In the last ten years, the number of shopping transactions carried out online has increased dramatically. However, despite this growth, I do not believe there is any reason to believe that traditional shops are under threat in any way.
First, online retailers are not actually that much cheaper than traditional shops once you factor in all the extra costs. Some people predict the death of the high street because shops like Amazon and Alibaba often sell goods more cheaply than traditional retailers. While this may sometimes be true, I would argue that after you have added the cost of shipping, there is often very little difference in price between the two. Furthermore, if you need to return the goods for some reason, then you may be liable for the cost of re-shipping the item back to the supplier and, hence, you could actually end up being out of pocket.
Another factor is convenience. Although it is undeniable that ordering from home is more comfortable than going to a shopping Centre, very often when consumers purchase items, they generally need to use them right away. This is particularly true of everyday items such as food and household goods. If there is the choice between walking 10 minutes to a store, or waiting 24 hours for delivery, then the local store will always win.
Finally, online retailers can never offer the same retail experience as shops. When you buy online, you have to rely on the accuracy of either a written description or a photo to make your purchasing choice. Obviously, this cannot compare to the experience of entering a shop and physically seeing and touching the product. For instance, no computer program can replicate the feeling of actually trying on a shirt to see how it fits. Moreover, people still tend to like being helped in their decision-making processes by a shop assistant, especially when they are buying expensive electrical items that may be confusing to operate and understand.
In conclusion, the fact that high street shop are no more expensive than their online equivalents, and they offer a better in-shop experience means I believe that they are in no danger of disappearing soon.
In the last ten years, the number of shopping transactions carried out
online
has increased
dramatically
.
However
, despite this growth, I do not believe there is any reason to believe that traditional
shops
are under threat in any way.
First
,
online
retailers are not actually that much cheaper than traditional
shops
once you factor in all the extra costs.
Some
people
predict the death of the high street
because
shops
like Amazon and Alibaba
often
sell
goods
more
cheaply
than traditional retailers. While this may
sometimes
be true, I would argue that after you have
added
the cost of shipping, there is
often
very
little
difference in price between the two.
Furthermore
, if you need to return the
goods
for
some
reason, then you may be liable for the cost of re-shipping the
item
back to the supplier and,
hence
, you could actually
end
up being
out of pocket
.
Another factor is convenience. Although it is undeniable that ordering from home is more comfortable than going to a shopping
Centre
,
very
often
when consumers
purchase
items
, they
generally
need to
use
them right away. This is
particularly
true of everyday
items
such as food and household
goods
. If there is the choice between walking 10 minutes to a store, or waiting 24 hours for delivery, then the local store will always win.
Finally
,
online
retailers can never offer the same retail experience as
shops
. When you
buy
online
, you
have to
rely on the accuracy of either a written description or a photo to
make
your purchasing choice.
Obviously
, this cannot compare to the experience of entering a
shop
and
physically
seeing and touching the product.
For instance
, no computer program can replicate the feeling of actually trying on a shirt to
see
how it fits.
Moreover
,
people
still
tend to like being
helped
in their decision-making processes by a
shop
assistant,
especially
when they are buying expensive electrical
items
that may be confusing to operate and understand.
In conclusion
, the fact that high street
shop
are no more expensive than their
online
equivalents, and they offer a better in-shop experience means I believe that they are in no
danger
of disappearing
soon
.