Shopping online vs. going in-store

There's a lot to be said about the digital world that we're living in and opinions run the gamut. One thing I think we'd all be able to agree on is that it's making our lives a lot easier. Shopping is just one example that has been changed by the online world, with many of us now shopping online, rather than in-store. Some benefits of that in my life are: 

Saves Time

One of the main perks of online shopping is the amount of time that you save yourself. Many of us have an active lifestyle and don’t have endless opportunities to spend hours shopping, or even the desire to do that in our spare time. Shopping online removes the requirement of having to go into a physical store to try things on and pay for them. With online shopping, you can do all your shopping with just a few clicks of a button. You don’t even need to be at home, you could be on the move and do it via your mobile phone. There’s plenty of opportunity to save yourself time with shopping online vs going in-store and as I've said here a million times, to me time is money. If I'm buying clothes or shoes I typically purchase from somewhere that's free shipping and free returns. I'll buy multiple sizes if necessary and then return what doesn't work. 

Online Exclusives & Inventory

A lot of websites have exclusive items online and that are not available in-store. There are also a lot of online only sales. Target is famous for doing the online sale where you order whatever online and they run a 10-15% discount if you pick up in store. I'm not that into that because then I might as well just do it myself but I know a lot of people like it. In addition to sales, sometimes there's more selection online so you might have more color or size options available. Quantity too. I had to buy a few items in bulk for an event last month and I ordered them in lieu of running from store to store rolling the dice on inventory. 

More Discounts

Given that I grew up in brick & mortar stores, it still shocks me when I go into the LOFT store next to my office and the sale is not the same as the sale online. The online sales are often better and you have a ton of discounts floating around on the world wide web. I know my stepmom, Laura, and Michelle all do the Kohl's coupon stacking, and I can always find ones online like these virtual kohls coupons. Coupon savings add up, and many can only be used online. Now not only are you saving time shopping online, you're saving actual cash too. I've tried to limit my buying a lot this year, but when I am in search of something I'm relentless about looking for ways to save when I get it which is much easier to do online.

Avoid Lines And Crowds

Last but not least, one of my favorites....avoiding the general public. Shopping online does not involve being in line with people who don't understand personal space and that is a gift with no price tag. If you don’t like big crowds or how people sometimes act in them, shop online. Of course there are exceptions where you may have to wait in a queuing system even online, like tickets to a gig or big festival, but not in a personal proximity to strangers who can't act right. And the line you might wait in online is one where you can easily slip out of while going to make yourself a bite to eat or grabbing a coffee. 

If I had more time, I'd talk about how grand it is to avoid parking lots, etc. I like to browse small business stores where there is personality in the shop and things I'm not going to find elsewhere. That is my personal preferred way of shopping. If I need something from a regular store, I prefer to shop online and cut out the BS. 

What about you? How do you prefer to shop for non-grocery items (that's another post entirely).