Tuesday's Treasure Trove

*Pros and Cons of Online Shopping*

As you fabulous ladies and gents might now, i love to shop but always at a discount, clearance or sale price. I completed my Christmas shopping several weeks ago but i like to look online for great sales and also shop at my local retailers. Since the whole Target fiasco i have been looking more into what stores i shop online and in person. I'm an avat coupon-er i have a coupon binder and everything (lol), so when i see a good deal i tend to stock up.

**Here are some pros and cons about Online shopping**

The Advantages of Shopping Online

1. The stores are never closed, Shop 24/7 this one is pretty self explanatory, there is no dress code and you save on gas.

 2. There are no parking woes and you can escape from aggressive sales people.

 3. Saves Time, no need to go around the mall for hours, trying to find that perfect dress you want. Just type in a few keywords and you’ll definitely find something nice and a wide range of choices.

4. The Ability to Price Compare, when you are shopping at a brick and mortar store, it’s easy to gravitate to the cutest pieces. You’re in shopping mode and it’s easy not to put much thought into whether you could get it for a better price at different retailer. It’s cute and relatively cheap and you’re going to get it. When you’re shopping online, you can simply search the item and find the best price instantly.

5. Customer Reviews, Even when I’m shopping at a physical store, I’ll pull up the store’s website sometimes and look at reviews of something I’m about to buy. This has saved me money and this is a pro of both online and offline shopping.

The Disadvantages of Shopping Online

 1. The inabilities to physically check out the items you are purchasing. Can’t Try It On - This is probably my biggest con for online shopping. You can’t physically touch the fabrics to see if it’s worth the money, if it will hold up through multiple washes, or if the color you’re seeing on your computer screen is even accurate

2. Losing the power to negotiate the price and payment terms that may exist in local stores.

3. Items ordered online are sometimes on back order but the consumer is not always informed until weeks after the purchase is made.

4. Not always knowing if a site is a legitimate and safe site to shop. Make sure the website or online store you plan to shop at is legitimate. Check for reviews and testimonials, if available.

5. Having to pay for shipping costs that far exceed the true shipping rate. No Guarantees, there are chances of your mail not getting delivered on time, or not at all, due to a number of reasons (e.g. wrong address, problem with shipping, etc.). This is the reason why some online shops offer insurance to their clients.  

6. Returns and exchanges can sometimes be difficult because of the lack of face to face negotiations. I try to purchase from my local stores like Target, Wal-Mart, Macys, JCP, Sears, Forever 21, Rainbow’s, Aldo’s etc. Many stores will give you a return label to ship the item back if it doesn’t fit or it isn’t what you thought it would be. I like those stores.