How do you feel about shopping in store and shopping online? Are there particular items for which you would rather go in store even if that means getting out of your way and spending an afternoon off work running that errand?
Personally, I don’t mind too much. I try to shop online as much as possible, in an effort to save time and money. Time, that one is pretty obvious, because for me, going shopping does not bring any pleasure. So I would rather stay at home than hit the High Street. I have friends who will enjoy window shopping, stopping here and there to try on stuff they weren’t looking for in the first place, and go back home with something they hadn’t planned on buying. I’d much rather keep my money and spend it on a nice dinner or a day out with my loved ones instead.
Online shopping helps you with impulse buying. Even though there are pictures of additional items, for example when you buy a laptop on Amazon, the website will tell you that people who bought that also went for a USB mouse and a laptop case, but it is pretty different from being presented with chocolate and gadgets at checkout cashiers, when you still have 10 minutes to queue and think “oh, well, it’s just £2!”. These little amounts add up, you know…
My partners have put together the infographic below after interviewing 1,000 people all around the UK. Turns out a majority of people still enjoys in-store shopping more than online shopping. That’s good for retailers I guess! It also seems like people have a selection of items, such as electronics, for which they’re happy to shop online, whereas they prefer to go in store to buy other things such as shoes. I can get that, when you don’t have time to go back to the post office to return your parcel once you have found out the shoes don’t fit, and it makes life easier to just walk in and buy them.
And now that Christmas is coming soon, I see even less reasons to shop in store. The stores are crazy crowded, and it is almost like a fight to get to the item you want to buy! I usually end up a shopping day completely exhausted and frustrated. And that’s not really the point when you should be happily shopping for your loved ones! The study reveals that the bad weather has people shop online more during the winter. The cold and rain sure doesn’t help enjoy a High Street stroll.
Online shopping seems to be more of a man thing according to the survey. Women will spend more in store on the other hand. Well, how about you? Where do you shop and why?
Many years ago I used to avoid online shopping. I preferred to feel and try the things I buy physically in the store. I also didn’t trust the security of an online transaction. Now I buy most of my stuff online. It’s just so convenient to search for a product from Amazon, read the review and just buy it, without having to drive to town.