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On-Line vs Brick and Mortar Shopping

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On-line vs Brick and Mortar Shopping

According to a trend analysis performed by eMarketer, online buying trends will grow from $225.5 billion dollars in 2012 to almost double the number at $434 billion dollars in 2017. Whether it is to buy food, clothing, gas or anything else ones heart desires, shopping is a necessary evil that we all must experience in everyday life. Luckily, in the past several years, the Internet has changed how society shops for goods. Now one can choose between physically driving to a brick and mortar storefront and dealing with the crowds or shopping from the comfort and convenience of their homes and avoiding the social aspect altogether. There are distinct advantages and disadvantages to both methods of shopping. Online shopping is more convenient than physical retail shopping as consumers can compare prices; there is a wider selection of goods, and it is less time-consuming. Who doesn’t enjoy a bargain? By shopping online for items, one can simply open a second tab in a web browser and then search for a better price. Within minutes, one is able to compare pricing between a plethora of different retailers to find that sought after item at a great price. Other websites may offer rebate codes and coupons that one may not find elsewhere which gives the online shopper an even bigger discount than physical retail means. Being able to multi-task with multi-tabs gives the consumer a distinct advantage by making sure that the price paid for an item is the lowest possible price currently obtainable online. Brick and mortar or physical retail stores offer discount coupons as well and sometimes allow for one to use a competing chain’s coupons in place or addition to their own. However, these usually require one to print them out or clip them from an advert prior to leaving for the shopping excursion. Organizing and sorting coupons can be quite

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