Online Shopping

Online shopping is a form of electronic commerce which allows consumers to directly buy products or services from a seller over the Internet. Because of the development of information technique, shopping online became more and more popular. While some customers may oppose shopping online, there are many good reasons why it should be encouraged.

Firstly, shopping on the Internet has a lot of advantages, of which the most important is perhaps its convenience. Compared to shopping at a store, people who shop on the Internet do not have to waste a lot of their energy and precious time to go from one shop to another to choose the commodities they like. Chang (2007), a professor of the University of Canberra who states that online shopping is a convenient solution because it saves time (cited in Davies, 1995). In addition, online stores are usually open for business 24 hours a day, and can be accessed anywhere in the world; shoppers can able to browse and purchase goods on the Internet anytime. Unlike traditional storefronts that have fixed opening hours, consumers can purchase items from anytime and in anywhere, which save time and travel cost (Dr. Joshua Chang, 2007). Consumers just need to sit in front of their computers and click the mouse. In short, shopping online saves people time, and online stores are open all the time.

In addition, a large amount of product information can be obtained online. Most online stores provide background information, advice, or how-to guides designed to help consumers decide which product to buy. For example, shoppers can assess the item before buying it by looking at the nature or quality. Prices and Discounts could also be researched to find the best deals to fit their budget. Moreover, some online stores also have real-time chat features, and rely on e-mail or phone calls to handle customer questions. In conventional retail stores, clerks are generally available to answer question, but unlike online shopping, the information on a product at a traditional store is not comprehensive. California Management Review (2001) explains that many online buyers prefer to get information from the Internet than get from the seller, because the important from sellers is limited (par.37). Shop assistants may not be knowledgeable about the product they are selling. Furthermore, some online stores even allow customers to comment on their items. There are also dedicated review sites that host user reviews for different products. According to Online Shopping Report (Retrieved, 2012), 57 percent of online respondents consider reviews prior to buy. To sum up, consumers not only can search much information about items but also comment.

Finally, many consumers are attracted by price. The price of online stores is generally lower than the price of traditional stores. Shoppers are able to buy directly from a manufacturer's or wholesaler's website. Chang states "As