Saba Waqas |
It’s not wrong to say; the internet has simplified our lives! A few years back no one would have imagined that one could shop online. It’s indeed an evolution towards improvised lifestyle. The Online trend (E-commerce as it is popularly termed) is a breakthrough towards progression and nonetheless, anyone can become an entrepreneur with a small amount in your pocket. There are no rules here, you create your own world and setups. One can embark on a journey of their own lifestyle, business, and dreams.
Baggl is an online marketplace where businesses and freelancers can trade what they have or do, for whatever they need, albeit using a combination of barter and cash.
The world of internet has multiple advantages but like always it comes with impediments. Where it relieves users from carrying cash or traveling distances to buy stuff, it entails certain limitations of user experience and other hitches. I’ll quote different aspects of online trends with pros and cons so that you can decide for yourself as to which mode of shopping you prefer.
In our country we have well established online stores as well, two well-known are Daraz.pk and Clicky.pk.
Accessible Approach
The foremost advantage is, with a few clicks on your screens you can choose items you desire without any hassle of leaving your house. One saves time and for females, there’s no requirement of taking extra time for preparation or in certain cases bear the overcrowded urban transport systems.
The disadvantage attached to this accessibility is that one tends to get lazy. This leads to a dull lifestyle and loneliness. Furthermore, it gets difficult to get out of your comfort zone and in some cases, it leads to depression and seclusion from people.
Read more: Pakistan’s online shopping frenzy: e-commerce set to cross $ Billion mark
Variety/Fraud
E-commerce has made life easy, one can select from a wide variety of range. One has the access to seemingly unlimited number of online stores. Nowadays, most brands have their own online portals. It’s a stress-free way of shopping and an added advantage is before making any decision online, the consumer can read reviews by other consumers to save oneself from fraud.
Whereas it doesn’t always work this way, there are scams and people do get wrong purchases or they turn out to be not the same as they have expected. They often hoodwink customers by putting click baits. Online shoppers do not always know if a site is a legitimate retail store and if it is safe to shop.
The Online trend is a breakthrough towards progression and nonetheless, anyone can become an entrepreneur with a small amount in your pocket.
No Geographical Limitations
The one factor that has worked the most in favor of virtual shopping is the fact that users have multiple options that are not confined to any boundaries. A user can select the best price point or sales from anywhere around the world. The only con I can think of is shipping charges that can skyrocket depending upon your area.
The other problem a user can face is the time limitation. The order may take several days to reach you. Here there’s another aspect which is noticeable that online shops give you an option to set an email alert when the product is in stock so that you may complete your purchase and you know the exact days of delivery.
Read more: New online payment portals launching in Pakistan
Other Conveniences
24/7 access to shopping. Calling in food at odd times of the day. Sometimes free home delivery and most people prefer to avoid the chaotic crowd of shopping malls and opt for shopping from the comfort of their homes. Hence, one tends to save money on gas as well, which is an additional benefit.
Now on to a few disadvantages. Online shoppers do not have the facility to physically inspect or try on the items and current tech is unable to alleviate this aspect. Online customer loses the opportunity to negotiate the prices that may exist in local stores. Sometimes, it is difficult to understand the working mechanism of products in online stores.
Where to shop online
The 90s proved to be historical for internet shopping when the world was introduced to the ‘world wide web’. The pioneering online shopping sites such as Amazon and eBay were launched in 1995 and they still continue to reign the kingdom of the online retail market. With the consumer population becoming more and more tech-savvy and with the technological advancements that have led to safe, secure and reliable online transactions in the recent past, a customer is more inclined towards e-commerce. In our country we have well established online stores as well, two well-known are Daraz.pk and Clicky.pk. Daraz has managed to attract investment from Alibaba, an international E-commerce giant. Clicky is a homegrown E-commerce player that has forged close partnerships with local brands and is witnessing impressive clientele as well.
Read more: Chinese e-commerce giant to begin services in Pakistan this year
Conclusion
By analyzing the aforementioned factors, it is evident that the virtual trend of shopping would only flourish in the near future. By one estimate, the E-commerce market in Pakistan will cross $1B within 2018. This is just the beginning as the potential is many times more and with the introduction of new channels, this segment will grow rapidly. The future of traditional shopping is thus unclear.
Our generation considers shopping as a means of entertainment and socializing, virtual shopping is more isolating. We might decide in future to create a balance between virtual and physical shopping outlets including the type of merchandise more suited for each medium. Whatever your mode of shopping is, always remember one thing: “technology should not control you; you control technology”
Saba Waqas lives in Islamabad her interests are cooking, travelling, and exploring various cultures, additionally, she writes articles regarding social matters. The views expressed in this article are author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Global Village Space.