Online Shopping vs. Traditional Shopping Essay

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Introduction

Comparisons and contrast.

The advent of internet shopping in the late nineties created a revolution in the retail industry. Benefits that were previously inaccessible to the masses became a reality. Today, buyers can get the latest I-Pad from Apple at the click of a button. They can purchase the latest designer-colognes from Paris, even if they live in New York. One, therefore, wonders whether online shopping will replace traditional shopping. Through a contrast and comparison of these two shopping channels, it can then be possible to answer the latter question.

Some of the most advent supporters of online shopping are environmentalists. Many of them assert that online shopping eliminates the need for consumers to transport themselves to a physical store. This saves on fuel charges and paper. Similarly, traditional shopping from a supermarket or in a mall can also save on plenty of energy costs.

Customers can get everything they require under one roof, thus eliminating the need to transport themselves from one point to another. This saves on fuel and other charges that emanate from physical movement of people for shopping. On the other hand, these two channels differ in terms of their environmental-friendliness.

Individuals can use the Postal service to ship their online commodities. Since the postal service is bound to come to a certain neighborhood anyway, then fuel costs can be minimized. Such economies are unavailable in traditional brick and motor stores. Furthermore, one can buy multiple items from distant locations and save volumes of fuel. Traditional retail stores would require one to drive physically to the concerned store, even though it might be located all the way in China.

Both types of shopping avenues provide buyers with a certain level of comfort and ease. Customers go to online stores in order to avoid the overcrowding and hurling that is synonymous to traditional stores. This is quite helpful during the holiday seasons. Buyers can transform their shopping into a pleasant experience by simply avoiding these crowded areas. Similarly, some customers go to traditional stores in order to enjoy a different type of comfort.

They approach these physical stores in order to access immediate help from sales persons concerning certain items. Shopping from traditional stores allows retailers to consult about the features of a certain product and this causes them a certain level of ease and comfort. On the other hand, traditional retailers cannot offer the same level of comfort that online stores can.

In online shopping, buyers simply have to select an item and pay; everything else is handled by the internet firm. Conversely, shoppers from physical stores have to plan for their transportation to and from the brick and mortar store. If the products they are purchasing are bulky, then they must make special arrangements to carry the item to their homes.

All channels of shopping furnish customers with information about the features of products. It is possible to know about the sizes, features, and costs of products in online and traditional shopping. Conversely, the dependability of the information differs substantially depending on whether one is using online shopping or traditional methods. Many customers have complained about misleading information or unavailable information in online stores.

Buyers who need advise about using a certain product or need to inquire about its capabilities in traditional stores can easily get this information from sales persons. On the contrary, one cannot get this information easily from internet forums. Some websites may have contact numbers or e-chat forums; however, these are not available in all of them. Online shoppers only have pictures and product descriptions to know everything they need to know about a product.

This method may work for certain types of products that have low prices and minimal modifications. However, the same approach may not work for expensive and highly customizable products such as cars or houses. Few customers would buy houses based solely on a product description or picture they saw; many would want to see the spacing and features in that house. Automobile purchasers would also need to test-drive items before they can walk away with them. In this regard, internet channels fall short because they cannot provide personalized information or experiences.

It is possible to compare prices in these two avenues. One can walk from shop to shop and find the best offers in one’s location. The same thing happens in internet shopping. One can visit a number of websites and compare the prices offered by these entities. In contrast, it is much easier to compare prices on the internet than in physical locations. If a store was located in a different city, it would be impractical to drive all the way to that store simply to find out what their prices are. Therefore, online shopping is superior in this regard.

These two platforms are both vulnerable to theft or fraud. In physical stores, criminals may organize a massive robbery and this can cause substantial losses to the concerned entrepreneurs. Alternatively, customers may shoplift or get away with non payment in physical stores. Similarly, theft can occur in online stores when an alleged retailer either purports to sell non – existent products or sells counterfeit or inferior goods to clients.

The main difference between these two types of channels is that in physical stores, customers do most of the stealing. Furthermore, they use relatively simple methods to carry out these activities. On the other hand, the internet has created a new breed of wrongdoers. Most fraudsters are fake sellers rather than buyers.

A number of them tend to use very sophisticated methods to lure their ‘clients’ and defraud them. It takes a lot of intelligence and security measures to guard against these individuals. Therefore, buyers must be wary of these challenges when they select online shopping as their preferred method of purchasing.

Cases of missing information exist in these two approaches. A customer may purchase something from a brick – and – mortar store, and this item may not be easily examinable at the retail store. This may make it easy to find flaws in it. For example, someone may purchase a television set from an electronics shop, and when the buyer gets to his or her house, he or she may find that the keys on the remote control do not work as stated.

Similarly, one may buy a book from Amazon and find that it has several missing pages. These issues occur because sellers may have hidden certain information about their materials. On the flipside, it is easier for retailers to hide information about their products on the internet than in physical stores. Many online customers often complain about the hidden costs that come with internet purchases. Shipping costs and other miscellaneous charges may hide the true price of a certain commodity on the internet.

Furthermore, even the process of purchasing an item on the internet is never as short as retailers claim. One must register, enter a series of personal details, read the privacy policy, and enter details about one’s credit card information. It may take a phone call or an e-chat to find out about certain order details. Therefore, what should have taken fifteen minutes ends up taking forty five or fifty minutes. There are more loopholes on the internet to facilitate missing information as compared to traditional shopping

Internet shopping still has a series of flaws that physical shopping does not. Nonetheless, the convenience and flexibility offered by this method are unrivaled in brick and mortar stores. It is likely that these two methods of shopping will continue to complement each other in the future as the pros and cons of one method are neutralized by another.

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Online Shopping vs Traditional Shopping, Essay Example

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Even before internet became a widespread phenomenon, futurists used to predict that a day will come when we may shop from the comfort of our homes. It might have seemed a strange idea in those times but now we finally understand what they truly meant. Online commerce has emerged as a serious challenger to traditional brick-and-mortar commerce. Both formats have their own pros and cons and it may be mistake to declare either online shopping or traditional shopping as the superior of the two shopping formats. People have different lifestyles and whether online shopping or traditional shopping may be a better option, depend upon the needs of the individual customers.

Online shopping is a better option when time and prices are the main concerns. Online shopping makes it easier to do quick price-comparison among different online retailers and do so inexpensively. Unlike traditional shopping in which one has to go from store to store for price comparison, online shopping tools allow price comparison among hundreds of online retailers in few seconds. In addition, one can purchase items online from virtually anywhere and anytime of the day as long as there is an internet access. Thus, online shopping may also appeal more to those who have very busy work schedule and cannot afford to spare few hours for traditional shopping. Traditional shopping may appeal more to those who actually like to experience or try the items in person and who enjoy the experience of shopping in mall as much as they enjoy purchasing the items. They view the time spent in traditional shopping also as an opportunity to bond with friends and family. Those who prefer traditional shopping may also care about prices but they have an idea of what they want to pay and do not want to spend too much time and efforts to find the cheapest-possible price. But traditional shoppers may switch to online shopping during difficult economic times because not only online shopping results in better deals, it also allows the shoppers to save on fuel costs. Online retailers understand this which is why many now offer an opportunity to customers to qualify for free shopping.

Online Shopping Essay

500+ words online shopping essay.

The trend of online shopping has increased in recent times with the increase of e-commerce and digital technology. With just a single click, you can shop for everything by sitting at your home as per your choice, convenience and budget. This essay on online shopping will help students learn about the pros and cons of online shopping. We have also compiled a list of CBSE Essays on different topics to help them improve their essay-writing skills. These essays will also help them improve their scores on the English exam.

What Does Online Shopping Mean?

Online shopping is the activity of buying products and services over the internet using a web browser or mobile app. It means buyers have to go online to reach a seller’s website and then select the product they want to purchase. The buyer can pay for the goods and services either online with a credit or debit card or upon delivery. Online shopping sites are also known by many other names such as e-shop, e-web-store, e-store, internet shop, web-store, web-shop, virtual store and online store. An online shop creates a physical analogy for buying products or services. Some of the famous online retailing corporations which facilitate the experience of online shopping are Amazon, eBay, Flipkart, Myntra, etc.

Online shopping is a growing area of the digital world and technology. Establishing a store on the Internet gives various options to consumers. With the growth of online shopping, most businesses have started selling their products online. Now, just having physical stores is not enough in this fast-paced world. Having online store interfaces for consumers has also become essential for running a business in the current scenario.

Benefits of Online Shopping

There are numerous advantages of online shopping. People feel more convenient while shopping online. They can shop from anywhere at their own convenient time through easy and safe payment methods. Online shopping has empowered consumers with various advantages such as convenience and time-saving, lower search costs, better product selection, lower prices, etc. One of the biggest benefits of online shopping is that you can buy the items you want with just a single click. Online stores are open 24 hours a day and are accessible from any location with an internet connection.

Online stores carry more variations and provide more varieties of a product as compared to traditional stores. This is because online stores don’t need to attractively display their items on shelves, and they can keep a larger amount of inventory on hand. They might also have small amounts of each item since they don’t need to display them and can order more from their supplier as needed.

Online shops tend to provide more information about items for sale than you would get in a physical store. Product descriptions most often include a description from the manufacturer, another description from the vendor, specific technical and size details, reviews from professional magazines and journals, and reviews from people who have bought the product. Having all this information available when you are considering a purchase makes you a more informed consumer without having to perform extra research by yourself.

Online stores are not burdened by the costs of running a physical store, such as the rent of the physical premises and wages of sales staff. The cost savings by online stores lead to lower pricing on the internet, passing on cost savings to shoppers. The internet encourages online vendors to compete with one another by lowering prices.

Disadvantages of Online Shopping

The benefits of shopping online also come with potential risks and dangers. When you shop online, you can’t touch or try out the product. You have to depend upon product pictures only. You can’t buy the product instantly. If you don’t get the product in hand immediately after payment, you have to wait for delivery, which can take days to weeks. There is no guarantee that you will get the product in its original shape; it might get damaged on the way. Sometimes, the product is very different from the pictures and description due to various reasons and also has poor quality. If, after receiving the package, expectations weren’t met, you need to go through a returns process which can be time-consuming. Apart from these, there is also a chance of security threats from online shopping. If the site is not secured, you have a risk of losing your card information.

Online shopping is one of the convenient ways of purchasing different products. However, there are some products which are better if they are purchased from physical stores. So, in the future, we can expect online stores to improve their technology, making way for a much easier and faster shopping experience.

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A Comparison and Contrast Between Shopping Online and Traditional Shopping

Since time immemorial, shopping has been an integral part of human life. Over time, technological advancements have brought changes in the way people do their shopping. Notably, the advent of online shopping has paved way for an alternative mode of shopping from the traditional shopping and has been embraced globally. This paper compares and contrasts shopping online with traditional shopping.

Traditional shopping refers to the activity in which consumers purchase goods and services by physically visiting a given seller or store. When it comes to purchasing daily necessities like groceries, traditional shopping is considered an essential (Aryani et al., 2021). On the other hand, online shopping is the process of purchasing goods over the internet with the use of internet-enabled devices such as phones and computers. Traditional shopping methods have been in use for ages. It is the most common practice that people use to purchase products. Online shopping is, on the other hand, more recent practice of shopping. It is, however, considered by many, especially those in urban set-ups as the most convenient way of shopping (Aryani et al., 2021).

Both traditional and online shopping methods offer a variety of stores to choose from. Most, if not all, physical stores available, have corresponding online stores that offer the same products. Like traditional stores, online stores offer a variety of items to pick from. Specialty stores, retailers and whole sellers can be found online. Both shopping methods give similar deals and offers in their stores to their customers. They both offer seasonal sales, end of season sales, and stock clearance sales. The promotions from both traditional and online stores are usually offered at similar times of the month. Most traditional and online stores also offer return policies to their customers. Refund or exchange of a product is typically allowed upon customers request for defective or undesired items.

In spite of the similarities between online and traditional shopping, the differences are plenty. When making an online purchase, a customer is unable to touch, feel, smell or even try out a product they are purchasing. A customer is therefore unable to effectively asses and determine the quality of a product. This may affect a customer’s decision to purchase an item, especially for those items that may require one to try them out like shoes and clothes. This is, however, not the case with traditional shopping where one gets to see, examine, feel, touch, smell and even try out a product then make payment upon satisfaction (Daroch et al., 2021).

Online shopping is handier, time-saving, and more convenient as compared to traditional shopping. One is able to go through thousands of items and do comparisons, check for offers and ultimately make a purchase within minutes at the comfort of their seat at any time. This, however, is not possible in traditional stores since one has to physically visit the store to make a purchase. Some traditional stores also have operational hours which, with increasingly busy lifestyles, may turn out to be inconveniencing to some customers.

Online shopping may require one to give out their details for delivery as well as payment methods and contact details which may pose security threats. This is not the case with traditional shopping where one walks in and walks out with their purchased item without giving out any of their details. Moreover, when doing online shopping, one needs to factor in the time taken to deliver the item, which may at times take longer than desired, unlike in traditional stores where one walks out with the item upon payment.

Overall, both online and traditional shopping have similarities and differences as well as advantages and disadvantages. This largely influences the customer’s decision on which method to use in doing their shopping. Some aspects of both methods of shopping may be a disadvantage to some people, while being beneficial to others, as in the case of knowledge of computers for older generations. The preference and benefits are, thus, more personal than communal.

Aryani, D. N., Nair, R. K., Hoo, D. X. Y., Hung, D. K. M., Lim, D. H. R., Chandran, D. A. R., Chew, W. P., & Desai, A. (2021). A Study on Consumer Behaviour: Transition from Traditional Shopping to Online Shopping During the COVID-19 Pandemic.  International Journal of Applied Business and International Management ,  6 (2), 81–95. https://doi.org/10.32535/ijabim.v6i2.1170

Daroch, B., Nagrath, G., & Gupta, A. (2021). A study on factors limiting online shopping behaviour of consumers.  Rajagiri Management Journal ,  15 (1), 39–52. https://doi.org/10.1108/ramj-07-2020-0038

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Online shopping vs. Traditional Shopping essay

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Online Shopping Vs In Store Shopping Essay

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Business , Products , World , Shopping , Commerce , Money , Internet , Customers

Words: 1200

Published: 12/09/2019

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Shopping is part of our life and just like we need to breath to stay alive we also need to shop as well. It doesn’t really matter the amount or the quantity of products you are buying but it’s all about the time you spend to do it. Over the years people have been shopping at their neighborhood mall for most of the household stuff including food. This also include doing some little window shopping. With the coming of the internet and online shopping, shopping has been revolutionized. Many people are going for online shopping as compared to going to the local mall. It is a fact that some people still prefer doing shopping at the mall with various personal issues and preferences. Some argue that they get to enjoy a day off by shopping at the mall. To some the mall is their number one place to buy merchandise. To others the mall is the place where they can go and get their appetite satisfied or unwind through various entertainment activities. All this is true about shopping at the mall it is even fun to most people but the fact is that the hassle of looking to what you want is undeniably tiring. In other words as the internet constantly gains popularity majority of people are going for shopping online. Shopping online has takes preference over the conventional shopping at the local mall since it has been made for the benefit of consumers offering many advantages. The first advantage of shopping online is that it is convenient. You don’t need to spend any of you hard earned money in buying fuel to go to the mall. All you need is just a few clicks of your mouse and you get what you want. The stress of waiting in jam for many hours is eliminated by online shopping. In addition you won’t hassle for parking space or where to leave your kids when shopping online (Bigne and Enrique 123). Online stores are always open 24 hours a day through the year so you have all the time you need to do your shopping without bothering anyone or rushing to beat the store’s closing time. In addition while shopping online you can browse through the different products you want or if you are not decided you can compare the products offered in different online stores and buy the one that satisfies you. You can be able to track your purchases easily online using the carts services provided by online stores .This isn’t possible with shopping at a local mall. Lastly for people who feel shy buying certain products like hair growth lotion , they can make their purchase online anonymously with no ever knowing anything. Online shopping offers the ultimate convenience to shoppers. Secondly shopping online allows saving. Online stores offer products and services at affordable prices as compared to the local mall. This is due to the fact that online stores don’t have overhead costs associated with local mall like rent, display, utilities and many more. Most of the time it is such cost that end up being transferred to the consumers at local malls making prices of commodities a bit higher. You buy cheaper and therefore save money. Also when shopping online as a consumer you are able to get products at lower prices. This is especially so if the product in question is being manufactured in that country. The idea here is that products from a country are sold at a lower price in that country than in foreign market. Therefore the possibility of buying from an online store owned by a manufacturer allows buying at a cheaper price. Another advantage is that online shopping offers variety and simple international purchases. In online shopping there is no geographical boundary. This means that consumers can buy products from all over the world. This is particularly if what you want is not easily available at your area. This allows buyers and sellers from across the globe to come together and interact. Through such interactions consumers air out their grievances and suggestions of improving products and sellers also market more of their products (Montaldo 34). In addition you have limitless options on products available in online shopping since online shopping offers a variety of products to choose from. Products that are difficult to find in local malls such as niche health products like all natural health supplements can be found with ease in online stores. This also includes products that are not available at your local mall. Last but not least buying online allows making of informed decisions before buying. This is because as a consumer looking for a certain product online you can access that products review before making up your mind. Product reviews are usually done by experienced users of that product or it can be done by the manufacturer of the product. Through such reviews you are able to comprehend the pros and cons o the product which will help you gauge how useful it will be to you (Montaldo 78). You are also informed on how to use a product in case you haven’t used it before. In addition there is a provision for consumers to leave there comments and views about a product and also ask questions regarding it. This prevents being misguided by the local malls assistants who most of the times know very little about the products they sell. You will not end up buying something that you regret about it later if you are keen in reading and understanding product reviews. It goes without saying that the internet in addition to being a source of information has transformed shopping for the better. It is crystal clear and evident from above that shopping online has accrued a lot of advantages to the consumers. Through online shopping you can purchase your needed products conveniently from the comfort of your home. Online shopping offers products at competitive prices enabling you to save. In addition since online shops don’t incur overhead costs you are able to buy at cheaper prices as compared to a local mall. Additionally, you are able to select from a variety of products online when shopping and in addition you can purchase products from anywhere in the world. You also get the chance to interact with sellers and manufacturers of products directly when shopping online. Lastly online shopping provides for making an informed decision before purchasing products through product reviews. This prevents mistakenly buying goods you have no proper knowledge on. All this explain why more and more people prefer to do their shopping online as compare to doing it at their local malls. According to Montaldo (52) it is true that online shopping surpasses shopping at the mall for it not only saves money but also keeps in check ones comfort and privacy.

Montaldo D, The pros and cons of online shopping. MA: The MIT Press, 2001. Retrieved from http://couponing.about.com/od/bargainshop/a/hiddencosts.htm Bigne, Enrique. The Impact of Internet User Shopping Patterns and Demographics on Consumer Mobile Buying Behavior. Journal of Electronic Commerce Research, 2005.

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The Business Rule

Offline Shopping vs Online Shopping – 6 Key Differences

Aashita Singh

Updated on: April 16, 2024

Offline Shopping vs Online shopping

India has seen a rapid increase in online shopping especially since the post Covid era, but offline shopping or the traditional shopping way still has a very strong hold among the shopping market.

Offline Shopping vs Online shopping

The decision of shopping through whichever mode should accompany with the priority, convenience, and need of the shopping at times. 

People preferring offline shopping 
People preferring online shopping
(Post Covid time) 
(post Covid time)
People preferring online shopping
(current time)
(specially during sales)
Growth rate of online shopping 
Growth rate of online shopping 
People preferring both 

6 Key Difference Between Offline Shopping Vs Online Shopping 

  • Convenience & Accessibility 
  • Availability & Experience 
  • Space & Gratification 
  • Experience & Interaction 
  • Price Dynamics 
  • Returns & Exchanges

Online shopping

(A) Convenience & Accessibility 

Offline Shopping – The tactile experience of offline shopping offers various benefits like immediate access to a range of products, allowing customers to see, try & touch any product before purchase. Apart from the significant rise of online shopping, the offline traditional shopping method still holds its grounds. 

Offline shopping method offers you access to a large number of shops, negotiate the price, to see many ranges of products, and more. For some, being physically present in a store and shop is the trustworthy form of shopping.

Differences of online shopping vs offline shopping

Online Shopping – This shopping method allows to shop anytime and from anywhere, according to the convenience. This provides access to customers to browse, purchase, compare, view reviews about any product from the comfort of their home, and that is available 24/7. This online shopping is like a virtual round to shopping stores for products that match your preferences.

(B) Availability 

Offline Shopping –  Though confined by space, this shopping method offers the experience of being physically present in the market and shop. Provides immediate access to a diverse range of products and shops. One of the major benefits that very well differentiate it from online shopping is that  you can walk out of any store immediately after making your purchases, without any shipping charges or waiting for the product to be delivered.

Shopping difference of online and offline

Online Shopping – One of the supreme benefits that online shopping offers. This shopping method transforms the shopping experience of a once limited marketplace into an all time available digital experience. These online stores are available and accessible anytime and anywhere, i.e. 24×7. Online shopping provides access and makes available products from many shopping sites, that provides you a good choice to choose from.

Note: Visit the article- Ajio Vs Myntra.

(C) Space & Gratification   

Offline Shopping – Offline shopping allows consumers to get into the details of every product in-depth and to know about it all until it becomes satisfactory in a physically confined space, where they can directly engage in a conversation with the retailer or the sales person for the product specifications and range.  The immediate purchase provides an instant gratification to the consumers, as they can take their product after making a purchase and don’t have to wait for it to get delivered.

Online and offline shopping difference

Online Shopping – The space in online shopping is not confined to any store, instead it provides a virtual platform to explore the online shopping dimensions, avoiding the crowd of being in a physical store. Customers can navigate through a pool of products, domains, categories, brands, websites, etc. This online shopping game offers access to store space in a digital world. However, instant gratification can be a challenge in online shopping, although it does provide doorstep delivery, but for that you have to wait too.

(D) Experience & Interaction 

Offline Shopping – This shopping method excels in providing real-time interaction with shopkeepers, retailers, staff, etc. and can help in better buying decision making process for the product. Provides a perfect platform that facilitates the ability to seek advice, share opinions, and engage in conversations that can help you get a better shopping experience. 

Key difference of online and offline shopping

Online Shopping – Interaction and shopping experience in online shopping comprises the reviews, recommendations, opinions, ratings, etc. This shopping method avoids social interaction with the shopkeepers or the retailers, instead they use reviews, opinions, customer satisfaction comments, etc. on their website with the product to provide more insights into the product range.

(E) Price Dynamics

Offline Shopping –  Offers a different price dynamic, as not all the physical stores offer cost-effective pricing. Instead, some shopkeepers offer seasonal deals, unique in-stores offers, discount ranges, etc. in the competitive price landscape of the market. They also incorporate some loyalty programs, special offers, promotions, membership for specific periods, etc. that can help in pocket savings. The face-to-face interaction with the shopkeeper helps in negotiating prices better.

Price dynamics of Online or Offline shopping

Online Shopping – There are multiple websites that offer online shopping best deals with cost-effective prices. The competitive landscape of online shopping is the outcome of reduced overhead costs and the ability to see and choose from vast digital places. This digital realm has become a playground for shoppers who are conscious about price, and look for discounts and offers often.

(F) Returns & Exchanges 

Offline Shopping – The replacement or exchange can be done immediately as it’ll involve direct interaction with the store or the shopkeeper. The return and exchange policy may vary according to the store policy and they do have specific timings that are made for the return and exchange of products. In this shopping method the customer can discuss directly with the shopkeeper about the problem or the issue they are having with the product.

online and offline shopping differences

Online Shopping – This shopping method offers convenient return of products or goods, as people don’t need to go to the store to return it. The policies may vary according to the website. This ability of shipping products back without leaving the house contributes to more online buying behavior. This return and exchange window offers a user-friendly interface where customers can return the product and state the reason and can ask for an exchange.

In the ever-evolving landscape, customers prefer involving both the styles of shopping, either online or offline. Both the shopping ways offer unique advantages and features that will make your shopping experience a memorable one.

Online shopping provides a cost-effective landscape with convenience and all time availability within the pocket. While the offline shopping method thrives a well determined combination of having and seeing the product in hand and interacting directly with the shopkeeper or the store staff.

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Home / Essay Samples / Business / Online Shopping / Online Shopping vs In-Store Shopping

Online Shopping vs In-Store Shopping

  • Category: Business , Life
  • Topic: Online Shopping , Shopping

Pages: 1 (300 words)

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Online Shopping

In-store shopping.

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