being bombarded with junk mail. It can happen that the products aren’t described well or that the ordering process is unclear or laborious, or that you struggle to communicate with someone at client services.
No sales assistance by expert personnel who can advise you about a specific product – you have to rely on your own judgement and what you see on the photo and description.
No interaction with sales staff, so you cannot negotiate for discount.
Immediate payment is required when you pay by credit card. This means your credit limit must be high enough to enable you to make purchases at high amounts. Conversely, with direct purchases you can negotiate for instalments by, for example, opening an account, or utilising the benefits of shopping cards such as Koopkrag and Pretorium Trust.
You forfeit social contact and the pleasure of a genuine shopping experience. Although it’s the safest during the Covid pandemic, under normal circumstances it’s a good thing to sometimes get to the shops. The normal way of shopping does offer the enchantment of pleasant aromas, sounds, friendly personnel and an aromatic coffee afterwards.
Questions to ask when doing online shopping
Familiarise yourself with the following before buying from a selected online shop for the first time:
Does the website guarantee your privacy and the confidentiality of your information?
Is their privacy policy readily available? Read it through attentively.
For how long has the company been doing online sales?
Are independent reviews about the business available on the Internet?
Are reviews from previous clients available on the website?
Does the company have a clearly set out exchange and money-back policy?
Do they have a guaranteed minimum and maximum delivery period?
How easy is it to communicate with the company in writing?
How easy is it to cancel an order?
How easy is it to restore your password and user name?
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